fluvioglacial landforms and fluvioglacial landscapes

Question 1

what are the 4 main fluvioglacial landforms

Answer 1

-eskers

-kames

-meltwater channels

-outwash plains - alluvial fans

Question 2

meltwater channels:

what is a meltwater channel

what are the 3 different types

are they highly erosive, if so why

what can meltwater channes become and how

how long do they last, why is this the case

Answer 2

-meltwater channels are streams of meltwater fromed by high temperatures

-subglacial, englacial, supraglacial

-they are hughy erosive, this is due to the high pressures from the glacier

-meltwater channels can become braided channels, when a meltwater channel loses its energy and deposit sorted material in small islands

-meltwater channels last a short amount of time, this is because they will only last during times of high temperatures and these fluctuate annually

Question 3

kames:

what is a kame

how are kames formed

are kames sorted, what does this mean

how long do kames last

Answer 3

• a kame is a mound or hill of sorterd material material

-meltwater transports and deposits eroded material on a retreating glacier, the material collects within a depression on top of the glacier, when the glacier melts completely the material is left on the valley floor. this leaves a mound of fine material

-kames are sorted, this means that the heaviest load will be deposited first and finer sediments will be on top

-kames last a medium amount of time as they can be eroded and weathered

Question 4

eskers:

what is an esker

how are eskers formed

how long do eskers last, why is this the case

Answer 4

-an esker is a long, winding sinuous ridge of glacial deposition
-it is a mould of a glacial meltwater channel

-material is deposited when the subglacial meltwater channel loses energy, due to high hydrostatic pressure, the mound builds upand retains its shape

-eskers last a medium-long amount of time
-this is due to their large size making it difficult for them ro be eroded and weathered

Question 5

outwash plain:

what is an outwash plain

how are they formed

what can they create, how can they do this

how long do they last, why

Answer 5

• an outwash plain is a broad gently sloping area of sorted sediment deposited by meltwater streams in a retreating glacier

-when a glacier receds, a large amount of meltwater is released due to high temperatures melting the ice. the meltwater loses energy as it is under less pressure so it deposits the material in front of the glacier. the mateirla is deposited into sorted layers.

-they can create alluvial fans
-this is formed if meltwater channels seperate into smaller, fanned out sections

-outwash plains last a short amount of time, this is because of the fact that they are only made up of sediment, hwich can easily be eroded and weathered