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152 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is a seamount and where is it found?
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Any volcano that starts in water (volcanic island), found at deep ocean basins
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What is a volcanic island and where is it found?
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It is a seamount found at deep ocean basins
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What is a guyot?
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A seamount that used to be a volcanic island but the top has been sheered off by waves, now underwater
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What are turbidity currents and what do they form?
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They are a mixture of sediment and water, they form deep-sea fans and graded bedding
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What is a rift zone?
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A zone where there are volcanoes, lakes, because of divergent boundaries
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Explain the supercontinent cycle
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It is the complete opening and closing of an ocean basin. Also called the Wilson Cycle, the rifting and dispersal of one supercontinent is followed by a long period as fragments are reassembled
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What are 3 different ways to map the ocean floor?
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Weighted lines, Sonar, and Satellites
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What are the 3 major ocean provinces?
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Deep-Ocean Basin, Mid-Ocean Ridge, Continental Margin
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What are the 3 different parts to the Continental Margin? (Explain)
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1.) Shelf -Light can hit the floor, this is where most oceanic life occurs
2.) Slope -the boundary between continental and oceanic crust (considered oceanic) 3.) Rise - thick accumulation of sediment |
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What's the difference between active and passive continental margins?
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Passive - not associated with plate boundaries, broad continental shelf.
Active - tectonic activity, convergent boundaries, narrow continental shelf |
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Describe a deep-ocean basin
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it is the deepest part of every ocean and has 3 components:
1.) deep ocean trench 2.) abyssal plain 3.) seamounts |
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What is the Ophiolite Complex and how does it form?
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it is a section of the oceanic crust made up of sediments, pillow basalts, sheeted dike complex, and gabbro. it forms when magma moves up to surface, erupts and forms pillow basalts. the magma in cracks solidifies forming sheeted dikes, which cool quickly, the pool of magma below cools slower forming gabbro.
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What is orogenesis?
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any process that produces mountains
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What are sutures?
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The points where two boundaries meet
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What is terrane accretion?
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Small crustal fragments with different history than adjacent crust attaching to continental crust by movement of plates
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What are fault-block mountains?
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Mountains formed by normal faulting of divergent boundaries that can potentially form elongate ridges
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What is an aquitard?
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impermeable layers that hinder or prevent water movement
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What's the difference between a gaining stream and a losing stream?
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Gaining Stream- streams that gain water from the inflow of groundwater through the streambed; occurs only when the elevation of the water table is higher than the level of the surface of the stream
Losing Stream- streams that lose water to the groundwater system by outflow through the streambed; occurs when elevation of water table is lower than the surface of stream -can be CONNECTED by continuous saturated zone -can be DISCONNECTED by an unsaturated zone---> bulge in water table beneath the stream |
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What's the difference between porosity and permeability?
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Porosity- the percentage of the total volume of rock or sediment that consists of pore spaces (sponge-like openings) that helps measure a material's capacity to yield groundwater
-more poorly sorted---> reduced porosity Permeability- a material's ability to transmit a fluid; pores must be connected and large enough |
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What is travertine?
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Fresh water made limestone formed from hot springs
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What is a speleothem and what are two examples?
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anything built naturally in a cave
1.) stalactites- hang from the ceiling 2.) stalagmites- come up from the floor |
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What causes sinkholes?
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roof of a cave collapses due to a change in elevation
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What is Karst topography and what are some features?
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Landscapes underlain by limestone that are shaped mainly by groundwater; usually have irregular terrain with sinkholes and a relative lack of streams
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Why is groundwater important?
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it is the largest reservoir of fresh water, it's 50% of the drinking water in the U.S., provides nutrients, and is an agent of erosion
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How can the water table vary?
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Naturally - rainfall, permeability, topography
By Humans - pumping too much from wells |
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Why do springs flow?
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Because the water table intersects the surface
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How are hot springs and geysers formed?
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Hot springs- groundwater circulates at depth and becomes heated or is heated by the cooling of igneous rock, then that water emerges to the surface
Geysers- hot springs or fountains in which columns of water are ejected with great force into the air that occur where extensive underground chambers exist within hot igneous rocks - operate: cool groundwater enters chambers & is heated by surrounding rock, water undergoes great pressure, then expands due to heat, forcing some water to surface, lowering pressure and boiling point. Portion of water deep within chamber turns to steam, and the geyser erupts, repeats this cycle |
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What is an artesian well?
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well in which groundwater, under pressure, rises above the level of the aquifer
-nonflowing: pressure surface is below groundwater -flowing: pressure surface is above ground and a well is drilled into aquifer Conditions: 1.) water is confined to an aquifer that is inclined so that one end can receive water 2.) aquitards, above and below aquifer, must be present to prevent water from escaping- "confined aquifer" |
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How are caves created?
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acidic groundwater follows through joints and bedding planes and eventually dissolves slowly, creating cavities that gradually enlarge into caves
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What is beach drift?
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the transport of sediment in a zigzag pattern along beach, caused by the uprush of water from obliquely breaking waves
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What is longshore current?
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nearshore current that flows parallel to the shore
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What are the 5 shoreline erosional features?
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1.) sea cliff-form from cutting action of the surf against the base of coastal land
2.) sea wall 3.) sea cave-forms from eroded walls/cliffs 4.) sea stack-forms from sea arch collapsing 5.) sea arch-forms when 2 caves on opposite sides of headland unite |
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What are the 3 shoreline depositional features?
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1.) Spits-ridges of sand extending from land into a bay
2.) Baymouth Bar-formed from spits, sand that completely crosses a bay, sealing it off from the open ocean 3.) Tombolo-sand connecting an island to the mainland or another island |
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Explain Spring and Neap tides
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Spring Tides- occur during new and full moons when the moon, sun, and earth are all lined up, causing a large daily tidal range
Neap Tides- occur during the 1st and 3rd quarter when the moon, sun, and earth form a right angle causing a small daily tidal range |
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What is wave refraction?
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bending of waves
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What is an ebb current?
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current going seaward, moving water as the tide falls. moving towards low tide
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What is a flood current?
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current going landward, moving water as the tide rises, moving towards hightide
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What are the parts/measurements of a wave?
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Crest-top of wave
Trough-bottom of wave that separates the crests Height - vertical distance between trough and crest Wavelength- horizontal distance between successive crests or troughs Period- time it takes one full wave to to pass a fixed position Fetch- distance wind has travelled across open water |
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What factors determine height, length, and period of a wave?
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wind speed, length of time wind has blown, fetch (distance wind has traveled across open water)
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What is the impact of wave refraction?
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affects distribution of energy along shore, thus influencing where and to what extent erosion, sediment transport, and deposition will take place
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What are some human responses to coastal erosion?
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Build structures:
Jetties-2 long poles in water Groins- built to trap sand and make beach larger Breakwater- built under surface to reduce impact of waves on coast Seawalls- built about coastline to prevent flooding Beach Nourishment- replenishing of sand |
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What are tides and what causes them?
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Daily changes in the elevation of the ocean surface caused by the gravity of the moon and the sun
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What are the three motions mass waste can have?
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Fall-moving through air
Slide- moving as one cohesive unit Flow- behaving as a fluid |
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What are the three ways to classify mass wasting events?
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the velocity of the movement, type of material, motion
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What will increase the odds of having a mass wasting event?
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Removal of vegetation, earthquakes, landslides, water, slope angle
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What is the difference between earthflow and creep?
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Earthflow- mainly clay/silt (small size), material is saturated with water, movement can usually be watched
Creep- soil and regoltih (any size), water is not necessary, too slow to watch |
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Definition of atmosphere
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gases, droplets, and particles surrounding the Earth's surface
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what are two components of Atmospheric science?
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Study of the atmosphere: meteorology, climatology
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What is the aurora borealis? australis?
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borealis- northern lights
australis- southern lights it is plasma from the sun affecting the magnetic field and the ionosphere |
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What is climatology? How is it different from Meteorology?
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Climatology is the measure of the climate, its controls, and its variabilities. It's different because it is long term
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What is meteorology?
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study of weather patterns and processes, current
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What are permanent gases?
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Gases that are the same no matter where you are. Nitrogen is the most abundant followed by Oxygen and Argon
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What are variable gases?
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They are different depending on where you are. water vapor is highest above oceans and lakes while carbon dioxide is highest above cities
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What causes a rainbow?
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Forms when water is in the atmosphere acting as a prism to spread light
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What is the polar cell?
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the absolute top and absolute bottom cells of the hemisphere, furthest away from equator
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What is the Ferrel cell?
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the part of the hemisphere that includes most of the U.S.
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What is the Hadley cell?
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Cell closest to the equator that includes the NE Trade winds
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What determines the layers of the atmosphere?
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density, chemical composition, electrical character, temperature
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What are the five most abundant gases in the atmosphere?
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Nitrogen-Permanent
Oxygen-Permanent Argon-Permanent Water Vapor-Variable Carbon Dioxide-Variable |
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How does lightning form?
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a voltage in cloud exceeds electrical resistance of air, can go cloud to cloud or cloud to ground
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What causes thunder?
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a quick expansion of superheated air in clouds
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What happens when air flows from high to low pressure cells?
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Changing pressure = winds
Air moves from higher to lower pressure and vertical motions also occur -Lows: air converges and rises -Highs: air diverges and sinks |
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Explain warm and cold fronts
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There is heavy precipitation before a cold front, and lots of precipitation during warm fronts
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What is the three cell model of atmospheric circulation?
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The division of hemispheres into Polar Cell, Ferrel Cell, and Hadley Cell; it explains the Coriolis effect- the apparent deflection of winds due to rotation of earth; and it results in stagnant areas
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fold and thrust belt
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regions within compressional mountain systems where large areas have been shortened and thickened by the processes of folding and thrust faulting
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Where is the most common location of mountain building?
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convergent boundaries
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How can you move crust without plate tectonics?
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Vertical movement of crust can occur from isostasy and mantle convection
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isostasy
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concept of floating crust in gravitational balance
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mantle convection
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buoyancy of hot mantle material (accounts for unwarping in lithosphere)
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craton
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the part of the continental crust that hasn't been affected by significant tectonic activity during the Phanerozoic eon
consists of: Shield: exposure of igneous or metamorphic rock at the surface Platform: place where igneous or metamorphic rock is buried under sediment rock, fossil evidence- what kind of life |
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alluvial fan
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fan-shaped deposit of sediment formed when a stream's slope is abruptly reduced
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bajada
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an apron of sediment along a mountain front created by the coalescence of alluvial fans
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desert pavement
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a layer of coarse pebbles and gravel created when wind removed the finer material
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dunes
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a wind deposit, mound or ridge of sand. its shape is determined by number of wind directions, availability of sand, and amount of vegetation
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loess
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wind deposit, blanket of windblown silt
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perennial stream
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stream that has water in it year round
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ephemeral stream
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stream that only has water in it part of the year
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playas
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the flat central area of an underdrained desert basin
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playa lake
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when the playa is filled with water
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ventifact
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a cobble or pebble polished and shaped by the sandblasting effect of wind
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yardang
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a streamlined, wind-sculpted ridge that is oriented parallel to the prevailing wind
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What are the two types of deserts and what are they based on?
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Desert - based on precipitation, drier than a steppe
Steppe - based on precipitation, less than 20 in/yr |
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Where do the dry desert lands occur on the map?
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Near the tropics, low-latitude and middle-latitude
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What is the role of surface water in desert climates?
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can cause flash floods, erosion, and streams lack tributaries
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What are the 2 mechanisms of wind erosion?
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Deflation - lifting of loose material
Abrasion - scraping with sand |
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calving
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breaking off large pieces of ice, forms icebergs (can raise sea level) occurs suddenly
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glacier
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a flowing mass of ice that originates on land
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crevasses
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a fracture in a glacier caused by tension, cliffs
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surges
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times when glacier experiences basal slip
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icebergs
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formed from calving
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What is formed from continental glaciation?
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ice sheets
there are 2 on the planet today: greenland, antarctica |
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what is formed from mountainous glaciation?
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valley glaciers (alpine glaciers)
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What are the 2 types of glacial movement?
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plastic flow, basal slip
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plastic flow
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ductile deformation, occurs fairly deep, occurs from pressure, the ice is NOT fractured
-when stress exceeds the strength of bonds between layers, layers stay intact and slide over one another |
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basal slip
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a mechanism of glacial movement in which the ice mass slides over the surface below with water acting as a lubricant
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what is the zone of fracture?
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top 50 meters of a glacier, tension causes crevasses
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What are two ways in which glaciers can be eroded?
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plucking: lifting rocks underneath a glacier. ice moves across surface and it can lead to abrasion
abrasion: rocks in ice act like sandpaper |
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What are 2 results of glacial abrasion?
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Rock flour - pulverized rock
glacial striations - grooves in the bedrock, it means that it used to be much colder in this area |
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What are the mountain landform results of glacial erosion?
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-cirque
-horn -arete -truncated spur -glacial trough -hanging valley |
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cirque
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scooped out area where glacier starts
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horn
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3 or more cirques meeting at 1 point
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arete
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ridgeline separating 2 troughs
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hanging valley
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high elevation, occurs when 1 glacial trough cuts off another
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glacial trough
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u shaped, creates a glacial valley
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truncated spur
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cut off arete by glacial trough
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Glacial drift
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all sediments of glacial origin
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till
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glacial deposit deposited directly by ice, unstratified and sorted
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stratified drift
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deposited by glacial meltwater, moved/sorted by water so it is smoother and rounder
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moraines
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layers or ridges of till
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lateral moraine
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caused by scratching along the side of a glacier
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medial moraine
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formed by combining lateral moraine, middle of glacier
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end moraine
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forms at the edge of a moving glacier
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terminal moraine
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farthest the glacier has ever reached
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recessional moraine
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where the edge hangs off
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ground moraine
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layer of till deposited
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drumlin
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a ridge of till, tends to occur in clusters. smooth, parallel hills
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What are the landforms made of stratified drift?
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esker, outwash plain, kame, kettle lake
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outwash plain
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fine sediments deposited near end moraine associated with ice sheet
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kettle
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depressions formed from melting of buried ice, occur after calving events and cause very steep lakes
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kame
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sediments deposited in depressions within/on a glacier
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esker
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snake like mounds of sand deposited on/in/below a glacier by running water
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base level
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raising base level causes deposition, lowering base level causes erosion
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capacity
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the total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport
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competence
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a measure of the largest particle a stream can transport; a factor dependent on velocity
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drainage basin
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the land area that contributes water to a stream
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headward erosion
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the extension upslope of the head of a valley due to erosion
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infiltration
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the movement of surface water into rock or soil through cracks and pore spaces
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firn
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granular recrystallized snow. a transitional stage between snow and glacial ice
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laminar flow
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the movement of water particles in straight-line paths that are parallel to the channel. the water particles move downstream without mixing
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turbulent flow
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the movement of water in an erratic fashion often characterized by swirling, whirlpool like eddies. most streamflow is this type
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rills
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tiny channels that develop as unconfined flow begins producing threads of current
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saltation
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transportation of sediment through a series of leaps or bounces
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sheetflow
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runoff moving in unconfined thin sheets
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hydrologic cycle
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the unending circulation of Earth's water supply. it is powered by energy from the sun and is characterized by continuous exchanges of water among the oceans, the atmosphere, and the continents
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what is the distribution of earth's water?
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97.2% oceans, 2.8% ice sheets and glaciers, lakes, streams, etc
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What are the 4 types of floods?
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regional floods, flash floods, ice-jam floods, dam failure
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regional floods
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large geographic scale, seasonal
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flash floods
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can be localized, extremely fast
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ice-jam floods
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sudden release of water behind ice
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dam failure
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sudden release of water behind dam
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stream mouth
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the point downstream where the river empties into another water body
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How do streams transport their loads?
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-in solution (dissolved load)
-in suspension (suspended load) -sliding/rolling along the bottom (bed load) |
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meandering streams
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streams that transport much of their load in suspension move in sweeping bends called meanders. they flow in relatively deep smooth channels and transport mainly mud
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braided streams
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a complex network of converging and diverging channels that thread their way among numerous islands or gravel bars (interwoven appearance)
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graded stream
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has the correct slope and other channel characteristics necessary to maintain just the velocity required to transport the material supplied to it
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delta
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forms when a stream enters an ocean or lake
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What are the different types of drainage patterns?
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-dendritic pattern
-radial pattern -rectangular pattern -trellis drainage pattern |
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dendritic pattern
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most common, irregular branching of tributary streams that resembles the branching pattern of a tree. this forms where underlying bedrock is relatively uniform
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radial pattern
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when streams diverge from a central area, typically develops on isolated volcanic cones and domal uplifts
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rectangular pattern
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many right angle bends, develops when the bedrock is crisscrossed by a series of joints and faults
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trellis drainage pattern
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a rectangular pattern in which tributary systems are nearly parallel to eachother and have the appearance of a garden trellis, this forms in areas underlain by alternating bands of resistant rock
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What is glacial budget?
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the balance, or lack of balance, between accumulation at the upper end of the glacier and loss at the lower end.
-loss is called Ablation |
