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Analyse the relationship between isostatic adjustment and the 2010 melting day anomaly in Greenland as shown in Figure 5 - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 3 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 3
Analyse the relationship between isostatic adjustment and the 2010 melting day anomaly in Greenland as shown in Figure 5. 1. Melting day anomaly refers to the extra... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Analyse the relationship between isostatic adjustment and the 2010 melting day anomaly in Greenland as shown in Figure 5 - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 3 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Clear analysis of the quantitative evidence provided
Answer
There appears to be some correlation between the 2010 melting day anomaly and isostatic adjustment.
In regions where melting is higher than the 1979–2009 average, there is noticeable isostatic rebound, particularly visible in Figure 5. For example, areas marked with significant melt anomalies (like those around the southeast) show more substantial upward adjustments compared to areas with less melting.
Additionally, specific stations such as 'timm' and 'kasa' reflect this trend, experiencing more upward shifts aligning with their respective melting day anomalies. This suggests a link where increased melting correlates with greater isostatic adjustment.
It is important to recognize that the pattern is not uniform across all of Greenland. Some areas might exhibit minimal adjustment despite large melting day anomalies, indicating other geophysical factors at play.
Step 2
Basic analysis of the quantitative evidence
Answer
In regions with average melting or less than the 1979–2009 average, isostatic adjustments appear more pronounced. For example, the area labeled 'kuly' has only a slight melting day anomaly yet shows minimal upward adjustment.
In contrast, regions closer to the core of the melting zones are significantly influenced by the melting patterns, illustrating a complex relationship between melting and isostatic adjustment where not all areas respond equally.