Edexcel A-Level Geography - Glaciation

Created by

Kirsten Mhlanga

Cards (100)

Quarternary Ice Age 
Most recent ice age that started 2.6 million years ago with two epochs (Pleistocene and Holocene)
Loch Lomond Stadial 
Last glacial advance in the UK 12,000-10,000 years ago in Scottish Highlands caused by Gulf Stream cut off by Lake Agassiz
Little Ice Age 
Between 1300-1870 when average temperatures were 1-2C cooler, resulting in glaciers re-advancing and abandoned settlements in Iceland
Eccentricity Cycle 
Change in Earth's orbit from circular to elliptical every 100,000 years
Obliquity Cycle 
Tilt of Earth's axis varies from 21 to 24 over 41,000 years, changing season severity
Procession of the Equinoxes 
Earth's wobble causes the season in which the the Earth is closest to the Sun to change every 21,000 years
Albedo Effect 
The reflection of solar energy from Earth
Thermohaline Circulation 
Ocean current circulation that is driven by differences in temperature and salinity
Short-term causes of climate change
Volcanic sulphur dioxide emissions intensify Albedo and variation in solar output
Long-term causes of climate change
Plate tectonics (mountain building = more snow) and Panama Isthmus closure caused the Gulf Stream that increased snowfall in the Arctic
Cryosphere 
Cold environment where water is in it's solid ice form as snow, icebergs, lake and river ice. 11% of ice in Greenland and 86% Antarctica.
Polar Environment 
High latitude, very cold and low precipitation
Alpine Environment 
High altitude, high precipitation, varied temperature and rapid glaciers
Relict Landscape 
No longer experiences glacial activity but contains fossil glacial landforms
Cirque or Corrie 
Armchair-like hollow 0.5-10km2 (Cirque Au Mandit)
Valley Glacier 
Similar to river that flows down valleys covering 10s-1000skm2 (Mer de Glace)
Piedmont Glacier 
Glacier that spreads over 10km wide when it reaches an open plain (Wye)
Highland Ice Field 
Smaller than an ice cap that is confined by the topography (Vallee Blanche)
Ice Cap 
Area of Ice not confined by topography covering up to 50,000km2 (Vatnajokull)
Ice Sheet 
Larger than an ice cap over 50,000km2 (Greenland)
Permafrost 
Ground at or below 0C for more than 2 years
Talik 
Permanently unfrozen ground in a permafrost region
Active layer 
Topsoil that thaws in the Summer and freezes in the Autumn
Freeze-thaw weathering 
Water that freezes and expands in cracks in rocks, weakening the rock and causing disintegration
Solifluction 
Downslope movement of the active layer (Gara Rock)
Frost heave 
Freeze and expansion of water in ground upwells rocks to the surface
Nivation 
Freeze-thaw, solifluction and meltwater erosion weakens and erodes the ground beneath a snow patch
Meltwater erosion 
Erosion of stream or river channels
Scree 
Accumulation of frost-shattered rocks on a slope (Wastwater Lake District)
Ice-Wedge Polygons 
Caused from ground contraction from active layer refreezing (Romford)
Patterned ground 
Caused from frost heave and creep that causes domes and stones to settle on the edges (Tinto Hill, Scotland)
Pingos 
Ice lens breaks surface (open) or causes hump under permafrost (Letton, Herefordshire)
Blockside 
Block of soil slides from hill leaving dip (Felsenmeer)
Tors 
Solifluction exposes solid rock outcrop (Hay Tor)
Solifluction terrace 
Terrace of head at the foot of a slope (Edale Valley)
Asymmetrical Valleys 
Sloping on one side and steep on opposite side from sunlight increasing solifluction rate on south-facing side (Chilterns)
Dry Valleys 
Areas where rivers once flowed when permafrost made the bedrock impervious. Rivers now flow underground due to permeable rock (Devils Dyke, South Downs)
Loess Plain 
Caused by Aeolian action when tundra particles extensively accumulate (Loess Plateau, China)
Braided Channels 
A river with multiple channels and non/vegetated sand and gravel banks between channels (Mackenzie Delta, Canada)
Nivation Hollows 
Enlarged hollows from nivation (Coire Domhain, Cairngorms)