Humanities Homework Help

Respond to katy with 200 words

Question #1-Describe the sedimentary rock formations that occur in southern California’s transverse ranges.

The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in southern California. They are located in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie within Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Kern counties. The sedimentary rocks of the Transverse Ranges contain many examples of resistant conglomerates and sandstones. They are highly elevated, writhed, and exposed to the elements. They appear as ridges and cliffs. Below you can find weaker shale and other sedimentary rock layers. Vasquez Rocks and Devil’s Punchbowl in the San Gabriels, Mormon Rocks in the Cajon Pass, and the slopes above Chatsworth and Santa Barbara are just a few examples of plunging layers of more resistant sedimentary rock formations. Some of these beautiful southern California landscapes have provided captivating scenery for big Hollywood productions such as Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (one of my all time favorites), Dante’s Peak starring the lovely Linda Hamelton, The Flintstones, Blazing Saddles an all time classic, and Scarface (another one of my all time favorites!).

William A Selby Rediscovering the Golden State California Geography 4th edition Pages 86-87

Transverse Ranges Wikipedia-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transverse_Ranges

Question # 4-Landslides, a type of mass wasting, especially affect the California coast. Explain where specifically these problems occur and why they do.

Landslides are especially common in the Coast Ranges where serpentine rocks have been crushed and crumbled by faulting. There are many notorious Coast Range slides. When large rocks are atop of steep slopes that have been tunneled through by natural water flow or even human interaction, especially when soaked with heavy rainfall, they become very slippery and often break away from the slopes and slide downhill. These landslides have caused millions of dollars of damage in all bay area counties, and destroyed structures on slopes near downtown San Francisco and Telegraph Hill. There was a large amount of death and injuries and the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses during storms in January 1982, and again in 2017 due to such landslides. In El Nino hit 1983, and Big Sur was hit by an exceptionally large landslide that broke off a hillside from the top and sent it crumbling down to the sea. It happened again when El Nino Returned in 1998. Malibu has been historically known for their continuous landslides. Landslides in California occur mainly due to intense rainfall but occasionally are triggered by earthquakes. Landslides are common in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of Northern California, and the Sierra Nevada.

William A Selby Rediscovering the Golden State California Geography 4th edition Pages 87-90

California Landslides Wikipedia-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_landslide… (Links to an external site.).

Question #8-California’s climate experiences summer drought and winter rain. What influences are responsible for this seasonal pattern?

Contrary to popular belief among non-Californians, California weather patterns are pronounced to seasonal changes. Some of the most notable are the heavy snowfall in the California mountain regions and spontaneous soaking rainfall in the valleys that make-way to summers prolonged drought. Consequently, California’s summer drought is so dependable that some California farmers take advantage of this moisture free weather by planting crops that fail when there is prolonged moisture, such as corn and many types of beans. The East Pacific High is most to blame for California’s dry summers. Besides blocking so many storms from sweeping into California, it is also at least indirectly responsible for our prevailing winds, ocean currents, temperatures, and many other elements and events, especially during summer. As summer approaches, it strengthens and expands northwards, becoming the dominant weather marker for eastern and pacific California. This is why summer precipitation is rare. The winter season brings many different changes to California’s weather. As the sun lowers and the days get shorter, the East Pacific High that causes summers warm dry temps weakens and migrates south. When colder dense air moves in, warmer lighter air is lifted over it. This results in condensation, clouds, dnd precipitation. California is not known for a steady and reliable rainy season, especially lately, but the average winter usually brings beautiful variations of cool pacific rains, mountain snows, and fair weather conditions.

William A Selby Rediscovering the Golden State California Geography 4th edition Pages 116-124

Question #9-When Santa Ana winds occur in southern California what conditions exist that result in these winds?

In the autumn season, temperature and pressure patterns begin to change suddenly and dramatically across the great state of California. The height and angle of the summer sun and solar radiation move down south. As the cold heavy air sinks and moves clockwise from the Great Basin High pressure center , an offshore breeze develops across California to the coast. This air becomes heated from compression as it makes its way down to the coast. These eventually make way into the hot dry Santa Ana winds that blow the smog and haze toward the coast and often out to sea. In autumn, when most of the country is beginning to experience the cold chill of winter winds and air masses from the north, southern Californiana’s get the hot compressed air of the Santa Ana winds from the north. This explains why beautiful southern California’s winter temperatures can sometimes still be beach worthy!

William A Selby Rediscovering the Golden State California Geography 4th edition Pages 119-120