Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology 4e

GEOTOURS EXERCISE 18
Inducing Change on a Global Scale
Name:
Course:
Section:
Date:
Exploring Geology Using Google Earth
1. Visit digital.wwnorton.com/geolabmanual4
2. Go to the Geotours tile to download Google Earth Pro and the accompanying
Geotours exercises file.
Human activity has transformed the Earth’s
surface in remarkable (and sometimes very
consequential) ways. Moreover, the effects
of these activities induce measurable global
change over very short time spans. Expand
the Geotour18 folder in Google Earth by
clicking the triangle to the left of the folder
icon.
(a) Check and double-click the NOAA
CO-OPS Sea Level Trends folder to see
worldwide sea-level trends. According to
these data, is sea-level mostly rising or
falling (rotate the Google Earth globe to
observe different areas)? What humaninduced
change is responsible for the
majority of these trends?
(b) Check and double-click the Scandinavia placemark (leave the NOAA CO-OPS Sea Level Trends folder checked).
What is happening to sea level at this location, and what is causing it to happen? Hint: What happens to the
underlying land when an ice cap melts?
(c) Check and double-click the Columbia Ice Field/Columbia Glacier placemarks to fly to the Canadian Rocky
Mountains. Study the time-lapse animation in the Columbia Ice Field placemark balloon to observe the rapid
melting of the Columbia Glacier (and other glaciers as well). What is the rate (meters per year) that the Columbia
Glacier terminus receded from 1984 to 2004 (measure the distance between placemarks using the Line tab on the
Ruler tool)?
(d) Check and double-click the Deforestation placemark to fly to the Amazon Rain Forest in South America. Study
the time-lapse animation in the placemark balloon to observe how deforestation is affecting the region. Estimate
the percentage of land in the field of view that has experienced deforestation from 1984 to 2012. Is it 1%, 15%, 25%,
or 75%?
496 CHAPTER 18 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE