Glacier and Dune Dynamics Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of a slip face in sand dunes?

  • The flat area at the base of the dune
  • The leeward slope of the dune (correct)
  • The completely eroded section of the dune
  • The windward slope of the dune

Which type of dune is characterized by its crescent shape?

  • Parabolic dunes
  • Barchan dunes (correct)
  • Star dunes
  • Longitudinal dunes

What factors determine the size, shape, and orientation of beach sand dunes?

  • Available sand, vegetation, and wind (correct)
  • The presence of water sources nearby
  • The color of the sand and the area's elevation
  • The temperature and humidity of the region

What is a ventifact?

<p>A rock that has been altered by wind-driven particles (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily responsible for the formation of yardangs?

<p>Wind abrasion and occasional flash flood erosion (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a glacier primarily formed from?

<p>Compaction and recrystallization of snow (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which types of glaciers are characterized by large scale?

<p>Ice sheets (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which zone do glaciers see a gain in ice mass?

<p>Zone of accumulation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily determines the retreat of a glacier?

<p>Melting during warmer seasons (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the balance that governs glaciers?

<p>Snowfall, ice flow, and ablation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of glacier?

<p>Rift glaciers (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by a glacier's terminus?

<p>The end point of the glacier's flow (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which environment does NOT specifically contribute to glacier accumulation?

<p>Tropical forests (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a cirque?

<p>A bowl-shaped depression carved by a glacier (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a fjord?

<p>It is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides created by a glacier. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of glacial drift is composed of material deposited directly by ice?

<p>Till (Moraine) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines stratified drift in glacial geology?

<p>Sorted sediment laid down by meltwater from glaciers (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a playa primarily described as?

<p>A flat-bottom depression found in arid regions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of moraine is formed from material pushed forward by a glacier's leading edge?

<p>Terminal Moraine (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is glacial drift?

<p>It refers to all materials transported and deposited by glaciers. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the lifting of loose material by wind?

<p>Deflation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of moraine is described as an irregular blanket of till deposited under a glacier?

<p>Ground Moraine (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What transport method does not involve dissolved materials?

<p>Bed Load (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which landform is characterized as sharp-crested piles of debris left by melting ice?

<p>Moraines (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process leads to the formation of desert pavement?

<p>Deflation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes abrasion in the context of wind erosion?

<p>Mechanical scraping of surfaces (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'saltation' refer to in sediment transport?

<p>Temporary lifting of granules off the ground (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which component primarily comprises the suspended load transported by wind?

<p>Finer materials like dust and silt (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic distinguishes glacial till?

<p>It is usually unstratified and unsorted. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of moraine?

<p>Delta moraine (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are drumlins primarily shaped by?

<p>Advancing glaciers running over moraines (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are kettles formed?

<p>From the melting of large blocks of ice (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the defining feature of outwash plains?

<p>They are formed from sediment deposited by glacial meltwater. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Eskers are best described as:

<p>Long winding ridges of material deposited in glacier tunnels. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is formed by glacial streams emptying into lakes?

<p>Deltas (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main material composition of kames?

<p>Sand and gravel from meltwater streams (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is formed only in the ablation zone of a glacier?

<p>Moraines (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do kettles become when a block of stagnant ice melts?

<p>A depression that can form a pond or lake (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes an esker?

<p>Ridges made from glacial meltwater deposited through tunnels (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes an outwash plain?

<p>It is dominated by braided rivers during glacier melting. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these features is shaped like elongated teardrop hills?

<p>Drumlins (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of moraine is created during a temporary glacial standstill?

<p>Terminal moraine (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the sediments in an outwash plain as one moves away from the glacier?

<p>The sediments become finer. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What describes the shape of a moraine that curves convexly down a valley?

<p>Crescentic (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Cirque

A bowl-shaped depression carved by the base of a glacier at the side of or near a mountain.

Fjords

A long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier.

Moraine

Any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock) transported by a glacier.

Ground moraine

An irregular blanket of till deposited under a glacier.

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Terminal moraine

A ridge-like accumulation of glacial debris pushed forward by the glacier's snout.

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Stratified drift

Sediment deposited by meltwater from glaciers, typically sorted and layered.

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Glacial drift

All rock material transported by a glacier and deposited directly by or from the ice or by running water.

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Till

Material deposited directly by ice, often unsorted and mixed.

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Yardangs

Eroded rock formations shaped by wind abrasion, often found in arid environments.

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Ventifact

A rock that has been etched, pitted, or grooved by wind-blown sand or ice crystals.

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Sand Dunes

Mounds or ridges of sand formed by wind deposition. They are characterized by a slip face (leeward slope) and cross beds (sloping layers of sand).

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Barchan Dunes

Crescent-shaped dunes with horns pointing downwind.

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Transverse Dunes

Long, parallel ridges of sand oriented perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction.

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What is a glacier?

A thick mass of ice that forms on land from the compression and recrystallization of snow, showing evidence of past or present flow.

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What is the zone of accumulation?

The area of a glacier where snowfall exceeds losses, contributing to glacier growth.

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What is the zone of ablation?

The area of a glacier where losses from melting and evaporation exceed snowfall, causing glacier shrinkage.

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What is the terminus of a glacier?

The end point of a glacier where it terminates.

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What are valley glaciers?

Glaciers that form in mountainous areas and flow down valleys.

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What are ice sheets or continental glaciers?

Large-scale glaciers that cover vast areas of land, such as Greenland and Antarctica.

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Do glaciers move?

Glaciers are constantly in motion due to the weight of their ice and gravity.

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How do glaciers retreat?

Glaciers retreat by melting back, not by retracting. The balance between snowfall, ice flow, and ablation determines if a glacier is advancing or retreating.

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Recessional Moraine

A secondary terminal moraine deposited during a temporary glacial standstill

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Ablation Zone

They form only in the ablation zone of a glacier (where more ice is melting than is accumulating as snow each year)

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Kettle

When a block of stagnant ice (a serac) detaches from the glacier and becomes wholly or partially buried in sediment. As it melts, it leaves behind a pit, often filled with water.

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Esker

Ridges made of sands and gravels deposited by meltwater flowing through tunnels within or underneath glaciers, or through channels on the glacier's surface.

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Drumlin

Elongated, teardrop-shaped hills of rock, sand, and gravel that formed under moving glacier ice.

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Outwash Plain

Expansive, generally flat areas dominated by braided rivers formed in front of melting glaciers. Fine sediment is typically found farthest away from the glacier.

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Continental Glacier or Ice Sheet

A general term for a large, continental-scale glacier covering a large area of land.

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What is glacial till?

Unsorted and unstratified rock fragments carried and deposited by a glacier.

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What is an esker?

A long, narrow, winding ridge composed of sand and gravel deposited by a meltwater stream flowing within or beneath a glacier.

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What is an outwash plain?

A broad, flat plain formed by sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams flowing in front of a glacier.

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What is a drumlin?

A long, smooth, canoe-shaped hill composed of glacial till formed by the erosion of earlier glacial deposits.

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What is a kame?

A small, cone-shaped hill composed of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams on top of a glacier.

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What is a kettle?

A circular depression in glacial landscapes, often filled with water, formed by the melting of a large block of ice.

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What is a moraine?

A layer or ridge of glacial till deposited at the edge of a glacier. Types include lateral, medial, terminal, and ground moraines.

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What is a glacial delta?

A delta formed by the deposition of sediment from a glacial stream entering a lake.

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What is a Playa?

A flat, dry, and usually salty depression in arid regions that periodically fills with water, which then evaporates leaving behind salts, sand and mud.

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What is Deflation?

The process of removing fine, loose particles from a surface by the wind.

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What is Desert Pavement?

A layer of closely packed, larger pebbles left behind after wind deflation removes finer particles.

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What is a Ventifact?

Wind-shaped stones with sharp edges created by abrasion.

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What is a Yardang?

Streamlined desert ridges sculpted by wind erosion.

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What is Abrasion by Wind?

A type of wind erosion caused by sand or other particles carried by wind grinding against rock surfaces.

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How does wind transport sediment?

Wind primarily carries smaller particles like dust, silt, and clay, called the suspended load.

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How do Evaporite deposits indicate past climate?

Evaporite deposits, like those found in dry lakes or playas, are indicators of past dry climates.

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Study Notes

Glaciers

  • Glaciers are part of both the hydrologic and rock cycle.
  • A glacier is a thick mass of ice formed from compacted and recrystallized snow, exhibiting evidence of past or current flow.
  • Types include valley/alpine (mountainous areas, smaller than ice sheets, longer than wide, confined to a small region), ice sheets/continental (large scale, cover 10% of Earth's land, e.g., Greenland, Antarctica), ice caps, and piedmont glaciers.

Glacier Movement

  • Glaciers move due to gravity.
  • Internal flow (plastic flow) and basal sliding contribute to glacier movement.
  • Plastic flow is the internal deformation of ice under stress, and speed decreases with depth.
  • Basal sliding is facilitated by meltwater at the ice-bed interface, enhanced by irregularities on the bed (regelation).
  • Glacier speed varies, generally slower at the base and edges, faster in the center, ranging from 0.5 m/year to several meters/day.

Anatomy of a Glacier

  • Zone of accumulation (snowfall exceeds ablation).
  • Zone of ablation (melting and evaporation exceed snowfall).
  • Firn line (transition between compacted snow and glacial ice).
  • Crevasses (fractures in brittle ice).

Glacial Budget

  • The balance between accumulation and ablation determines a glacier's stability.
  • Snowline marks limit of accumulation.
  • Wastage zone occurs where ablation exceeds snowfall.

Glacial Erosion

  • Glaciers erode through plucking (lifting of rocks) and abrasion (grinding).
  • Rock flour is pulverized rock created by abrasion.
  • Striations are grooves in bedrock caused by abrasion.

Glacial Landforms (Alpine)

  • Glacial trough – U-shaped valley after glacier retreats.
  • Hanging valley – smaller tributary valley higher than the main valley.
  • Cirque – bowl-shaped depression at the head of a valley carved by glacial erosion.
  • Arête – sharp ridge between two adjacent valleys.
  • Horn – sharp peak formed by the erosion of three or more arêtes.
  • Fjord – deep U-shaped glacial valley flooded by seawater.
  • Tarn – small glacial lake in a cirque.
  • Pater noster lakes – series of glacial lakes connected by a stream.

Glacial Deposits

  • Glacial drift is material moved and deposited by glaciers.
  • Moraines are unsorted debris piled up by glaciers (ground moraine - blanket like, terminal moraine - ridge-like, recessional moraine - created during pauses in glacier retreat, lateral moraines).
  • Stratified drift is sorted sediment deposited by meltwater (outwash plains, eskers, kames, kettles).

Continental Glaciers/Ice Sheets

  • Features like kettles, eskers, moraines, drumlins, and outwash plains are common deposits.

Desert Environments & Landforms

  • Deserts have less than 25 cm of annual precipitation, with an aridity index higher than 4.0.
  • Deserts can be cold, temperate, or hot.

Desert Landforms

  • Desert weathering is primarily mechanical, with a bit of chemical weathering.
  • Desert varnish is a thin coating of minerals that forms on rock surfaces.
  • Features produced by stream erosion include arroyos, pediments, and inselbergs.
  • Playas are dry lake beds.

Desert Landforms Created by Wind

  • Wind deflation removes loose material creating blowouts and desert pavements.
  • Wind abrasion shapes stones (ventilfacts) and creates yardangs.
  • Wind deposition creates sand dunes (barchan, transverse, longitudinal, parabolic, star).
  • Loess is windblown silt, a result of glacial outwash.

Desertification

  • Desertification is the expansion of desert-like conditions into non-desert areas.
  • Causes include drought and overpopulation.
  • Signs include lowering of the water table, decreased water supply, increased salinity, vegetation loss, and accelerated soil erosion.

Ice Age Glaciers

  • The most recent ice age started 2-3 million years ago, with widespread ice coverage.
  • Ice age glaciers caused worldwide changes in sea level, climate, and migration of plants and animals.
  • Possible causes include variations in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch hypothesis), volcanic activity, and changes in atmospheric composition.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the characteristics and formation of dunes and glaciers. This quiz covers topics such as slip faces, ventifacts, and the processes influencing glacier mass balance. Dive into the intricate details of our planet's geological features!

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