Term
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Definition
The icy portion of the Earth (Glaciers and Permafrost)
If melted, ocean will rise 70m. |
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Term
Vapor Pressure
Saturation Vapor Pressure |
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Definition
Vapor Pressure: Contribution of water vapor to the atmosphere
Saturation Vapor Pressure: Amount of vapor air can hold at a certain temperature. |
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Term
| Global Hydrological System |
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Definition
Flow of water to lakes, oceans, rivers is a form of flux.
Steady state keeps oceans at constant volume.
Water leaving = water entering. |
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Term
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Definition
Deep sea circulation.
Thermo = temperature, haline = salinity. |
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Term
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Definition
Result of the Coriolis Effect. Water on the surface, driven by wind, deflects 90 degrees to the right, causing gyres within the oceans. Progressive layers of water all the way down keep being deflected 90 degrees from each other causing a spiral.
N hemisphere - clockwise gyre system
S hemisphere - counterclockwise gyre system |
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Term
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Definition
Deep, nutrient rich water comes up because water goes 90 degrees right offshore
Warm water goes North
Cold water goes South |
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Term
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Definition
Driven by temperature and salinity. Rocks break down on their way to the ocean and their salinity is dissolved into water. Rivers carry soluble materials to the ocean (halite-sodium chloride aka salt).
Anions (- charge)
Cations (+ charge)
Salinity is in steady state because many processes increase and decrease salinity |
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Term
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Definition
1. Sodium and Chloride
2. Sulfate (most abundant ANION)
Molecules spend 10-20 millions years in the ocean
Ocean mixes in 1000 years.
Constant composition is due to long residence time of molecules and rapid mixing = homogeneous composition. |
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Term
| Vertical Structure of Oceans |
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Definition
Surface is well mixed
100m - sharp change
Increase in density, salinity, and lower tempreature.
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Term
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Definition
Thermocline: Decreasing temperature at 100m deep
Halocline: Increasing salinity at 100m deep |
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Term
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Definition
| Forms near the poles under blocks of sea ice. Water freezes but the salt does not freeze, gathering underneath it. The cold, salty water then sinks to the bottom of the ocean. |
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Term
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Definition
| Father of Continental Drift |
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Term
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Definition
Supported by:
- Fossil Evidence
- Continental Fit
- Similarities in rock type and structure
-Paleoclimactic evidence |
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Term
Plate Tectonics
Continental Drift |
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Definition
Earth's surface is made up of more than 12 plates and their interactions control a lot of Earth's functions
The continents have moved due to plate tectonics. |
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Term
Arthur Holmes
Convection cells |
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Definition
1930 made the discovery of convection cells
Convection cells within the mantle carry the tectonic plates on the lithosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| The earth's mantle is differentially heated because radioactive decay in the earth's outer core releases heat and thus the mantle convects. |
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Term
Paleomagnetism
Curie Point |
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Definition
| Paleomagnetism is when minerals fossilize magnetic north and south. The curie point is the temperature at which the fossils cool to to trap the compass. |
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Term
| Declination VS Inclination |
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Definition
Declination provides direction to magnetic pole
Inclination preovides latitude (how far away) from magnetic pole |
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Term
| Apparent Polar Wander VS True Polar Wander |
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Definition
| Apparent polar wander is when it only looks like the poles have moved because the CONTINENTS have moved. Therefore magnetic north will point different directions in matching rock layers. True polar wander is when the actual poles moved. |
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Term
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Definition
| Transforms energy from fluid motion within the outer core to electrical currents which create a magnetic field |
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Term
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Definition
Harry Hess, early 1960s
Upwelling portion of convection cells
Oldest seafloor is 200 million years old. Constantly created and destroyed by convection. |
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Term
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Definition
| Divergent (constructive), convergent (destructive), transform (conservative) |
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Term
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Definition
Benioff Zone: Area under subduction zone where epicenters are
Epicenter: the spot on the surface where the earthquake hits
Focus: area of motion in plate tectonics which generates earthquake
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Term
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Definition
| Sediment that occurs when one plate scrapes material off another |
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Term
Volcanic Arc
Magmatic Arc
Island Arc |
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Definition
Volcanic Arc:
Magma comes up under land mass where submergence is happening forming a mountain, like a big lava-pimple
Magmatic arc: Magma pools up under the surface near subduction zone but does not form mountain/volcano
Island Arc: magma comes up under ocean near subduction zone and creates island. |
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Term
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Definition
Seamounts & volcanic islands, rising magma plumes originating from deep within earth to the surface.
i.e. Yellowstone and Hawaii
Relatively stationary relative to plates forming island chains
Allos to track rate and direction of plate movement
DO NOT OCCUR AT PLATE BOUNDARIES |
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Term
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Definition
The formation and breakup of a supercontinent
Happened multiple times
Influences carbon dioxide levels: When supercontinent is forming CO2 levels drop, when it is spreading CO2 levels rise due to seafloor spreading
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Term
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Definition
| Supercontinent previous to Pangaea |
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Term
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Definition
| The process of relating CO2 levels to non climate aspects such as vegetation. |
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Term
| Supercontinent formation and CO2 |
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Definition
| Mountains form, weathering of rocks occurs bringing down CO2 through reactions with water and atmosphere. Erosion transports sediment and nutrient into the ocean, organic matter is buried causing more photosynthesis and oxygen levels go up, CO2 levels go doen |
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Term
| Supercontinent formation and sea level |
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Definition
| Seafloor spreading causes oceans floor to be less deep in the middle so sea level goes up. When supercontinents form the ocean is deeper |
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