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← GeographyWhich mechanism primarily controls orographic lift leading to enhanced cirque formation on mountain windward slopes?
A)Adiabatic cooling of saturated air✓
B)Infrared radiation loss into space
C)Latent heat absorption during ablation
D)Sensible heat transfer from ground
💡 Explanation
When moist air ascends windward slopes, orographic lift forces adiabatic cooling due to decreasing pressure, leading to condensation and enhanced snowfall that feeds glacial ice formation in cirques. Therefore, adiabatic cooling occurs, rather than radiation, latent heat, or sensible heat transfer, which are less dominant during lift and snow accumulation.
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