Development of Cold Environments Flashcards

All 8 cards in this deck

Give one mineral extraction opportunity in Alaska.

Oil and gas at the Prudhoe Bay field, or zinc and lead at the Red Dog Mine.

Give one energy development opportunity in Alaska.

Hydro-electric power from glacial meltwater rivers, e.g. the Bradley Lake HEP scheme, which supplies electricity to south-central Alaska.

Give one fishing opportunity in Alaska.

The cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Bering Sea and Bristol Bay support large salmon and pollock fisheries, providing jobs and exports.

Give one tourism opportunity in Alaska.

Wilderness tourism such as cruises and visits to Denali National Park, which attracts around half a million visitors a year and creates jobs.

How does extreme temperature challenge development in cold environments?

Workers need specialist clothing and shelter, machinery and vehicles fail in the cold, and the short frost-free season limits construction time.

How does inaccessibility challenge development in cold environments?

There are few roads or railways, so supplies and workers must travel by air or seasonal ice roads, making everything slow and expensive.

Why is providing buildings and infrastructure difficult in cold environments?

Heat from buildings and roads melts the permafrost, causing the ground to subside, so structures must be raised on piles and roads laid on thick gravel pads.

True or false? Long sections of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline are raised above the ground on supports.

True. This stops heat from the warm oil melting the permafrost, and the supports allow the pipeline to flex in earthquakes.