Quiz I
Probable Format:
- Essay, and
interpretation of graphs, maps and slides.
- crossword.
- Review
the outlines, the first two chapters in you book, and Jim's lecture
handouts for the answers.
Significance of glaciers and
glaciation
- List and discuss the information
obtain from ice cores. Why is this information
important?
- Discuss the importance of glacial
deposits to man.
- What role do changes in ice volumes
have on sea level?
Glacial Theory
- Discuss the origin of the term
glacial drift. Why prevented the early acceptance of the theory of
glaciation?
- Who is Louis Agassiz and what was
his role in the development of the glacial theory.
Quaternary and the ice
age
- Define the Quaternary and the two
Epochs within it. What are some of the events that characterize
this period of geologic time.
- Approximately when was the climate
cool enough to permit the onset of repetitive glacial and
interglacial cycles? How have these cycles changed through
time?
- Discuss the evidence obtained from
marine sediments proving that there have been numerous(±50)
glaciations over the last 2.5 million years.
- What were the contributions made
by the following scientists?
- David Ericson and Goesta
Wollin (hint: critters)
- Cesare Emiliani (hint:
isotope stages)
- Nicholas Shackelton (hint:
ice volumes)
- Neil Opdyke
- Louis Agassiz
- Joseph Alphonse
Adhemar
- James Croll
- Multin
Milankovitch
- Wallace Broecker
- How many periods of glaciation are
typically observed in Europe and the United States. How and why
does the land record of repetitive glaciations differ from the
marine record? How did the land record influence the earlier
interpretations of the marine record.
- List and explain the three
hypothesis put forth to explain the extinction of the Pleistocene
megafauna.
- Describe some of the
paleontological and geochemical data obtained from deep sea cores
that are used as indicators of climate change.
Causes of glaciation
- Discuss how plate tectonics
influences glaciation.
- What is the Milankovitch theory and
what does it purport to explain? What does it not
explain?
- What are positive and negative
feedback mechanisms? List four positive feedback mechanism that
would promote the growth of an ice sheet.
- What patterns and events does a
unifying theory of glaciation need to explain before being fully
accepted?
- Two theories currently attempt to
explain the 100,000 year cycles of glaciation. What are they?
Explain each.
Formation and distribution of
glaciers
- List and discuss the direct and
indirect evidence of glaciation on the land and sea.
- List and discuss the factors that
control the present distribution of glaciers.
- How does climate influence the rate
of ice formation on a glacier?
- What are the different zones of a
glacier and the processes that occur in each?
- How does the snowline differ
from the equilibrium line of a glacier. Under what
conditions might they not overlap? How can these be estimated from
a map or air photograph?
- What is meant by glacial budget and
mass balance gradient? How are these important to the survival and
dynamics of a glacier.
- Discuss the relationship between
mass balance and the dynamic classification of
glaciers.
Classification of
glaciers
- Outline and discuss the different
ways in which glaciers are classified.
- What defines a warm-based glacier
from a cold based glacier? How does the thermal regime of a
glacier influence glacial flow?
Define and discuss the significance
of the following:
- 18O, ice cores, mass
balance, loess stratigraphy, pollen stratigraphy, paleosols,
albedo, distance from the ocean, extensional crevasses, snowline,
creep, subsole deformation, CO2, enhanced basal
creep
Terms: Till, palanology, loess,
pluvial, ablation, calving, sublimation, snowline, equilibrium line,
firn, mass balance, mass balance curve, streaming, flow, sheet flow,
ice cap, ice sheet, outlet glacier, ice shelf,ice rise
[Glacial
and Quaternary Geology]
[extended GeoIndex][QkRef][Geological
Sciences]
[Degree
Programs]
[Salem
State College]
Lindley
Hanson
(email)
Last Modified 3/1/03