Glaciers Flashcards

1
Q

What are glaciers?

A

Systems with inputs,stores and outputs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the inputs of a glacier?

A
  • snow
  • condensation of water and vapour from the air
  • sublimation
  • parts of the rock collected when the glaciers carves away at the landscape
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the stores in glaciers?

A

The main store is ice

  • meltwater
  • debris
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the outputs of a glacier?

A

Ice melting
Surface snow melting and evaporating
Snow blown away by strong winds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is a glacial budget?

A

The balance between a glaciers outputs and inputs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the geographical term for inputs?

A

Accumulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What’s the geographical term for outputs?

A

Ablation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What does the budget show?

A

Whether the volume of water in the system has increased or decreased,determining if the front of the glacier moves forward or retreats back

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What happens if theirs more accumulation than ablation?

A

It has a positive regime + glacier moves forwards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why do glacial budgets change throughout the year?

A

More ablation during the warmer times

Change in global temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How do glaciers form?

A
  • when snow first settles it has a loose fluffy consistency
  • the weight of the snow on top turns the snow denser and more granular
  • air is squeezed out and the particles of ice are compressed together
  • water melts and refreezes in the air spaces making ice more dense
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Why is a warm based glacier warm?

A

The base is warmer than the melting point due to the heat from the friction caused by the glacier moving or geothermal heat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Key features of a warm based glacier?

A
  • melted ice at bottom acts as a lubricant,making it easier for the glacier to move downhill
  • lots of movement = lots of erosion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Key features of a cold based glacier?

A

Little melting
Little movement
Not much erosion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly