Surface Processes And Climate: Evaluating The Connection

The world is dominated by four major lateral transport processes (water, mass movement, wind and ice) that move the products of epimorphism from the source rocks down to the ocean. Certain parts of the world have only one or two of these processes in operation and some have all four – why is this? In this essay you will be addressing the question;

Is the distribution of lateral transport processes across the globe predominantly influenced by climate?

You will need to establish where the dominant transport processes are located and determine the dominant zones of climate across the globe – is there any correlation between the two? If no, or only a little, what else is controlling the location of transport processes?

Mass Movement

The earth surface is seen to be in the position of always changing leading to formation of new faces and surfaces. The processes that take place are aided by transport processes that are perceived to always help in the formation of the earth’s surface. Four major lateral transport processes are responsible for the process. The processes are water, mass movement, the wind, and ice. These are the processes that are always seen to be responsible for the transportation on the earth surfaces.

It is the movement of the products of weathering downstream or down slope by the aid of gravity. Weathering is the process that involves the wearing off of the earth surface from their original attachment or original formation. The weathering products will have to be detached and by the aid of gravity will have to move down the slope. The movement will be relocating the products from their original formation to a different location downstream (Lamarche, 2016, p. 62). Factors controlling the process have always been pointed to the climate and the processes that take place inside the core of the earth.

It is a transport process that involves the wind in transportation. The process has been seen to be in the position to shape the earth’s surface. Winds transport, erode and may deposit substances in a region that is not their original position. The winds have been seen to be more effective on bare land. This is because there will be no obstruction with the substances that it has carried along (Greeley &Iversen, 2012 p. 59). Despite the surface being bare, it is vulnerable at places that have limited moisture in the soil and loose soil that is not attached to the face of the earth.

Water is seen to also help in the lateral transport system in the sense that it is recognized to be in the position to sediment and deposit substances in an area that is not their original position. Water can pick along all the loose substances on the surface and transport them downstream or slope by the help of gravity (Higgins & Coates, 2011 p. 72). Water has also been seen to be effective in places that are bare and in locations that have loose soil and substances that can be easily carried away. The figure shows the process that takes place in a water transportation in a river. 

Ice is water that is frozen into a solid state. It has also been seen to be one of the agents that aid in the lateral transport processes. Ice has always been seen to be formed at the top of mountains, and so in the process of movement, it moves downward the slope or stream with the help of gravity. Ice is in the position to move downstream with all the sediments that it scraps from the way it follows (Krasil?nikov, 2013 p.95). It deposits the sediments down slope as it melts off. This has been seen to be possible when the weather is not conducive thus making excess ice to move downstream. 

Wind

There are three main broad climatic areas in the world. This subdivision is based on the shape of the earth, in that, the polar, temperate and the tropical zones. The climatic zones were taken basing on the temperature of the region. The polar climatic zones are characterized by low temperatures that are at times accompanied by snow. This is seen in both the South and the North Pole. The tropical climatic zones are mostly evident at the equator. The climate at this point is seen to be balanced in a way that all the climatic conditions are evident at this point. Temperate climatic zones are seemed to be moderate climatic zones (Lamarche, 2016 p. 62). This is because the areas have no extreme climatic conditions. This is in the sense that the areas have moderate temperatures across the tropics. The climate is experienced between the polar and the tropics of the earth. Thus this makes the region to have moderate climatic conditions.

Polar climate

Since low temperatures characterize the polar climate, then there is always the presence of ice and snow. This will mean that there will always be lateral movement of substances by ice. There will always be the movement of ice downslope, and so this will have to mean that substances will have to be carried down by the moving ice. This is the dominant lateral movement in this climatic region. Water is also seen to be evident as it is also seen to deposit substances that it carries along with it (Reiners & Driese, 2004 p. 91). The moving ice may also trigger the mass movement, and so this will also lead to the movement of the substance down the slope with the aid of gravity.

Tropical climate

This is the climate that is seen to be able to accommodate almost all the movement processes except the ice. This is a region that is affected by wind, water and mass movement. Some regions are bare and also have a loose surface that will make it easier for wind movement. The condition is seen to be in the position to make the wind prone of substance movement. The mass movement has also been evident which is caused by the activities that are happening in the earth’s crust and also due to human activities (Singh & et al., 2011 p. 80). Water has also been a movement process and is aided by the fact that the areas in this region are seen to be moderately flat thus allowing for water to carry along the substances on the surface.

Water

Temperate climate

Moderate climatic conditions characterize the region because of the location between the polar and the tropics (Oliver, 2005, p. 81). The region is seen to be dominated by water and wind movement processes. This is because the region is seen to be vulnerable to water movements because it is seen to be also moderately flat and the kind of heavy rains that are also evident in the region. The excess water is seen to be able to cause floods which will always flow down slope and with the aid of gravity (Smellie, & Chapman, 2002 p. 67). The water will carry along substances which will be deposited at a place that was not their original position.

Apart from the above named lateral movement processes; other processes are also seen to involve in lateral movement significantly.

Currents and tides

Currents and tides are lateral movements process that is also seen to move substances. The tides are evident in the seas and oceans. Tides occur when there is a sudden movement of the surface of the ocean where two surfaces shift positions. This will cause a tide that will have to rise to the banks of the land which will have to carry and transport along with them substances on the earth surface. It is also aided by gravity as the Tide will have to settle back but with the substances that were transported from the shores (Swinbank & et al., 2003 p.98). It is also a significant process as it is also in the position to transport substances from the original place to another different place.

Hill slopes and slides

Lateral transport process that is aided by the extra saturation of soil on a slope of a hill with water. The saturated soil will lose the grip on the hill slope, and with the aid of gravity, the soil slides down the slope. When the saturated soil moves down the slope, it is seen to carry and transport along substances (White &et al.2014, p. 88). This process is also seen to be significant as it also perceived as transport substances with the aid of gravity. Figure below illustrates further on the process 

Conclusion

From the discussion in this paper, it is clear that lateral transportation processes are seen to occur in all positions. They can transport substances from their original position to a different place. The processes are also seen to all be linked together as one process may depend on another to lead to the other process. 

References

Greeley, R. & Iversen, J. (2012). Wind as a geological process: on Earth, Mars, Venus, and Titan. Cambridge England New York: Cambridge University Press.

Higgins, C. & Coates, D. (2011). Groundwater geomorphology:the role of subsurface water in earth-surface processes and landforms. Boulder, Colo: Geological Society of America. 

Krasil?nikov, P. (2013). The soils of Mexico. Dordrecht London: Springer. 

Lamarche, G. (2016). Submarine mass movements and their consequences. Cham: Springer. 

Oliver, J. (2005). Encyclopedia of world climatology. Dordrecht, Netherlands New York: Springer. 

Reiners, W. & Driese, K. (2004). Transport processes in nature: propagation of ecological influences through environmental space. Cambridge, UK New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press. 

Singh, V., Singh, P. & Haritashya, U. (2011). Encyclopedia of snow, ice and glaciers. Dordrecht London: Springer. 

Smellie, J. & Chapman, M. (2002). Volcano-ice interaction on Earth and Mars. London Tulsa, OK: Geological Society AAPG Bookstore distributor. 

Swinbank, R., Shuti?a?ev, V. & Lahoz, W. (2003). Data assimilation for the earth system. Dordrecht Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 

White, I., Mottershead, D. & Harrison, S. (2014). Environmental systems: an introductory text. Cheltenham, England: Stanley Thornes