Question 1: Define 'accumulation' in the context of glaciers.

Answer: The process of snow and ice gathering in a glacier's accumulation zone, leading to increased mass.

Question 2: What is 'ablation' in glacial processes?

Answer: The loss of ice and snow from a glacier through melting, sublimation, or calving.

Question 3: Explain 'firn' and its significance in glacier formation.

Answer: Firrn is granular snow that has survived a summer melt season, gradually compacting into glacial ice, and is a key stage in glacier formation.

Question 4: Name the two main types of glaciers and give an example of each.

Answer: Alpine glaciers (e.g., Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland) and ice sheets (e.g., Greenland Ice Sheet).

Question 5: Define 'glacial budget'.

Answer: The balance between accumulation and ablation on a glacier over a specific period.

Question 1: What is the primary driver of glacier movement?

Answer: Gravity

Question 2: Name the major ice sheet that covers Greenland.

Answer: Greenland Ice Sheet

Question 3: Describe one process by which glaciers shape landscape features.

Answer: Glacial erosion through plucking and abrasion creates landforms such as U-shaped valleys and fjords.

Question 4: Which region in the world contains the largest ice sheet?

Answer: Antarctica

Question 5: What is the significance of the equilibrium line in a glacier?

Answer: It marks the boundary between the accumulation zone and the ablation zone, indicating the glacier's health.

Question 1: Based on the case study, describe two impacts of melting ice sheets on global sea levels.

Answer: Melting Greenland ice sheet contributes to rising sea levels, which threaten coastal communities worldwide. It also causes changes in ocean salinity and circulation patterns.

Question 2: Explain how increased surface melting in Greenland is related to climate change.

Answer: Rising global temperatures due to climate change increase surface melting by enhancing the energy available for melting, reducing the mass balance of the ice sheet.

Question 3: Analyze the potential feedback mechanisms associated with ice sheet melting in Greenland.

Answer: Melting reduces the Earth's albedo, leading to increased absorption of solar radiation and further warming. Additionally, freshwater input can disrupt ocean currents, potentially affecting climate patterns globally.

Question 4: Discuss the socio-economic implications for countries like Norway and Canada based on the Greenland case.

Answer: Melting glaciers can lead to sea-level rise threatening coastal infrastructure. It also impacts marine ecosystems and fisheries, which are vital for local economies. Moreover, changing ice conditions affect traditional livelihoods and increase the risk of natural hazards.

Question 1: Explain why high-altitude regions are more prone to glacial erosion processes.

Answer: High-altitude regions experience colder temperatures and increased snowfall, promoting glacier formation and movement, which enhances erosional processes like plucking and abrasion.

Question 2: Analyse the causes of the formation of U-shaped valleys.

Answer: U-shaped valleys form through glacial erosion, where the glacier's movement deepens and widens a pre-existing V-shaped river valley via processes like plucking and abrasion, leading to characteristic broad, flat-bottomed profiles.

Question 3: Explain how deposition by glaciers leads to the formation of landforms such as moraines.

Answer: As glaciers advance and retreat, they deposit unconsolidated material called till. Moraines are formed from accumulated debris at the edges or terminus of a glacier, marking former positions.

Question 1: To what extent are current strategies effective in managing the impacts of glacial retreat and melting? Consider both technological and policy approaches.

Answer: Current strategies include technological measures like ice sheet monitoring and geoengineering, alongside policy initiatives such as emissions reductions and international agreements. Effectiveness varies; technological solutions can provide early warning and mitigation, but global climate change requires comprehensive policy action. While some localized strategies help protect communities and ecosystems, the global scale of glacial retreat means that coordinated international effort and significant emission reductions are essential for long-term management. Challenges include political will, economic costs, and technological limitations, but integrated approaches offer the best chance to mitigate impacts.