Cloud feedbackCloud feedback is the coupling between cloudiness and surface air temperature where a surface air temperature change leads to a change in clouds, which could then amplify or diminish the initial temperature perturbation. Cloud feedbacks can affect the magnitude of internally generated climate variability or they can affect the magnitude of climate change resulting from external radiative forcings. Global warming is expected to change the distribution and type of clouds.
Mineral groupIn geology and mineralogy, a mineral group is a set of mineral species with essentially the same crystal structure and composed of chemically similar elements. For example, the amphibole group consists of 15 or more mineral species, most of them with the general unit formula AxByC14-3x-2ySi8O22(OH)2, where A is a trivalent cation such as Fe3+ or Al3+, B is a divalent cation such as Fe2+, Ca2+, or Mg2+, and C is an alkali metal cation such as Li+, Na+, or K+.
Mineral woolMineral wool is any fibrous material formed by spinning or drawing molten mineral or rock materials such as slag and ceramics. Applications of mineral wool include thermal insulation (as both structural insulation and pipe insulation), filtration, soundproofing, and hydroponic growth medium. Mineral wool is also known as mineral fiber, mineral cotton, mineral fiber, man-made mineral fiber (MMMF), and man-made vitreous fiber (MMVF). Specific mineral wool products are stone wool and slag wool.
LoessA loess (US'lɛs,_'lʌs,ˈloʊ.əs, UKˈloʊ.əs,'lɜs; from Löss lœs) is a clastic, predominantly silt-sized sediment that is formed by the accumulation of wind-blown dust. Ten percent of Earth's land area is covered by loesses or similar deposits. A loess is a periglacial or aeolian (windborne) sediment, defined as an accumulation of 20% or less of clay with a balance of roughly equal parts sand and silt (with a typical grain size from 20 to 50 micrometers), often loosely cemented by calcium carbonate.
Taklamakan DesertThe Taklamakan Desert (ˌtæk.lə.məˈkæn; , Xiao'erjing: تَاكْلامَاقًا شَاموْ, Такәламаган Шамә; تەكلىماكان قۇملۇقى, Täklimakan Qumluqi; also spelled Teklimakan) is a desert in Southwestern Xinjiang in Northwest China. Located inside the Tarim Basin, it is bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the south, the Pamir Mountains to the west, the Tian Shan range to the north, and the Gobi Desert to the east. While most researchers agree on makan being the Persian word for "place", etymology of Takla is less clear.
Northern EuropeThe northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54°N, or may be based on other geographical factors such as climate and ecology. The climate is mainly Oceanic climate (Cfb), Humid continental climate (Dfb), Subarctic climate (Dfc and Dsc) and Tundra (ET).
Loess PlateauThe Chinese Loess Plateau, or simply the Loess Plateau, is a plateau in north-central China formed of loess, a clastic silt-like sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown dust. It is located southeast of the Gobi Desert and is surrounded by the Yellow River. It includes parts of the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Shanxi. The depositional setting of the Chinese Loess Plateau was shaped by the tectonic movement in the Neogene period, after which strong southeast winds caused by the East Asian Monsoon transported sediment to the plateau during the Quaternary period.
Geography of EuropeEurope is traditionally defined as one of seven continents. Physiographically, it is the northwestern peninsula of the larger landmass known as Eurasia (or the larger Afro-Eurasia); Asia occupies the centre and east of this continuous landmass. Europe's eastern frontier is usually delineated by the Ural Mountains in Russia, which is the largest country by land area in the continent. The southeast boundary with Asia is not universally defined, but the modern definition is generally the Ural River or, less commonly, the Emba River.
Desert pavementA desert pavement, also called reg (in the western Sahara), serir (eastern Sahara), gibber (in Australia), or saï (central Asia) is a desert surface covered with closely packed, interlocking angular or rounded rock fragments of pebble and cobble size. They typically top alluvial fans. Desert varnish collects on the exposed surface rocks over time. Geologists debate the mechanics of pavement formation and their age. Several theories have been proposed for the formation of desert pavements.
Carbonate mineralCarbonate minerals are those minerals containing the carbonate ion, CO32-. Calcite group: trigonal Calcite CaCO3 Gaspéite (Ni,Mg,Fe2+)CO3 Magnesite MgCO3 Otavite CdCO3 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 Siderite FeCO3 Smithsonite ZnCO3 Spherocobaltite CoCO3 Aragonite group: orthorhombic Aragonite CaCO3 Cerussite PbCO3 Strontianite SrCO3 Witherite BaCO3 Rutherfordine UO2CO3 Natrite Na2CO3 Dolomite group: trigonal Ankerite CaFe(CO3)2 Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 Huntite Mg3Ca(CO3)4 Minrecordite CaZn(CO3)2 Barytocalcite BaCa(CO3)2 Carbonate with hydroxide: monoclinic Azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 Hydrocerussite Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2 Malachite Cu2CO3(OH)2 Rosasite (Cu,Zn)2CO3(OH)2 Phosgenite Pb2(CO3)Cl2 Hydrozincite Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 Aurichalcite (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 Hydromagnesite Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2.
