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Glaciers, one of the most incredible landscapes that we can find in medium and high latitudes on the entire planet, are also to blame for a type of soil erosion: glacial erosion.
On the other hand, glaciers are highly affected by climate change. Due to increasingly frequent high temperatures for prolonged periods of time, as well as droughts, most glaciers have been retreating, losing part of the ice masses that constituted them, when melting. This global process has as its main consequences a more pronounced erosion of the land, as well as the increase in the water levels of lakes, rivers, seas and oceans with which glaciers interact ecologically.
In this article by Ecologist Verde, we will delve into the world of glaciers to talk specifically about the glacial erosion: definition, types and examples.
Glacial erosion: definition
Glacial erosion is the soil erosion caused by movement of large masses of ice.
Glaciers are considered highly important natural erosive agents. They form in areas where the amount of snow that accumulates during the winter is always greater than the snow that melts during the summer. The accumulated snow is compacting and recrystallizing, finally giving rise to a thick mass of ice. The process of growth and establishment of the glacier is known as glaciation.
One of the main characteristics of a glacier is its movement. The ice of the glacier accumulates until it reaches 50 meters thick. Once this limit is exceeded, the ice begins to flow in a uniform way, conditioned by friction, the speed of movement according to the slope and the force of gravity. During the advance of the glacier, it shapes the terrain and displaces all kinds of rocks that it finds in its path. In turn, the rocks that are already immersed in the bottom of the glacier act as abrasive particles, that is, they act by sanding and polishing the surface of the terrain on which it moves. This process of abrasion It can occur through the action of tearing, wearing or polishing the ground by friction or friction.
During the process of glacial erosion, it is common for ice to break rocks and infiltrate between the resulting cracks, resulting in very sharp rock fragments. We then talk about the process of gelling. In addition, the constant flow of ice on the rocks produces characteristic striations in the terrain, thus forming striated or polished soils.
Finally, when it reaches the end of its route, the glacier loses its transport capacity as it melts and turns into water (ablation process). In this last stage, of the glacial erosion process, the different materials that were transported mixed and with angular forms settle, some larger than others.
The speed at which a terrain is eroded by a glacier is variable, depending on 4 main factors:
- The speed of movement of the glacier.
- The thickness of the ice.
- The shape and abundance of the rock fragments contained in the ice.
- The erodibility of the surface below the glacier.
Types of glacial erosion
We now get to know the different types of glaciers according to their morphology that we can find in nature:
- Mountain glacier: smaller glaciers surrounded by mountainous relief. They have three parts: glacier cirque (ice accumulation zone), glacier tongue and U-shaped valley.
- Ice cap: huge layers of ice that can cover a mountain range or a volcano.
- Continental ice cap glacier: They are the largest glaciers, made up of immense masses of ice that cover large areas, having a thinner thickness on their margins.
Examples of glacial erosion
Here are some examples of the different types of glaciers today:
- Antarctica and Greenland They are the only continental ice cap type glaciers that we can find today.
- As for the mountain glaciers, the Perito Moreno Glacier located in the Cordillera de los Andes Patagónicos, whose constant advance causes the increase in the level of the waters of Lake Argentino to which it descends.
- As an example of an ice cap, we find the ice masses that cover a large part of the archipelago of the Norwegian islands of Svalbard.
- On the other hand, glacial erosion is also responsible for the formation of the fjords. They appear in areas where the sea enters a glacial valley. In the Norwegian city of Bergen, we can find impressive fjords that years ago, some glacier was dedicated to sculpting.
If you want to read more articles similar to Glacial erosion: definition, types and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Other environment.
Bibliography- Gutiérrez Elorza, M. (2006). Erosion and influence of climate change. Quaternary Journal and Geomorfology, 20 (3-4), 45-59.
- Fuentes, J., & Bocco, G. (2003). Relief as a modeler and regulator of processes in the landscape. The Teachings of Saint John, 59.
