GLY-1103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Centrifugal Force, Coriolis Force, Sea Level Rise
Document Summary
Causes: melting ice, gravitational pull of glacial mass, thermal expansion. Isostasy- gravitational equilibrium between the lithosphere and asthenosphere. Principle of buoyancy- an object will sink so that the mass of displaced fluid is equal to the mass of an object. Increased coastal erosion: salinization of wetlands and aquifers, loss of marine habitats, displacement of human populations. Passive margins- where the edge of a continent isn"t the edge of a plate, ex. Broad shelfs, broad beaches, well-developed dunes, straighter coastlines, finer sediment. Only a few feet above sea level well inland. More susceptible to tsunamis, but less likely. Highly susceptible to hurricanes and sea level rise. Active margins- edges of continents that are on the edge of a plate. Narrow shelfs, narrow beaches, beachside cliffs, irregular coastline, coarser settlement. Greater likelihood of tsunamis but less severe effects. Ocean salinity varies worldwide because varying evaporation due to varying depth. Thermohaline circulation- shallow, warm, fresher water vs. deep, cold saltier water.