Erosion of Glaciers
Glaciers form in places where more snow falls than melts or sublimate. Layer of snow pile up, and the weight packs the snow forming glacial ice. glaciers are constantly moving b y the force of gravity pulling downhill. Glaciers flow fastest in the middle and slowest on the sides.
There are 2 types of glaciers continental and valley. A continental glacier is a thick sheet of ice that covers a huge area. A valley glacier a glacier that occurs in high mountain valleys .
Glaciers tear away the underlying rocks as they move by abrasion and plucking. Plucking is when ice widens the cracks in the bedrock. Pieces of loose rocks get carried away by the glacier. Glaciers cause many distinctive features in the landscape, including cirques, horns, U shaped valleys, and glacial lakes. Valley glaciers cause erosion in high mountains. Cirques are larges bowl shaped valley carved by a glacier. When several cirques form close together, a ridge can be left. When a ridge connects and forms a pyramid shaped peak, it becomes a horn. When a glacier moves through a V shaped valley it widens into a U shape due to the erosion of the glaciers.
When a glacier melts, it deposits its load of sediment creating a variety of land forms. Glacial sediment are called tills which contains fragments of many sizes. Tills form moraines, mounds of sediment at the downhill end of a glacier.
There are 2 types of glaciers continental and valley. A continental glacier is a thick sheet of ice that covers a huge area. A valley glacier a glacier that occurs in high mountain valleys .
Glaciers tear away the underlying rocks as they move by abrasion and plucking. Plucking is when ice widens the cracks in the bedrock. Pieces of loose rocks get carried away by the glacier. Glaciers cause many distinctive features in the landscape, including cirques, horns, U shaped valleys, and glacial lakes. Valley glaciers cause erosion in high mountains. Cirques are larges bowl shaped valley carved by a glacier. When several cirques form close together, a ridge can be left. When a ridge connects and forms a pyramid shaped peak, it becomes a horn. When a glacier moves through a V shaped valley it widens into a U shape due to the erosion of the glaciers.
When a glacier melts, it deposits its load of sediment creating a variety of land forms. Glacial sediment are called tills which contains fragments of many sizes. Tills form moraines, mounds of sediment at the downhill end of a glacier.
Wind Erosion
Wind can also cause erosion and depositions mainly in dry regions. Salvation is when the wind moves small particles like grain in a series of leap. Wind erodes the land by deflation and abrasion. Deflation occurs when wind picks up loose surface materials. Dry regions blow stronger winds which carries sand and dust causing the level to become lower. Abrasion on land is caused when a wind blows sand against rocks slowly sandblasting and removing weathered particles.
As wind slows down, it deposits sediment, features deposited by wind includes sand dunes and loess deposits. Deposits formed from windblown sands are called dunes. Dunes move as the wind picks up sand on the back and blows it front. Deposits formed from windblown dusts are called loess. Two major sources of loess are deserts and glacial deposits.
As wind slows down, it deposits sediment, features deposited by wind includes sand dunes and loess deposits. Deposits formed from windblown sands are called dunes. Dunes move as the wind picks up sand on the back and blows it front. Deposits formed from windblown dusts are called loess. Two major sources of loess are deserts and glacial deposits.