Proglacial lakeIn geology, a proglacial lake is a lake formed either by the damming action of a moraine during the retreat of a melting glacier, a glacial ice dam, or by meltwater trapped against an ice sheet due to isostatic depression of the crust around the ice. At the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago, large proglacial lakes were a widespread feature in the northern hemisphere. The receding glaciers of the tropical Andes have formed a number of proglacial lakes, especially in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, where 70% of all tropical glaciers are.
GlacierA glacier (USpronˈɡleɪʃər; UKˈɡlæsiər,_ˈgleɪsiər) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as crevasses and seracs, as it slowly flows and deforms under stresses induced by its weight. As it moves, it abrades rock and debris from its substrate to create landforms such as cirques, moraines, or fjords.
Glacial lakeA glacial lake is a body of water with origins from glacier activity. They are formed when a glacier erodes the land and then melts, filling the depression created by the glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create lakes. This is apparent in the Lake District in Northwestern England where post-glacial sediments are normally between 4 and 6 metres deep.
LausanneLausanne (loʊˈzæn , USalsoloʊˈzɑːn , lɔzan; Losena lɔˈzəna) is the capital and largest city of the Swiss French-speaking canton of Vaud. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and facing the French town of Évian-les-Bains across the lake. Lausanne is located northeast of Geneva, the nearest major city. The municipality of Lausanne has a population of about 140,000, making it the fourth largest city in Switzerland after Basel, Geneva, and Zurich, with the entire agglomeration area having about 420,000 inhabitants (as of January 2019).
Lausanne DistrictLausanne District (District de Lausanne) is a district in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The seat of the district is the city of Lausanne. Lausanne has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 30.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 41.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and or 0.1% is unproductive land. Lausanne has a population () of . Most of the population () speaks French (159,559 or 79.6%), with German being second most common (8,534 or 4.
Romanel-sur-LausanneRomanel-sur-Lausanne (ʁɔmanɛl syʁ lɔzan, literally Romanel on Lausanne; Romanél) is a municipality in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Lausanne. Romanel-sur-Lausanne is first mentioned in 1184 as Romanes. Romanel-sur-Lausanne has an area, , of (depending on calculation method). Of this area, or 59.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 3.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 37.8% is settled (buildings or roads). Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 5.
Cheseaux-sur-LausanneCheseaux-sur-Lausanne (ʃəzo syʁ lɔzan, literally Cheseaux on Lausanne; Chesâls) is a municipality in the district of Lausanne in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a suburb of the city of Lausanne. Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne is first mentioned in 1228 as Chesaus. Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne has an area, , of . Of this area, or 60.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 14.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 24.0% is settled (buildings or roads), or 0.7% is either rivers or lakes.
Le Mont-sur-LausanneLe Mont-sur-Lausanne (lə mɔ̃ syʁ lɔzan, literally Le Mont on Lausanne; Lo Mont) is a municipality in the district of Lausanne in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a suburb of the city of Lausanne. Le Mont-sur-Lausanne is first mentioned in 1237 as Monte super Lausannam. Le Mont-sur-Lausanne has an area, , of (depending on calculation method). Of this area, or 51.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 18.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 30.0% is settled (buildings or roads).
Belmont-sur-LausanneBelmont-sur-Lausanne (bɛlmɔ̃ syʁ lɔzan, literally Belmont on Lausanne) is a municipality in the district of Lavaux-Oron in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a suburb of the city of Lausanne. Belmont-sur-Lausanne is first mentioned in 1228 as Belmunt sowie apud bellum Montem. Belmont-sur-Lausanne has an area, , of . Of this area, or 35.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 29.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 33.2% is settled (buildings or roads). Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 23.
Energy transitionAn energy transition (or energy system transformation) is a significant structural change in an energy system regarding supply and consumption. Currently, a transition to sustainable energy (mostly renewable energy) is underway to limit climate change. It is also called renewable energy transition. The current transition is driven by a recognition that global greenhouse-gas emissions must be drastically reduced. This process involves phasing-down fossil fuels and re-developing whole systems to operate on low carbon electricity.
École polytechniqueÉcole polytechnique, also known as Polytechnique or l'X liks, is a grande école located in Palaiseau, France. It specializes in science and engineering and is a founding member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The school was founded in 1794 by mathematician Gaspard Monge during the French Revolution and was militarized under Napoleon I in 1804. It is still supervised by the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Originally located in the Latin Quarter in central Paris, the institution moved to Palaiseau in 1976, in the Paris-Saclay technology cluster.
Renewable energyRenewable energy is energy from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. Renewable resources include sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For example, some biomass sources are considered unsustainable at current rates of exploitation. Renewable energy is often used for electricity generation, heating and cooling.
Nuclear energy policyNuclear energy policy is a national and international policy concerning some or all aspects of nuclear energy and the nuclear fuel cycle, such as uranium mining, ore concentration, conversion, enrichment for nuclear fuel, generating electricity by nuclear power, storing and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, and disposal of radioactive waste. Nuclear energy policies often include the regulation of energy use and standards relating to the nuclear fuel cycle.
HydroelectricityHydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also more than nuclear power. Hydropower can provide large amounts of low-carbon electricity on demand, making it a key element for creating secure and clean electricity supply systems.
Grande écoleA grande école (ɡʁɑ̃d ekɔl; great school) is a specialized top level educational institution in France. Grandes écoles are part of an alternative educational system that operates alongside the mainstream French public university system and are dedicated to teaching, research and professional training in single academic fields such as engineering, architecture, business administration, academic research, or public policy and administration.
DamA dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability. Hydropower is often used in conjunction with dams to generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect or store water which can be evenly distributed between locations.
Embankment damAn embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and a dense, impervious core. This makes the dam impervious to surface or seepage erosion. Such a dam is composed of fragmented independent material particles. The friction and interaction of particles binds the particles together into a stable mass rather than by the use of a cementing substance.
Dam failureA dam failure or dam burst is a catastrophic type of structural failure characterized by the sudden, rapid, and uncontrolled release of impounded water or the likelihood of such an uncontrolled release. Between the years 2000 and 2009 more than 200 notable dam failures happened worldwide. A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, that directs or slows down the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundments.
HydropowerHydropower (from Ancient Greek ὑδρο-, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a water source to produce power. Hydropower is a method of sustainable energy production. Hydropower is now used principally for hydroelectric power generation, and is also applied as one half of an energy storage system known as pumped-storage hydroelectricity.
