Fluvioglacial Porcesses And Landforms Flashcards
What is fluvioglacial erosion?
Erosion or deposition caused by glowing meltwater from glaciers or ice sheets
What is meltwater?
When a glacier melts water runs out and forms streams of meltwater
Why do meltwater streams create more meltwater?
Due to the pressure of the ice meaning melt water streams flow quickly
What do meltwater streams form?
Deep troughs in the landscape called ‘meltwater channels’
What is an esker?
Sinuous (winding) ridges of sorted material that runs in the direction of the ice advance
How do eskers form?
Deposited by meltwater streams flowing in tunnels underneath the glacier
-the channel of streams would have been restricted by ice walls meaning considerable hydrostatic pressure
What is a Kame?
Mounds of sand and gravel that form on the valley floor
How do kames form?
-The meltwater streams on top of the glaciers collect in depressions and deposit layers of debris when the ice water melts,forming a mound
What are Kame terraces?
long continuous bench like features that from along side the valley
How and where do proglacial lakes form?
Form in front of glaciers
-during deglaciation lakes develop on the edges of the edges of the ice next to the glaciers and ice sheets as a result of the accumulation of melt water
how do same terraces form?
when a gap between the valley side is filled with deposits,leaving a terrace as the ice melts
whats an outwash plain?
A layer of gravel,sand and clay that forms in front of where the snout of the melting glacier used to be
How do outwash plains form?
- the corset material is the heaviest so travels the shortest distance and this forms the base of the glacier
- the fine material such as clay is carried further and this forms the top layer
whats a kettle hole?
small depressions on the outwash plain filled with lakes or marshes
how do kettle holes form?
when blocks of ice that are buried beneath fluvioglacial deposits melt,causing the surface layer to slump and a hollow to form
