Revised 2 / 17 (Monroe 6th ed.)
Including...
Water and Magic
Origins of Water
The Hydrologic Cycle
Water and Life
Water in the Atmosphere and the Transfer of Thermal Energy
Regional weather patterns - Pacific Northwest
Water and the Environment
If there is magic anywhere on Planet Earth, it's in the water
Water is a di-polar molecule
This results from the arrangement of the hydrogen atoms
Meet at a 105° angle across the oxygen
Gives water a slight electrical charge
Surface tension
Water's polarity results in a slight electrical charge
This causes water molecules to be attracted to other water molecules
Basically, water carries with it a glue which it uses to gum up the works
Capillarity: the magic pump (and other spiffy effects)
Water and Gravity
Water is stuff and is therefore subject to the laws of physics - including gravity
Water and energy
Water contains an immense amount of gravitational potential energy
Converted to kinetic energy when the water is allowed to move
Water is a liquid, and therefore free to move
The resulting kinetic energy is used to perform all sorts of work
Transport of sediments to turning electric generators in hydroelectric plants
Water has a relatively high specific heat
DEFINE: heat vs. temperature
A high specific heat means that water changes temperature very slowly
Because of this, any large body of water (like the ocean) tends to act as a "thermal storage unit"
Can be used to store and transfer heat energy (see below)
Also results in moderate climates in coastal areas
All substances can exist in either the solid, liquid, or gaseous (vapor) phase
Changing from one phase to another requires the addition or removal of energy
Ice + heat --> Water + heat --> Steam
Water is the only known substance which can exist in all three states at normal surface temperatures and pressures
Imagine a glass of ice water on a muggy Mississippi afternoon
If this isn't magic, I don't know what is
Water and density
As a substance loses heat energy, molecular motion slows and the atoms come closer together
Results in a higher specific gravity (mass/unit volume)
All known substances abide by this rule, except for water
The density of water does increase as it cools (as it should)
At 4° C the density vs. temperature graph goes the other way
The density actually begins to decrease
This decrease continues until the solid state is achieved (at 0° C)
At this temperature the density vs. temperature graph resumes its normal trace
This "magic" property of water is no small thing
Think of what would happen if ice was more dense than water!
Water and the pH balance
Describe acid/base pH scales
Water has a pH of 7, and is therefore neither (or both) an acid or base
Actually HOH, and both a proton acceptor and donor, so again it's both
Because of this, water is considered a "universal solvent" which will, if given enough time, chemically attack any and all substances
Remember Strickler's 4th Law of GeoFantasy
Magic stuff?
We haven't even started yet
It get's more exciting as we actually begin the study of what water can do
Water has existed on earth from very early in geologic time
Some of the oldest known rocks were originally deposited as sediments in water
This means the rivers and oceans had to have existed at that time
Originally, scientists thought the earth's water came from the earth itself (called "connate" water)
Usually from volcanic eruptions (some water does come from these sources)
Recent work indicates that some (possibly most) of the water on earth may have arrived from extra-terrestrial sources
Comets - Basically giant snockballs in space
It is assumed that there were more cometary impacts early in earth's history
These led to the addition of massive amounts of water during the early stages of the earth's formation
The overall volume of water on earth, while clearly not static in the long term, can be considered constant at human time scales
However, the spatial distribution of water can and does change
Constantly moving between numerous "temporary storage units"
This movement is called the Hydrologic Cycle (Monroe: Fig. 15-3, pg. 460)
Several important ideas here
Most of the water on earth is the same water that has been here since the earth first formed
However, the spatial distribution of water can and does change constantly
Storage locations include:
The ocean (obviously the largest): 97.2%
1,327,500,000 cubic kilometers
Glacial ice: 2.15%
Groundwater: 0.625%
Lakes: 0.017%
The atmosphere: 0.001%
Streams: 0.0001%
Adds up to 99.9931% of all the available moisture
The remaining 0.0069% is tied up in other minor reservoirs
Organic material - this includes me and you
Cans of Pepsi, Vienna Sausage, Dinty Moore Stew
...and many, many others
The cycle has 4 main parts
Each involves either a change of phase, or the interaction of water and gravity (a change of location)
Evaporation: liquid to vapor
Condensation: vapor to liquid
Precipitation: liquid and gravity
Collection: liquid and gravity
The water is usually purified as it changes phase
This is a REAL GOOD THING, since we tend to mess it up, no matter what phase it's in
The vast majority of life (as we know it) is composed predominantly of water
Estimates range from 60% to over 90%
Star Trek TNG: "Ugly bags of mostly water"
Without a constant and secure water supply, life will not continue
We can live for weeks w/o food
But only a day or so w/o water
Origins of life assumed to be in water
Fossil record clearly indicates that life began in the sea
A relatively constant and stable environment
Only migrated to land after several billion years of evolution
Water at the cellular level is very important
If our cells dehydrate they die (and so do we)
Water imbalances at the cellular level can, and do, occur
Due to exercise, dehydration, freezing, and other factors
This can result in water/salt concentration problems
Can lead to cramping, and ultimately death of the affected cells
As weird as it sounds, if you want to lose weight drink a large amount of water
If your cells are used to getting an ample supply of fluids, they tend to store less (so you have less "water weight")
If your cells are constantly threatened with dehydration, they will tend to stockpile additional water supplies, increasing your weight
In addition, your body needs water to metabolize fat
If you're dry, the fatty foods that you eat cannot be broken down
The earth's atmosphere:
Nitrogen (78%)
Oxygen (21%)
Trace amounts of several other gasses
Water also occurs in the atmosphere
Commonly in the vapor phase
Amount of water vapor varies greatly, depending on a multitude of factors
The evaporation of water requires the addition of 80 calories of thermal energy per cubic centimeter
This heat energy is robbed from the local environment
Stored in the vapor
This energy remains locked up in the vapor until conditions change and the vapor condenses into the liquid phase
Releasing the energy back into the environment
This addition and loss of energy results in a global energy transfer
Affects our lives, and the earth processes which make life possible (and pleasant). For example...
Perspiration
When our bodies sweat, the water which evaporates from our skin
Obtains the heat energy necessary for the phase change from the skin, cooling our bodies
In comparison, dogs have no sweat glands
That's why they pant so much
All cooling comes from evaporation of water from their tongues
Now, aren't you glad you have sweat glands?
Global energy transfer and temperature moderation
More solar energy is received on earth at the equator than at the poles
DEFINE: Langley
Excess heat energy is used at the equator to evaporate seawater
Winds transfer this energy north and south to mid-latitudes, where it condenses, rains, and gives up the heat to areas which need it
This tends to moderate surface temperatures on earth
If you don't think this is important, try living on Mercury
Temperatures can vary by up to 600°C from sunlight to shadow, and day to night
Adiabatic cooling and rain shadow deserts
Warm, moist marine air masses move onshore and rise up over mountains
Cooled at a rate of 5.5 F° / 1000' of vertical lift (the "dry adiabatic rate")
Cooling continues until the temperature drops to the "dew point" when condensation begins
Above the dew point the temperature drop is reduced to 3.5 F° / 1000' (the "wet adiabatic rate")
Due to the additional heat energy released by the vapor as it condenses back into the liquid phase
As the air mass (which is now dry) descends the far side of the mountain, it heats back up at the dry adiabatic rate, resulting in a warmer and drier air mass on the lee side of the mountain
Been here since the mid-1970s
Always worked hard and hoped for great time off
Noticed 2 things early on
Summer work - hot as blazes for 2 weeks (also very dry)
Then cool down 'til the next heat wave
Maybe even a bit of rain
DIGRESS TO: redwood roof of Selma house
Winter's off - lots of time but also lots of fog
Lived in Grants Pass at several times
Either raining, or cold & foggy
Cold/foggy come in 2 week stretches
This 2 week pattern seems to hold - watch for it
Both summer (hot & dry) & winter (cold & foggy)
Associated with high pressure systems in both cases
As well as relatively low moisture levels in the atmosphere
Talked to National Weather Service meteorologist about this
Confirmed the 2 week pattern for the high pressure systems
Cause is very uncertain - it just happens?
Look what has happened in our area over Christmas / New Year (1997)
Storm after storm leading to an approx. 30 year flood
Then the high settles into the area
Cold and foggy indeed!
Consider this: It really wasn't that cold (it was January, after all)
Lows were in mid-high 20's
It could have been much colder
With the heavy rain and saturated ground (saturated everything!)
What would happen if we'd had a 30 year freeze following the flood?
Relate O'Brien cabin wet/freeze story
Climate and severe storms
Flooding in the Rogue Valley
Plugged drains - how, why and what can be done to fix them
Contamination by sewage and other pollutants
Umpqua River - flooded park including outhouses
Almeda Park - outhouses under water
How about septic systems on the floodplain?
Filtration plant and sewer system
How well do we trust water purification
Road damage
Chuckholes in G.P. and not even through the cold part of winter yet
Ruts in I-5 - real bad in Portland area
Mostly from big trucks - can even see double low spot when road is wet
It will take millions to billions to repair the nation's roads
Driving in any climatic weather
Driving in snow - Susie across Page Mountain
Freezing rain in Portland and Columbia Gorge
Dealing w/big trucks and idiots on the highway
Hydroplane problems
Road closure due to slides
Hwy. 199 at Patrick Creek
Slide on Susie's bus trip
South Fork Smith River - needed more than one guy
Banded iron formations
The Bretz flood (a.k.a. the Missoula Flood)
Evidence for repeated flooding 13,000 to 15,000 years ago
Eastern Washington
A "protruding lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet" dammed the Clark Fork River
Created Lake Missoula (Missoula was under 1800 feet of water)
When lake level rose to 0.9 of dam height the dam "floated"
A very significant number related to density
The density of glacial ice is 0.9
Allowed water to seep underneath
Friction melted the ice and enlarged the hole
Imagine the fountain!
At some point the upper portion of the dam collapsed and the lake emptied
Estimated flow 700 million cubic feet per second
Resulted in MAJOR flooding
Called "jokulhlaups" - Icelandic term
After the lake was drained, the ice dam rebuilt and the process began again
Effects downstream were significant
Channeled Scablands - water spreads out
Columbia Gorge: Q=AV
Willamette Valley - 500' to 1000' of water over Eugene!
What about life at that time?
Water pollution is a legitimate concern
But keep your focus on the main target: the air and land
Water cleans itself every time it evaporates and condenses
Contamination due to mineral resources
Natural causes
Yukon massive sulfide - water well indicator
Human caused
Queen of Bronze & Island Mountain mine re-opening
Iron Mountain, California
Only way to stop contamination is to remove all the sulfides
My personal favorite
Tri-State mining district
Nuclear waste disposal
Soviet practices
U.S. - current practices
Lots of small "temporary storage facilities"
Hanford - leaks into Columbia water system?
Studies (c. 1997) indicate the certainty for future contamination on a massive scale
The lower Columbia is in real trouble
Yucca Mountain
Overuse/misuse of land leading to erosion
Topsoil loss is another of the "fatal flaws" awaiting humankind
Weathering and erosion increasing the sedimentation out in the ocean
Will this be noticed by geologists 1 billion years from now?
Over use and contamination of groundwater
Ogalalla Aquifer
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