Marine Geology/Coastlines
____________ causes surface currents, ___________ causes deep currents.
wind, density
how are deserts classified?
The world’s deserts are often classified according to the amount of precipitation they receive.
define what a glacier is
A glacier is a large, persistent mass of ice that forms over many years from the accumulation and compaction of snow. Glaciers flow slowly due to gravity and the pressure of their own weight, moving like rivers of ice. They are found in areas where snowfall exceeds melting and sublimation over long periods, such as polar regions and high-altitude mountain ranges.
define fossil fuels
Ancient solar energy is stored in the H-C bonds in oil, natural gas, and coal derivatives.
Oil, gas, and coal represent “fossilized sunshine”
Describe the difference between sustainable and renewable resources.
Sustainable energy practices meet today's demand for energy without putting them in danger of getting expired or depleted and can be used over and over again.
Renewable energy comes from sources that the earth can naturally replenish.
what is a coastline?
Dynamic, high energy, and geologically complicated places where many different erosional and depositional features exist
what are the major weathering sources in a desert?
wind and water
what are erratics?
Erratics = large rocks buried in fine-grained soils, often of enormous size.
decribe the process of oil and gas formation.
step 1. Organic debris settles with sediment on an anoxic sea floor.
step 2. Burial
2-4km depth - black shale, transforming the organic matter into kerogen
step 3. continued heating of the kerogen is further transformed into oil and gas
What are the 5 fundamental sources that provide energy on Earth.
1.Solar nuclear fusion
2.The pull of gravity
3.Nuclear fission reactions
4.Earth’s internal energy
5.Energy in chemical bonds
Which type of tide results in the highest level of water?
spring tide
describe hot deserts
•Hot deserts generally lie around the tropic of cancer or the tropic of Capricorn.
•They have very hot summers and warm winters.
•Temperature extremes are common, as cloud cover is rare and humidity is very low.
•This means there is nothing to block the heat of the sun during the day or prevent its loss at night. Temperatures can range between around 45° and -15 ° Celcius in a 24 hour period.
describe the theory of glaciation
Agassiz proposed that ice sheets had once covered Europe and North America, had sculpted the landscape, and had retreated, leaving behind fine-grained unsorted soils and erratic boulders (glacial till).
describe the oil and gas windows
The “oil window” refers to the depth and temperature conditions necessary for oil generation.
Burial below the oil window will break down oil to produce natural gas in the “gas window”.
How does a power plant work and describe the differences between nuclear fusion and fission.
How a power plant works: Derives energy from breaking apart atomic nuclei. Fission splits a large nucleus into smaller fragments, releasing enormous amounts of energy. A reactor heats water, producing high-pressure steam inside a closed loop. Heat is transferred to an external water loop that is used to spin electrical turbines.
Nuclear fission - the process of splitting an atom into Nuclear fusion - the process of combining atoms into one
what are the different zones of a coastline
Zones:
•Offshore - Below water; can have geologic material cascading down slope
•Nearshore - Water depth is less than ½ wavelength; affected by waves
•Upper shoreface: everyday waves
•Lower shoreface: storm waves
•Surf - Where waves break
•Foreshore - Affected by tides, Low slope planes: ‘summer/ winter berms’
•Backshore-Above Sea level in ‘normal’ conditions
Wind driven structures
describe cold deserts
•Cold Deserts lie on high ground generally north of the Tropic of Cancer and south of the tropic of Capricorn.
•They include the polar deserts
•Any precipitation falls as snow
•Winters are very cold and often windy; summers are dry and mild to warm.
Name two glacial erosional features and two depositional features.
Erosional - U-shaped valleys, striations
Depositional - moraines, till, erratics.
describe the hydrocarbon system
A hydrocarbon system refers to the natural processes and conditions that lead to the generation, migration, and accumulation of hydrocarbons (like oil and natural gas) in subsurface rock formations. It is the foundation for petroleum exploration and consists of five main components:
Describe what hydroelectric energy is.
Hydroelectric energy is energy derived from the movement of water.
Water has mass. It falls and flows downward due to gravity. When it moves, it has kinetic energy which can be harnessed.
It is used for electricity generation.
describe the differences between submergent coastlines and emergent coats lines and the structures/formations found at each
•Emergent Coastline: Sea-level falls compared to land level
- Cliffs
- headlands
- exposed bedrock
- steep slopes
- rocky shores
- Arches
- Stacks
- Tombolos
- wave-cut platform
- wave notches
•Submergent Coastline: Sea-level rises compared to land level, Subsidence (earth’s crust sinking), Glacier melting allowing localized sea level rise
- Flooded River mouth
- Fjords
- Barrier island
- Lagoons
- Estuaries
- Bays
- Tidal flats (similar to lagoon but can be dry)
describe as many desert landforms as you can
•Alluvial fans – Streams flowing into desert and dropping sediment (alluvium or bajada)
•Inselberg – “island mountain” mountain getting buried by alluvium
•Playa – Dried lake-bed (ephemeral)
•Flash flood stream beds – ephemeral
•Dunes – wind blown sand structures
•Butte– small isolated hill
•Arch – differential weathering structure
•Badlands – type of dry, eroded landscape with sharp, complicated shapes and little vegetation
•Plateau– a large, flat-topped highland in a desert that's formed by tectonic uplift and erosion
Mountain glaciers vs continental glaciers
EXPLAIN THEM
Mountain Glaciers - Develop mountainous ice caps. Ice flows downhill, confined by valley walls.
Continental Glaciers - Glaciers move over flat land and spread under their own weight.
describe the major players in human energy consumption
Food for livestock
Agriculture
Transportation
Mining
Manufacturing
Industry
Describe 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of geothermal energy.
advantages:
1. renewable
2. no fuel required
3. sustainable
disadvantages:
1. location restricted
2. expensive
3. runs the risk of triggering earthquakes.