Water Cycle EQ2 Flashcards
What is a drought?
Deficit of water compared to normal precipitation levels
What are the droughts in order of severity and duration?
Meteological
Hydrological
Agricultural
Famine
What is meteological drought?
Shortfalls in precipitation as a result of short term variability within the long term average overall
What is hydrological drought?
Reduced steam flow and groundwater levels from reduced precipitation and high rates of evaporation
What is agricultural drought?
Rainfall deficiency from meteorological drought lead to deficiency of soil moisture
What is famine drought?
Humanitarian crisis leading to food shortages and famines with severe social economic and environmental impacts
What are the physical causes of drought?
Lack of rainfall
Seasons
Heatwaves
Late monsoon seasons
El Niño/ La Niña
What are the human causes of drought?
Over extraction
Over population
Lack of needed infrastructure
Building dams on rivers
Pollution
Deforestation
Climate change
What are the ENSO cycles?
Good example of a longer term physical cause of drought in some regions
What is El Niño?
Climate cycle operating every 2-7 years leading drought in different parts of the world origins
Changes to sea surface temps in southern Pacific Ocean
What is La Niña?
Opposite to El Nino
Clear air sinks at South America warm air rises at Australia
What is the ITCZ?
Intertropical Convergent Zone
Area of low pressure in tropics forms due to action of Hadley cells where north east and south east trade winds meet
What is a blocking high pressure system?
Area of warm weather that block more unstable weather/air moving in
Can remain stationary for weeks/months
What is a monsoon?
Particular wet season lasting several months and happens in a number of regions around the planet
What are human factors that lead to drought?
Building dams- lessens water access below
Water transport schemes- less water for are coming from
Deforestation- water doesn’t stay in the area
Overgrazing