Exam 3 cumulative review

Glacier

A body of ice flowing downslope or outward over land that persists year-round.

Glaciation

The process of glacier origination, expansion, and retreat as well as their impact on Earth’s surface.

Sea Ice

Frozen seawater that does not qualify as a glacier.

Glacial Impact

Involves erosion, sediment transport, deposition, and produces distinctive landforms.

Glacial Budget

The balance between snow input and melting output that controls glacial expansion versus contraction.

Zone of Accumulation

Area where snow growth exceeds loss, leading to glacier expansion.

Zone of Wastage

Area where ice loss exceeds accumulation, leading to glacier retreat.

Accretion

The amount of glacial ice added annually, transitioning from snow to firn to glacial ice.

Ablation

The amount of ice the glacier loses annually through melting, iceberg calving, and sublimation.

Firn

Old, granular, compacted snow that can be considered a sedimentary rock.

Terminal Moraine

Ridge of rubble deposited at the end of a stationary glacier.

Calving

The process of ice chunks breaking off from the edge of a glacier.

Alpine Glacier

A mountain glacier that flows downslope through mountain valleys.

Continental Glacier

A glacier that covers a vast area and is unconfined by topography.

Ice Shelf

Part of a glacier that is floating in the sea but still connected to land.

Plastic Flow

Movement of ice within a glacier that flows and deforms without cracking.

Basal Slip

Ice sliding over underlying surfaces, often facilitated by meltwater reducing friction.

Crevasses

Deep fissures or cracks in a glacier's surface due to brittle failure.

Glacial Surge

Temporary increase in a glacier's speed often resulting in surface crevasses.

Erosion

The process by which glaciers remove and transport rock and sediment.

Glacial Striations

Straight scratches on rock surfaces caused by glacial abrasion.

Cirque

Steep, bowl-shaped features where mountain glaciers originate.

U-shaped Valley

Valleys with nearly vertical walls and broad floors created by glacial erosion.

Hanging Valley

A tributary glacial valley that joins the main valley at a high point.

Fjord

Flooded glacial valleys that form when sea levels rise.

Till

Unsorted glacial deposits with no stratification, typically a random jumble of material.

Glacial Erratic

A large boulder that has been transported by a glacier and deposited elsewhere.

Moraine

An elongated ridge of glacial till.

Recessional Moraine

Mounds formed during pauses in a glacier's retreat.

Kettles

Depressions formed where blocks of ice from retreating glaciers block outwash.

Drumlin

Elongated hills of till shaped by a moving continental glacier.

Esser

Long, narrow winding ridges of sediment deposited by streams within a glacier.

Clastic Varves

Seasonally alternating light and dark mud deposits in glacial lakes.

Dropstones

Larger sediment clasts that settle into finer sediment as floating ice melts.

Glacial Deposits

Deposits left by glaciers that provide clues to their historical extent.

Landscape Alteration

Changes in terrain and ecosystems caused by glacial movements and deposits.

Glacial Impact on Soil

The effects of glacial deposits on soil quality and characteristics.

Freshwater Reservoir

Glaciers serve as a massive store of freshwater in the hydrologic cycle.

Ice Abrasion

Erosion caused by ice scraping against rock surfaces.

Sediment Transport

The movement of sediments by glacial activity across landscapes.

Distinctive Landforms

Features created by glaciers, including valleys and moraines.

Climate Data Archive

Glaciers are records of climate data up to 100,000 years.

Glacial Ice Formation

The transformation from snow to firn and then to solid glacial ice.

Glacial Climate Indicator

Glaciers reflect historical climate conditions through their size and distribution.

Precipitation Effects

Snowfall influences glacier growth and overall health.

Temperature Effects

Warm temperatures can lead to increased melting of glaciers.

Erosional Features

Climatic and geological formations created by glacial activity.

Depositional Features

Structures formed by the deposition of materials from glaciers.

Glacial History

The chronological events and developments of Earth's ice ages.

Glacial Research

The study of glaciers to understand Earth’s past and current climate systems.

University Field Trip

An educational excursion to observe glacial features firsthand.

Hydrologic Cycle

The continuous movement of water that glaciers greatly affect.

Glacial Dynamics

The changes in glacier movement and health affected by external factors.

Glacier Retreat

The phenomenon where glaciers melt and decrease in size.

Glacier Advance

The process in which glaciers grow and move forward.

Meltwater Contribution

The water produced from melting glaciers that contributes to streams and rivers.

Climate Change Effect

The influence of global warming on glaciers and ice melting.

Glacial Landforms

Geological shapes and structures formed due to glacial processes.

Physical Geography

The branch of geography examining physical landscape features.

Environmental Monitoring

Tracking of glacier conditions to assess climate impact.

Scientific Communication

The process of sharing research findings about glaciers and climate.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock formed from particles that could include glacially transported materials.

Cultural Impact

The influence of glaciers on human settlements and history.

Glacial Flow Rates

The speed at which glaciers advance or retreat influenced by various factors.

Landscape Modification

The alteration of natural landscapes due to ice movement.

Earth Science Integration

Combining knowledge of glaciers with broader Earth science principles.

Field Research Importance

The value of hands-on study in understanding glacial activity.

Glacial Compression

The process of snow and firn being compressed into dense glacial ice.

Physical Geography Study

The discipline focused on understanding Earth's structures and processes.

Fossil Record Influence

The way glaciers shape and impact fossil discoveries.

Educational Outreach

Programs designed to educate the public about glacial science.

Peer-Reviewed Research

Scientific studies on glaciers validated by experts in the field.

Global Ice Sheets

Large ice masses found in polar regions that are critical to global climate.

Glacial Geography

The study of how glaciers have shaped the Earth's surface over time.

Sustainable Practices

Methods that consider environmental impact regarding glaciers and climate.

Research Methodologies

Approaches researchers take to study glaciers and their impacts.

Phenomenon of Glacial Ice

Understanding the unique characteristics of glacial ice.

Cycling of Nutrients

How glacial melt affects nutrient distribution in ecosystems.

Climate

Long term (30+ year) trends in precipitation and temperature.

Weather

Daily temperature and precipitation patterns.

Solar Radiation

Incoming solar energy that varies by latitude.

Atmospheric Convection

The process where warm air rises at the equator and sinks at the poles, redistributing heat.

Low Pressure Systems

Associated with evaporation and likely to bring rain.

High Pressure Systems

Associated with sinking air and likely to bring dry conditions.

Convection Cells

Three separate convection cells in each hemisphere due to Earth's rotation.

Rain Shadow Effect

A phenomenon where atmospheric moisture is lost when moving over mountains.

Cryosphere

The frozen water part of the Earth, including glaciers and snow.

Albedo

The measure of how much incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that absorb infrared radiation and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Milankovitch Cycles

Geological cycles affecting climate due to changes in Earth’s orbit and axial tilt.

Precession

A wobbly rotation of Earth’s axis on a cycle of about 26,000 years.

Obliquity

Changes in the tilt of Earth's axis occurring approximately every 41,000 years.

Eccentricity

The shape of Earth's orbit around the sun changing from circular to elliptical every 100,000 years.

Global Warming

The long-term heating of Earth's climate system due to human activity.

Anthropogenic Climate Change

Climate change caused by human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions.

Feedback Loop

A process wherein the effects of a change in a system can influence further changes.

Positive Feedback

Feedback that amplifies or accelerates the change.

Negative Feedback

Feedback that counteracts or reduces the change.

Hydrosphere

The liquid water part of Earth, which interacts with other spheres in climate control.

Biosphere

The region of Earth where life exists, influencing and affected by climate.