Cold Environments

Question 1

What is the largest town in Svalbard?

Answer 1

Longyearbyen

Question 2

What is the largest island in Svalbard?

Answer 2

Spitzbergen

Question 3

What is the average temperature in Svalbard?

Answer 3

In jan, -28 degrees, august and July can reach up to 5 degrees (Celsius)

Question 4

Why is it so cold in polar regions?

Answer 4

• the sunlight has to travel further to reach polar regions, so intensity is reduced
• the light has to travel through the atmosphere

Question 5

How many km of road are there in Svalbard?

Answer 5

50km

Question 6

How are airways modified to fit with cold environments? (1)

Answer 6

-painted white to reflect sunlight so permafrost doesn’t melt

Question 7

What does it mean if there is a low albedo?

Answer 7

Less light reflected

Question 8

What does it mean if there is a high albedo?

Answer 8

More light reflected

Question 9

What does the albedo effect refer to?

Answer 9

How much light is reflected

Question 10

How are roads/transport modified to fit with cold environments? (2)

Answer 10

-most people use snowmobiles
-roads are built on gravel that stop heat transfer , so the permafrost won’t melt. They are also cheap and easy to maintain
-

Question 11

How are services modified to fit with cold environments? (2)

Answer 11

• pipes must be aboveground, as to not melt the permafrost and for easy maintenance.
• pipes are built in utilidors (utility corridors) that are made of wood, so they insulate heat

Question 12

How is construction modified to fit with cold environments? (2)

Answer 12

• houses have steep roofs so snow slides off

- houses have triple glazing for insulation so they don’t melt the permafrost and keep warm inside

Question 13

What are the local opportunities of developing cold environments? (6)

Answer 13

• Increased job prospect (44,800 people employed in oil)
• every direct oil and gas job generates another 40 jobs
• 90% of the state revenue comes from oil
• increased demand for housing, helps boost construction industry
• no taxation allows living standards to increase
• investements in the future mean future Alaskans will benefit whether they’re directly involved or not

Question 14

What are the international opportunities of developing cold environments? (4)

Answer 14

• Attracts skilled workers to Alaska as there is no income tax
• Alaska is placed on the map because of investments from companies like shell or BP
• Alaska is seen to be a world leader in oil exploration, their knowledge has attracted lots of attention from other countries wishing to make money from oil
• companies that make transport / pipes / equipment

Question 15

What are the local challenges of developing cold environments?

Answer 15

• oil is being extracted in a national park, an area protected by law
• citizens don’t pay state tax

Question 16

What are the international challenges of developing cold environments?

Answer 16

• oil is a non-renewable, finite source of energy

- emissions from fossil fuels cause climate change

Question 17

Where was the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Answer 17

Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA

Question 18

Why did the Exxon Valdez oil spill happen?

Answer 18

The captain was drunk, and the ship ran aground on a reef

Question 19

When was the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Answer 19

24th of March 1989

Question 20

How many years later were peop,e still clearing up after the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Answer 20

25 years

Question 21

What disease did some fishermen get from the oil spill?

Answer 21

Autoimmune disease

Question 22

How many jobs did the tourism industry lose after the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Answer 22

20,000

Question 23

What kind of animals died in the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Answer 23

Otters, seagulls, killer whales, bald eagles,

Question 24

What is the population of Svalbard?

Answer 24

2,700