StudyDaddy Geography Produce a module summary on Arctic Norths region. This summary should highlight the major processes and landforms found in each region, and can be used as a review tool for the final exam. Summary sh

Produce a module summary on Arctic Norths region. This summary should highlight the major processes and landforms found in each region, and can be used as a review tool for the final exam. Summary sh

Page%|%1%%%MODULE'4:'ARCTIC'NORTH'UNIT'2:'CLIMATE'AND'GLACIERS'Slide%1:%In%this%module%we%are%going%to%examine%the%climate%types%and%glaciers,%both%past%and%present,%which%have%played%a%role%in%shaping%the%natural%environment%of%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region.%%As%with%previous%modules,%the%climate%types%will%be%discussed%in%general%terms,%focusing%on%the%patterns%of%temperature%and%precipitation,%as%well%as%the%spatial%variability%(or%lack%thereof).%%With%the%glaciers,%we%will%focus%our%attention%on%the%most%recent%glacial%period,%as%well%as%current%glaciers%and%how%these%large%ice%masses%have%influenced%and%created%landforms%in%the%region.%%Slide%2:%Let’s%first%begin%by%examining%the%spatial%location%of%the%climate%regions%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region.%%As%shown%in%the%previous%two%modules,%the%map%on%this%slide%show%the%distribution%of%the%climate%types%for%North%America%based%on%the%Koppen%climate%classification%system.%%The%red%box%indicates%the%approximate%location%of%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region.%%As%indicated%on%the%map,%the%Arctic%North%region%is%dominated%by%one%climate%type%–%an%ET%climate%or%tundra%climate.%%In%a%future%slide,%we%will%discuss%the%characteristics%of%this%climate%type.%%%%Slide%3:%For%most%of%the%Arctic%North,%the%climate%is%fairly%harsh,%with%cold%winters%and%short,%cool%summers.%%The%mean%daily%temperatures%are%just%above%freezing%during%the%months%of%July%and%August,%while%mean%daily%temperatures%during%the%winter%months%are%less%than%R30C.%%%This%region%is%also%considered%a%desert,%with%very%little%annual%precipitation%amounts.%%Annual%precipitation%is%between%100%and%200%millimeters%–%the%lowest%values%in%Canada.%%While%the%precipitation%is%low,%snow%cover%will%remain%from%September%to%June.%%This%is%due%to%the%low%temperatures;%therefore%any%snowfall%that%does%occur%in%the%region%will%not%undergo%sublimation%or%melting%and%therefore%will%remain%on%the%ground%until%the%summer%period%when%temperatures%reach%above%0C.%%Due%to%the%relatively%low%temperature%and%precipitation%amounts,%the%growing%season%is%also%quite%short,%ranging%from%0%to%250%growing%degree%days%(zero%days%located%in%the%high%elevated%areas%that%are%ice%covered%year%round).%Because%this%region%is%above%the%Arctic%Circle%(which%is%located%at%approximately%66%degrees%33%minutes),%locations%within%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region%will%undergo%periods%with%24%hour%daylight%and%periods%with%24%hours%darkness.%%The%length%of%time%with%complete%sunlight%or%darkness%will%vary%with%latitude%(the%higher%in%latitude%a%location%is,%the%longer%the%period%with%complete%sunlight).%%This%constant%input%of%solar%radiation%will%play%a%role%on%the%climate%with%the%region.%% Page%|%2%%%Slide%4:%As%discussed%in%a%previous%slide,%the%dominant%climate%type%for%this%region%is%a%polar%climate%or%ET%climate%in%the%Koppen%Climate%classification%system.%%This%is%more%specifically%a%tundra%climate.%%The%climograph%shown%on%this%slide%is%for%Alert,%Nunavut,%an%example%of%a%tundra%climate.%%Alert%is%the%most%northern%weather%station%in%Canada.%%As%you%can%see%by%the%bars%on%the%graph,%precipitation%is%quite%low,%with%values%less%than%15%mm%per%month%for%9%out%of%the%12%months.%%Only%one%month%has%more%than%30%millimeters%or%3%cm%of%precipitation%(and%this%is%still%a%low%amount%relative%to%the%other%locations%in%Canada).%%From%the%climograph%you%can%also%see%that%temperatures%(as%indicated%by%the%blue%line)%do%not%reach%values%greater%than%0%for%most%of%the%months,%and%mean%monthly%temperatures%can%be%as%a%low%as%R35%Celsius.%%A%tundra%climate%is%characterized%as%having%at%least%one%month%with%an%average%temperature%above%0%Celsius,%which%is%shown%in%the%climograph%on%this%slide.%%%%Slide%5:%We%will%now%shift%our%attention%to%the%glaciers,%both%past%and%present%in%the%Arctic%North%region.%%Due%to%the%temperature%and%precipitation%patterns%found%in%this%region%glaciers%are%still%playing%an%active%role%in%the%natural%environment%of%this%region.%%We%will%discuss%some%of%these%influences%and%landforms%in%the%next%slides.%%Slide%6:%Like%most%of%Canada,%the%Arctic%North%region%was%glaciated%during%the%Quaternary%period%(as%shown%in%the%figure%on%this%slide).%%This%region%was%covered%by%the%Innuitian%ice%sheet,%as%well%as%independent%ice%caps%on%Melville%and%Prince%Patrick%Islands.%%%This%ice%sheet%developed%with%the%Laurentide%ice%sheet%that%covered%other%areas%of%Canada.%%The%formation%of%these%two%large,%thick%ice%sheets%resulted%in%an%increase%in%the%snowfall%in%the%High%Arctic,%and%growth%of%the%glaciers.%%At%its%maximum%extent,%the%Innuitian%ice%sheet%lay%offshore%and%was%contiguous%with%Greenland%ice.%%%Areas%of%the%north%and%west%Arctic%islands%were%not%glaciated%however%during%this%period%and%thus%do%not%show%evidence%of%glacial%erosion%and%deposition.%%The%figure%on%this%slide%also%shows%that%areas%along%the%eastern%edge%of%this%region%were%under%significant%amounts%of%ice.%%During%the%warming%period%after%the%last%glacial%maximum,%which%began%around%11%thousand%years%ago,%the%ice%began%to%retreat,%however%as%we%will%discuss%in%the%next%couple%of%slides,%some%of%the%ice%remains%today.%%At%about%9000%years%ago,%the%ice%margins%of%the%Innuitian%ice%sheet%were%similar%todays,%and%remained%connected%to%Greenland%ice%for%another%500%years.%%This%area%was%one%of%the%last%to%be%deglaciated%during%the%last%interglacial%period,%impacting%the%features%and%landforms%that%are%present%in%the%region%and%will%be%discussed%later%in%this%unit.%%%%%% Page%|%3%%%Slide%7:%Like%the%Western%Cordillera%physiographic%region,%glaciers%are%still%present%in%the%Arctic%North%region.%%More%than%25%large%ice%caps%can%be%found%in%this%region,%limited%to%Nuvavut%and%the%majority%are%on%Ellesmere%and%Baffin%Islands%(as%shown%on%the%map%on%this%slide).%%Additional%ice%caps%can%be%found%on%Devon,%Bylot,%Melville%and%Axel%Heiberg%Islands,%islands%which%are%smaller%than%Ellesmere%and%Baffin%Islands.%%The%presence%of%glaciers%in%eastern%Arctic%(and%lack%of%glaciers%in%western%Arctic)%is%due%to%the%higher%land%and%higher%rates%of%snowfall%in%the%eastern%Arctic.%%As%discussed%in%the%previous%slide,%these%glaciers%are%remnants%from%past%glacial%periods%in%the%Arctic%and%have%been%influenced%by%the%relatively%cold%temperatures%and%precipitation%patterns%in%the%region.%%Slide%8:%Currently%however,%the%glaciers%that%are%presently%found%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region,%have%been%experiencing%a%negative%mass%balance,%indicating%that%they%are%losing%mass%each%year.%%The%Canadian%Arctic%glaciers%have%some%of%the%longest%records%of%mass%balance%(the%difference%between%accumulation%and%melt%each%year)%for%any%glacier%in%the%world%and%extend%back%over%50%years%for%some%glaciers.%%The%graph%on%this%slide%shows%the%mass%balance%for%three%glaciers%–%the%Devon,%Meighen%and%White%glaciers%(more%information%on%the%Meighen%Ice%Cap%can%be%found%in%the%supplementary%information%for%this%unit).%%A%negative%mass%balance%indicates%that%there%is%more%melt%than%accumulation%for%a%given%year%(and%the%glacier%is%losing%mass%and%thus%becoming%thinner%or%smaller,%while%a%positive%mass%balance%would%indicate%that%opposite%–%that%the%glacier%is%gaining%more%snow%and%ice%than%it%is%losing%each%year%and%therefore%the%glacier%is%getting%thicker%and%larger).%%All%three%of%these%glaciers%have%been%experiencing%a%negative%mass%balance%each%year%from%approximately%1960%to%2008.%%This%is%also%true%for%most%of%the%glaciers%in%Canada.%%The%glaciated%area%in%Canada%(north%of%74%degrees%north)%has%been%reduced%by%108%000%squared%kilometers.%%There%is%evidence%that%this%loss%of%ice%has%been%increasing,%with%glaciers%in%the%eastern%Canadian%Arctic%having%more%negative%mass%balances%since%the%midR1980s%(suggesting%a%greater%loss%of%ice%after%this%period).%%This%increase%in%loss%is%driven%primarily%by%a%warming%of%summer%temperatures%(and%not%a%reduction%in%precipitation),%suggesting%that%more%melting,%rather%than%less%input%is%responsible%for%the%change.%%%%Slide%9:%One%of%the%consequences%of%these%current%glaciers%and%the%changes%in%these%glaciers%is%known%as%isostatic%rebound.%%This%region%is%one%of%the%last%areas%(along%with%Hudson%Bay)%to%be%glaciated%during%the%last%ice%age%(during%the%Quaternary%period)%and%one%of%the%areas%with%the%thickest%glaciers.%%This%has%resulted,%as%discussed%in%the%previous%slides,%in%a%longer%ice%covered%period%and%delay%in%ice%melt.%%Due%to%this%delayed%removal%of%the%ice,%the%Earth’s%crust%was%depressed%longer%than%in%other%areas.%%Isostatic%rebound%is%the%uplifting%of%the%Earth’s%crust%after%the%removal%of%the%glaciers.%%With%glaciers%that%are%over%kilometers%in%thickness,%the%Earth’s%crust%was%depressed.%%Once%that%weight%was%removed,%the%Earth’s%crust%started%to%rebound%back%to%its%original%position.%%The%longer%and%thicker%the%ice%cover,%the%more%depression%and%rebound%that%occurred.%%The%Arctic%North%is%currently%undergoing%this%rebound%due%to%the%changes%that%have%and%are%currently%occurring%with%the%glaciers%in%the%area.%%This%process%will%result%in%specific%landforms%that%we%will%discuss%in%a%preceding%slide.% Page%|%4%%%%Slide%10:%One%of%the%primary%features%or%landforms%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region%that%is%formed%by%the%isostatic%rebound%are%raised%beaches%or%ancient%beach%terraces.%%As%shown%in%the%photo%on%this%slide,%raised%beaches%can%be%found%throughout%the%Arctic%North%region.%%As%an%area%is%undergoing%isostatic%rebound%due%to%the%removal%of%the%thick%glaciers,%beaches%or%the%zone%of%interaction%between%land%and%water%will%rise%and%become%isolated,%causing%a%new%beach%to%be%created.%%As%isostatic%rebound%continues,%a%series%of%beaches%will%become%isolated%forming%these%raised%beaches%or%terraces.%%These%features%can%be%found%throughout%the%region%and%in%other%locations%in%North%America%and%Eurasia%that%are%undergoing%considerable%isostatic%rebound.%%%%Slide%11:%As%discussed%in%the%previous%modules,%and%will%be%discussed%in%future%modules,%glacial%depositional%features%such%as%till,%eskers%and%drumlins%are%common%in%the%Arctic%North.%%A%till%is%a%plain%of%unsorted%glacial%material%that%was%deposited%in%situ%as%the%glacier%started%to%melt%and%retreat.%%Eskers,%an%example%of%which%is%Mount%Pelly%located%north%of%Cambridge%Bay,%are%long%sinuous%ridges%of%glacial%till%that%were%deposited%by%the%melt%water%and%may%indicate%the%location%of%a%tunnel%within%the%glacier.%%Drumlins%are%elongated%ridges%of%glacial%debris,%again%deposited%by%a%retreating%glacier.%%These%features%are%elongated%in%a%particular%direction%which%gives%an%indication%of%glacial%movement%at%the%time%of%formation.%%These%depositional%features%are%common%in%the%Arctic%North%region.%%Slide%12:%Erosional%features%such%as%cirques,%horns%and%arêtes%are%also%common,%particularly%in%the%mountainous%areas%of%the%Arctic%North%region.%%Cirques%are%bowlRshaped%depositions%left%at%high%elevations%that%mark%the%area%of%accumulation%of%the%glacial%ice.%%As%the%ice%accumulates%in%the%area%and%begins%to%move,%the%erosion%caused%by%the%movement%will%create%this%depression.%%Horns%are%pyramidRshaped%peaks%that%form%as%three%or%more%cirques%erode%the%sides%of%the%mountain,%while%arêtes%are%sharp%knifeRlike%ridges%formed%when%two%cirques%erode%either%side%of%an%alpine%ridge,%steeping%the%ridge%on%either%side.%%These%three%features%can%be%seen%in%the%background%of%the%photo%on%this%slide%of%the%Baffin%East%Coast%Mountains%in%Nunavut.%%Slide%13:%Another%feature%that%is%formed%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region%is%a%fjord.%%A%fjord%is%a%long%narrow%inlet%that%forms%by%the%erosion%of%glaciers%where%the%alpine%glacier%meets%the%ocean.%%It%creates%a%URshaped%valley%with%steep%sides%or%cliffs%as%the%glacier%abrades%the%surface%of%the%bedrock%that%rounds%the%ice.%%As%the%area%undergoes%isostatic%rebound%and%the%sea%level%rises%due%to%melting%of%the%glacier,%the%freshwater%and%sea%water%will%meet%creating%the%fjord.%%Fjords%generally%have%a%sill%at%their%outlet%cause%by%either%the%formation%of%a%terminal%moraine%or%the%reduced%erosion%rate%of%the%glacier.%%A%fjord%created%by%the%glaciers%that%once%dominated%the%Baffin%East%Coast%Mountains%is%shown%in%the%foreground%of%the%photo%on%this%slide.%%% Page%|%5%%%%Slide%14:%The%final%glacial%features%we%will%discuss%are%ice%shelves.%%Because%the%glaciers%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region%are%found%primarily%on%islands%that%are%surrounded%by%ocean,%the%ice%within%the%ice%caps%will%move%to%lower%elevations%and%come%into%contact%with%the%ocean%water.%%Because%glaciers%are%freshwater%and%therefore%lighter%than%the%ocean%water,%the%glacier%ice%will%float%on%top%of%the%ocean,%creating%ice%shelves.%%The%map%on%this%slide%shows%the%location%of%a%number%of%ice%shelves%that%have%formed%from%the%Ellesmere%Island%glacier.%%These%ice%shelves%are%not%thick%unified%pieces%of%ice,%rather%they%have%numerous%cracks,%and%as%the%ice%shelves%form,%sea%water%will%infiltrate%the%ice,%widening%the%cracks%and%eventually%the%ice%will%break%off%forming%ice%bergs.%%The%ice%shelf%is%continuously%fed%by%the%movement%of%the%glacial%ice%from%the%areas%of%accumulation%to%the%lower%elevations.%%%%Slide%15:%This%concludes%the%climate%and%glacier%unit%of%the%module.%%One%of%the%things%I%hope%you%appreciate%after%this%unit%is%the%current,%as%well%as%past%glacial%processes%and%features%that%are%occurring%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region.%%Even%though%climate%is%particularly%harsh%in%this%region,%seasonality%to%temperature%and%precipitation%caused%by%the%changes%in%the%solar%input%result%in%the%small,%as%well%as%large%time%scale%variations%in%glacial%features.%You%should%review%the%supplementary%information%that%corresponds%to%this%unit%and%read%the%readings%listed.%%In%the%next%section%we%will%discuss%the%soil,%flora%and%fauna%present%in%the%Arctic%North%physiographic%region.%

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