Reference no: EM133719770

Glacial Geomorphology

Learning Objective 1: Describe the processes that cause glaciers to advance or retreat.

Learning Objective 2: Analyze glacier mass balance data.

Learning Objective 3: Identify erosional and depositional glacial landscape features.

Learning Objective 4: Explain how glacial melting affects sea level rise.

1. Refer to Figure 18.1. Where are alpine glaciers found?
2. Refer to Figure 18.3.
a. What is the overall trend in the mass balance data for the three glaciers?
b. Use Your Critical Thinking Skills: When looking at mass balance data, why would it be important to analyze data over a long time span?
3. Refer to Figure 18.10 (below), which is a map of the Taku and Norris Glaciers.
a. Identify the contour lines on the map, these are numbers followed by the abbreviation for feet: ‘. What is the approximate total relief of the map? Hint: the total relief is the difference between the highest and the lowest elevation found within the map.
b. What is the width of the Taku Glacier between the 1,000' contour lines? Tip: use the scale bar.
c. What is the width of the Norris Glacier between the 1,000' contour lines? Tip: use the scale bar.
d. What is the width of the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier between the 1,000' contour lines? Tip: use the scale bar.
e. Observe the lines labeled with years on the map. Describe what happened to the Taku Glacier between 1890 and 1993.
f. Observe the lines labeled with years on the map. Describe what happened to the Norris Glacier between 1911 and 1988.
g. Observe the lines labeled with years on the map. Describe what happened to the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier between 1948 and 1988.
h. The terminal mark from all three glaciers in 1750 is represented by the dashed line. What would have happened to the Taku River in 1750? How might that have changed the topography? Your response should be two to three sentences in length.
Go to the Sea Level Rise Viewer and click on the Get Started button.

Step 2
In the search bar at the top, type in Huntington Beach.

Step 3
Move to the north and northwest on the map to view a blue water droplet pinpoint and click on it. This should be the Sunset Aquatic Park.

Step 4
On the left-hand side, you will see an adjustable bar labeled MHHW (Mean Higher High Water). Move the MHHW between the Current and 10ft water levels.

1. What do you observe? What happened to the park? (Leave the marker at the 10ft mark).

Step 5
Close the window for the park and observe the map.

2. What happened to Seal Beach and the surrounding areas? (Be sure to move the MHHW values between the 10ft level and the Current level).

Step 6
Let's move to a different place. Type Corpus Christi into the search bar at the top, scroll north, and click on the water droplet pushpin. This will open up Driscoll Rooke Covenant Park.

Step 7
Move the MHHW between the Current and 10ft water levels.

3. What do you observe? What happens to the park? (Leave the marker at the 10ft mark).

Step 8
Close the window for the park and observe the map.

4. What happens to Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas? (Be sure to move the MHHW values between the 10ft level and the Current level).

Step 9
Search for a new area of your choice or click and drag your way along the coastline of the United States, and look for one of the water droplet pushpins.

5. What location did you choose?

6. Move the MHHW between the Current and 10ft water levels. What do you observe? What happens to the area? (Leave the marker at the 10ft level).

Step 10
Close the window for the area and observe the map.

7. What happens to the location you selected and the surrounding areas? (Be sure to move the MHHW values between the 10ft level and the Current level).

8. Are there noticeable changes in sea level for the 30-year sea level increase that you found in question 12a?

Step 11
Now that you have spent some time looking at NOAA's Sea Level Rise Viewer, answer the following summary questions.

9. Based on your observations, what regions of the U.S. are most affected by changes in sea-level? Tip: zoom out to see the entire United States and adjust the water level bar.

10. If you could ask the NOAA scientists that put this data together a question, what would it be?

11. What is the most important idea that you learned in this lab? In two to three sentences, explain the concept and why it is important to know.

12. One way to think of physical geography is that it is the study of the relationships among variables that impact the Earth's surface. Select two variables discussed in this lab and describe how they are related.

13. How does what you learned in this lab relate to your everyday life? In two to three sentences, explain a concept that you learned in this lab and how it relates to your day-to-day actions.