Chapter 9

Ice and Glaciers, Wind and Deserts

Solar heat drives evaporation, makes precipitation, and generates glaciers. Differential solar heating of land, water, and thus air makes the winds Glaciers shape our landscape and stand for a large reserve of fresh water Wind is not a serious hazard except the winds during severe storms. Winds also shape the earths surface, but not so efficient

Death Valley, California. Photo from NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab

Glaciers and Glacial Features

Glaciers a mass of ice that moves over the land under its own weight and shape the land
Excellent indicator for global climate conditions (warm or cool). Not be developed in a single winter

Glacier Formation
Heat from the sun is generally constant Climate factors may influence the global temperature budget
Global cooling ice will accumulate and build ice sheets and glaciers Global warming ice sheet retreat and glaciers get smaller Factors that change climate include composition of the atmosphere, pollution or particles suspended in the atmosphere, abnormal heat retention (or loss) from the oceans

Glacier Formation
There must be sufficient moisture in the air, and thus the necessary precipitation The amount of winter snowfall must exceed summer melting Snow accumulates during cold periods
Snow transforms to ice Overlying ice will pack the ice tighter and thicker Packing causes the ice to recrystallize into a denser ice called firn Gravity will pull the thickened mass of ice down any slope

Types of Glaciers based on size and occurrence

Alpine Glaciers (also known as mountain or valley glaciers) occur at high altitude (cooler temperatures) Continental Glaciers (also known as ice caps or ice sheets) occur near the poles (over land); they are larger and rarer

Movement and Change of Glaciers

Glaciers flow as plastic ice masses and at different rates; overall movement is down slope Movement is slow at the base of a glacier where it is in contact with and scrapes the valley walls Movement higher in the glacier is faster Glacier movement has a terminus
Glacier that encounter water will experience calving Temperatures at the terminus are warm and evaporation, or melting, removes ice - ablation occurs At one place on the glacier an equilibrium line is established
Above it snow accumulates Below it ice ablation occurs

Overall glacial movement is slow and steady (a few tens of meters per year); surges are possible (several tens of meters per day)

Glacial Erosion and Deposition

Glacier Erosion very effective process
Large mass and solidity of a glacier will shape the surface of the earth Sediments are picked up and carried off abrasions and striations are left behind Carves its own valley. U shaped valleys mark locations where alpine glaciers once stood

Glacier Deposition abundant material is transported on or along the sides of glaciers a variety of moraines will form
Drift, formed by till and outwash, is deposited at the terminus of a glacier

Glaciers as a water source

Important freshwater source
Approximately 75 % of fresh water is stored as glacial ice

Glacial meltwater may be the principal source of summer streamflow in the regions having glaciers Overall volume of glacial ice can be manipulated
Cloud seeding activities in glacial areas may cause accumulation of increased amounts of ice Dusting glaciers with black coal may cause an increase melt of glacial ice to occur

Wind and its Geologic Impacts

Wind is moving air, air moves in response to variations in air pressure Wind accounts for a minor amount of sediment erosion and transport; but regionally it is very important Wind erosion consists of abrasion, forming ventifacts, or deflation, forming desert pavement
Vegetation is critical to reducing the effects of wind erosion

Wind Deposition principal feature of wind deposition is the sand dune Dune Migration will occur if wind blows from predominately a single direction
Particles of sand will move by rolling, or saltation, up the shallower windward dune face Once at the dune top they fall down the steeper slip face

Wind and its Geologic Impacts

Wind generally does not move sand or coarser particles very rapidly
Fine dust, or silt, can be carried off long distances by the wind and is deposited as loess Loess can originate in either desert or glacial areas Loess, once deposited forms a porous and open structure; holds abundant water
Loess does not make a good foundation material hydrocompaction may cause cracks to form in foundations or structures Structures may also settle unevenly or collapse

Deserts and Desertification

Deserts regions with limited precipitation, people, and vegetation. The features of wind processes are observed Causes of Natural Deserts
Found about 30o Latitude (north or south);
dry descending and warm air masses Warm and dry air can hold abundant water; evaporation rates are high

Topography and prevailing wind patterns establish rain shadow; moisture extracted on windward slopes of mountain ranges
Air mass is cool and dry at maintain tops, it warms as it descends on leeward side of mountain

Causes of Desertification
Rapid development of desert-like conditions caused by human activity Major and repeated disturbance to vegetation without complete recovery Overuse of regional surface and ground water resources