Landforms of glacio-fluvial deposition Flashcards
(6 cards)
What is glacio-fluvial
landforms and processes resulting from the erosion and deposition of sediments by glacial meltwater, occurring on, within, or beneath glaciers, and beyond glacial margins.
whats a kame
a hill or hummock composed of stratified sand and gravel laid down by glacial meltwater. two types of name which are delta and terraces
whats delta kames
- some are formed by en-glacial streams emerging at the snout of a glacier. they lose energy at the base of a glacier and deposit their load.
- others are the result of supraglacial streams depositing material on entering ice marginal lakes. some also form as debris filled crevasses which collapse during ice retreat.
what are kame terraces
- ridges of material running along the edge of the valley floor.
- During the melting of glaciers, streams of meltwater flow between the glacier and valley sides.
- These streams carry and deposit sediments (sand, gravel, and silt) along the valley sides.
- As the glacier continues to melt and retreat, the deposited sediments remain as terraces along the valley sides.
what’s an esker
eskers are ridges made of sands and gravels, deposited by glacial meltwater flowing through tunnels within and underneath glaciers, or through meltwater channels on top of glaciers. Over time, the channel or tunnel gets filled up with sediments. As the ice retreats, the sediments are left behind as a ridge in the landscape.
whats an outwash plain (sandur)
Outwash plains (sandur) are formed in front of a glacier and are where material is deposited over a wide area, carried out from the glacier by meltwater. Discharge occurs from both the melting snout of the glacier and the emergence of meltwater streams from within the body of the glacier. The finest sediments are carried further away from the glacier. Coarser materials are deposited nearer to the snout of the glacier as the meltwater drops these first as its energy declines.
