Formation of corrie associated Landforms

Question 1

Cirques / Corrie formation (1)

Answer 1

A pre glacial hollow in enlarged by nivation (freeze thaw and Removal by snow melt)
Snow accumulates in the hollow, compression occurs until the formation of glacial ice

Question 2

Cirques / Corries formation (2)

Answer 2

Having reached a critical weight and depth,
the cirque is now loaded with large amount of debris
Driven by a steep gradient and large inputs of snow,
the cirque glacier begins to move by rotational slip
Eroding the floor by plucking and abrasion

Question 3

Cirque / corrie formation (3)

Answer 3

Frost shattering on the bergschrund leads to an accumulation of debris at the base
which then becomes entrained by the ice, abrading the cirque floor
A Rock lip is formed at the front, where pressure and erosion is reduced (retains tarn)
E.g. blea water tarn, Lake District

Question 4

Arête

Answer 4

A narrow, knife edged ridge between 2 cirques

Where 2 corries are experiencing headward erosion

Question 5

Arête formation

Answer 5

Plucking and abrasion on the back wall of 2 Corries on a mountainside.
Means they erode backwards towards eachother
creating a narrow ridge

Question 6

Pyramidal peak Formation

Answer 6

Erosional processes (plucking, abrasion) within nearby cirques (3 or more) means they erode backwards towards each other 
Creating a sharp, pointed mountain summit

Question 7

Glacial troughs

Answer 7

U shaped valley with steep sides and a wide, flat floor

Question 8

Glacial troughs Formation

Answer 8

A V shaped river valley is widened and deepened as a result of powerful plucking and abrasion by a valley glacier
Which goes through the landscape rather than around it

Question 9

Truncated spur

Answer 9

Steep rocky valley side where there used to be interlocking Spurs

Question 10

Truncated spur formation

Answer 10

Valley glaciers remove the ends of interlocking spurs by plucking and abrasion as they move down the river valley

Question 11

Hanging valley

Answer 11

Small tributary valley high above the main glacial trough

Often with a waterfall

Question 12

Hanging Valley formation

Answer 12

Thicker glacial ice in the main glacial trough deeply erodes valley vertically downwards More rapidly than the thinner ice in tributary valleys
The floors of the tributary valleys are left higher (less eroded), with waterfalls as the tributaries Flow over the edge into the main valley

Question 13

Ribbon lake

Answer 13

Long narrow lake along the floor of the glacial trough

Question 14

Ribbon lake formation

Answer 14

Areas of increased abrasion / plucking by the glacier deepen part of the valley floor 
As a result of : either :
- the confluence of glaciers or
- weaker rocks being eroded more readily
Hollows fill with ice/rainwater.