Glaciated landscapes Flashcards
What Is a glacial?
A period of time where global temperature drop so significantly, that glaciers advance into lower regions, and cover over a third of the earths surface.
What is a cirque?
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Definition: A deep, steep sided walled basin.
Shape: Amphitheatre shaped
Size: 1km long & 1km wide
Location: Glacial valleys
Formation: Formed by erosion of small glaciers
What is a tarn?
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Definition: A small, steep-sided mountain lake or pool.
Shape: Circular or oval shape
Size: 1-5 acres
Location: In a cirque
Formation: Formed when glaciers melt, and water collects in the bottom of the cirques.
What is an Arête?
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Definition: Ridge, separating 2 valleys
Shape: Knife-edge, jagged
Size: 1-10 meters wide, 1-3km in length
Location: Mountains
Formation: When 2 neighbouring corries/cirques run back to back.
What is a pyramidal peak?
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Definition: A pointy peak
Shape: Pyramid
Size: 600-6,000 meters tall
Location: Mountain ranges
Formation: When 3 or more corries/cirques & Arêtes meet.
What is a hanging valley?
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Definition: A valley which has been cut off by a steeper valley or a cliff.
Shape: U-shaped
Size: 50-100 miles long
Location: Uplands
Formation: Formed when a larger glacier erodes a main valley deeper than the smaller glacier, leaving smaller, elevated valleys above the main valley floor, causing steep drop-offs or cliffs.
What is a pater-noster lake?
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Definition: A paternoster lake is one of a series of glacial lakes connected by a single stream or a braided stream system.
Shape: Round/oval.
Size: Vary, generally smaller than surrounding bodies of water.
Location: In a valley
Formation: Formed by scouring a valley bed.
What is a U-shaped valley/glaical trough?
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Shape: U-shaped
Size: Can range from narrow, to wide & deep
Location: Mountainous regions
Formation: Glaciers erode U-shaped valleys with a flat floor and steep sides.
What is a Roches moutonnée?
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Definition: Rock formation created by passing of a glacier
Shape: Smooth, rounded hill, with gentle slope.
Size: Small, to medium size, but varies depending on glaciers influence.
Location: Glacial regions, valleys, hillsides.
Formation: When abrasion on the surface up-ice and the plucking of rock fragments down ice.
