EQ1

Question 1

Glacial period

Answer 1

Period of time during an ice age when glaciers advance because of colder temperatures.

Question 2

Interglacial period

Answer 2

Period of time during an ice age when glaciers retreat because of milder temperatures.

Question 3

Icehouse conditions

Answer 3

Very cold glacial conditions.

Question 4

Greenhouse conditions

Answer 4

Warmer interglacial conditions.

Question 5

Pleistocene

Answer 5

Period of time from about 2 million years ago to 11,700 years ago. During this period areas of land at higher and middle latitudes where covered with glacial lice.

Question 6

Milankovitch cycle

Answer 6

A theory which suggests that changes in the Earths climate are caused by variations in solar radiation at the earths surface. There variations are due to cyclical changes in the geometric relationships between the Earth and Sun. It comes in three parts: axial tilt and earth wobble.

Question 7

Stadials

Answer 7

Short term changes to conditions that lead to ice re advances.

Question 8

Interstadials

Answer 8

Short term changes to conditions that lead to ice.

Question 9

Orbital / Astronomical forcing

Answer 9

A process which can change the amount of energy from the sun reaching the Earth and forces climate to change as a response.

Question 10

Albedo

Answer 10

The amount of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface such as ice.

Question 11

Calving

Answer 11

The breaking up of the ice sheet at the glacier snout which then forms icebergs.

Question 12

Thermohaline circulation.

Answer 12

The oceans consists almost entirely of water and salt. The density of water depends on its temperature and salinity. Any changes to this causes the water to flow (currents). Also known as ocean conveyer.

Question 13

Ablation

Answer 13

Surface removal of ice or snow from a glacier or snowfield by melting sublimation, and/or calving.

Question 14

Cirque

Answer 14

Landform created by glaciers, grinding an existing valley into a rounded shape with steep sides, often called a corrie or a cwm.

Question 15

Ice field

Answer 15

Large levels area of glacial ice found covering a large expanse of land. Similar in size to an ice cap but does not have a dome shape.

Question 16

Cryosphere

Answer 16

The frozen water part of the Earth system.

Question 17

Nivation

Answer 17

Process where snow patches initiate erosion through physical weathering, meltwater flow and gelifluction.

Question 18

Solifluction

Answer 18

Form of mass movement in environments that experience freeze-thaw action. It is characterised by the slow movement of soil material downslope and the formation of lobe-shaped featured.

Question 19

Permafrost active layer

Answer 19

The top level of soil of permafrost that thaws and freezes during summer and winter.

Question 20

Continuous permafrost

Answer 20

Form of permafrost that exist across a landscape as an unbroken layer.

Question 21

Discontinuous permafrost

Answer 21

Form of permafrost that contains numerous scattered pockets of unfrozen ground.

Question 22

Sporadic permafrost

Answer 22

Form of permafrost that exists as small islands of frozen ground in otherwise unfrozen soil and sediments.