Fluvioglacial Landforms Flashcards
What is a meltwater channel?
A type of river / stream that forms as a result of water melting from a glacier
How is a meltwater channel formed
When a glacier melts, the water may carve out channels as it moves down the glacier
What are kame deltas?
Small mounds on the valley floor
How are kame deltas formed?
Englacial streams emerging at the snout of the glacier fall to the valley floor, lose energy and deposit their load
What are kame terraces?
Ridges of material running along the edge of the valley floor
How are kame terraces formed?
Supraglacial streams on the edge of the glacier pick up and carry lateral moraine, which is then deposited on the valley floor as the glacier retreats
What are eskers?
A long, winding ridge of glacial deposition. It is a mould of glacial meltwater channels
How are eskers formed?
Material is deposited when the subglacial meltwater channel loses energy. Due to the high hydrostatic pressure, the mound builds up and retains its shape
What is an outwash plain?
A flat expanse of sediment in the proglacial area
How is an outwash plain formed?
When a glacier recedes, a large amount of meltwater is released due to the higher temperatures melting the ice
The meltwater loses energy as it is under less pressure, so it deposits the material in front of the glacier
Material is deposited into sorted layers - gravel / rocks deposited first and finer sediment deposited on top
What is a kettle hole?
A small circular lake in an outwash plain
How is a kettle lake formed?
During ice retreat, blocks of dead ice become detached. Sediment builds up around them and, when they eventually melt, a small hollow is formed in which water accumulates to form a lake
