Fjords

From GeoClasses

FJORDS

Oelstid

1 I. What is a Fjord?
2 Characteristics
3 II. How are Fjords formed?
4 III. Fjords Location
5 IV. Other forms found in Fjords
6 Exam question

I. What is a Fjord?

A fjord, can also be pronounced and spelled as fiord, is a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes, which results from marine inudation of a glacieted valley.

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Characteristics

A. Narrow Inlet

B. Bottom glacially eroded significantly below sea level

C. Steep-Sided walls

D. Depths in the upper and middle reaches rather than on the seaward side

E. Communication with the open sea

F. Depth can sometimes exceed 3300 feet

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II. How are Fjords formed?

During the last Ice Age, large continental glaciers covered much of northern North America, Northern Europe, and Northern Russia. A warm period occurred, the Holocene Epoch, about 10,000 years ago and the hills and valleys in these areas that were covered by the ice, melted and caused running water.

A. A glacier downwastes, or melts faster than it is moving

B. It carves a U-shaped valley, and the sea fills the resulting valley floor

C. Then a narrow, steep sided inlet connects to the sea

Southwest Of Narvik

According to wikipedia. com, in the Battle of Narvik in World War II, the Ofotfjord was the home for several naval battles, and many ships are at the bottom of the fjords, especially in the vicinity of Narvik harbour. These are very popular among divers. However, some of these ship wrecks are declared war graves and are protected by law.

Fjords have channels which follow the faults of the underlying rock, including occasional sharp corners. The valley at their head, in many cases extends into the mountains. Sometimes a small residual glacier remains at the valley head. If there is no residual glacier, the river which flows in the valley will begin to build a delta at the head of the fjord. These are the best places for farms and villages.

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III. Fjords Location

Fjords can be found in places where glaciers melted, usually on a hill or mountain, forming running water that created somewhat of a sea or huge lake. Examples: Norway, British Columbia, Greenland, New Zealand, Chile, Alaska All of these locations have coastlines that can be characterized by fjords

Finmark, Norway is one of the places in the world where a person can find Fjords.

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IV. Other forms found in Fjords

Coral reefs Even in the year 2000, some of the world's largest coral reefs were discovered along the bottoms of the Norwegian fjords. The reefs were found in fjords starting from the north of Norway to the south. According to wikipedia.comt the sea living creatures living on the reefs is very important. It is a very good place for fishing. According to wikipedia.com, since this discovery is fairly new, little research has yet been done. So far, only the deep sea diver who discovered the first reef at 60 meters has visited it, and even he has only been down three times. The reefs are host to thousands of lifeforms such as plankton, coral, anemonies, fish, several species of sharks, and many more one would expect to find on a reef. However most are specially adapted to life under the greater pressure of the water column above it, and the total darkness of the deep sea. New Zealand's fiords are also host to deep sea corals, but a surface layer of dark fresh water allows these corals to grow in much shallower water than usual. An underwater observatory in Milford Sound allows tourists to view them without diving.

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