Glacial Landscapes

1) Glacial- Permanently covered by ice

• Glacier- Masses of ice that flow downhill. Two types = valley (fill entire valleys) and corrie (smaller and found in bowl shaped hollows high in mountains)
• Ice Sheet- Domes of ice covering huge areas of that (e.g. antarctica)

2) Periglacial - Dry, high latitude areas, interior of continents. Constantly below freezinvg but not covered by ice. Contains layer of permafrost (permanently frozen ground)

3) Alpine- Cold areas at an altitude above the treeline (limit to which trees can grow). Always high altitude but any latitude

4) Polar- North Pole and South Pole

Where are they found?

• Found at high altitudes and high latitudes

Description with Examples

• High latitudes e.g. 60°. Ice sheet and Greenland both exist at this latitude. High altitudes (e.g. Himalayas) are only at a 30° latitude but are the highest in the world.

Explanation

• Interiors of continents. Very cold even at low latitudes however not enough snow to form glaciers.

Where are they found?

• The edges of polar or glacial enviroments

Description with examples

• Relating to or denoting an area adjacent to a glacier or ice sheet or otherwise subject to repeated freezing and thawing (e.g. antarctica, vestfold hills, patriot hills)]

Explanation

• Are those that are in a cold climate typically near glacierised regions. Tundra is a common egological community in periglacial areas
• Tundra comes from the finnish word "Tunturia" meaning treeless pain (as there are no trees)

Where are they found?

• High altitudes and any latitude

Description with Examples

• A type of natural region that does not contain trees due to its altitude. Trees are unable to grow due to both the cold and the wind

Explanation

• Alpine tundra occupies high mountain summits slopes and ridges above timberline. The cold climates caused b the lack of greenhouse effect at high altitude.

Where are they found?

• North/South Pole- furthest from equator

Description with examples

• The poles are the most northern/southern points on the globe. They are the precise points of the intersection of the Earth's axis and the Earth's surface.

Explanation

• Less available oxygen to breath than anywhere else- very cold

Other Information

• Due to the sun only passing overhead twice a year, the poles have no timezones.

• Active (Currently Glaciated)
• Relic (Once Glaciated)

Glaciated Landscapes- "Those parts of the Earth's surface that have been shaped, at least in part, by the action of glaciers"

• High Latitudes- Recieve less solar radiation (sun's energy hits at more of an angle compared to the Equator)
• High Altitudes- Less of the sun's energy radiated back from the Earth is trapped at higher altitudes- air is thinner making the atmosphere colder.
• Continentality (far away from the sea)- In winter, the land cools quicker than the sea. Coastal areas are kept warm by the sea in the winter.