Physical geographyLesson 4 of 4 in the course Glaciers and periglacial processes

Glacial Moraines: Materials, Formation Processes, and Landform Types

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 3 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Moraines are accumulations of debris carried by glaciers and left behind as the ice moves or melts. They provide evidence of where glaciers have been and how they behaved.

A moraine is an accumulation of unconsolidated debris that has previously been carried along by a glacier or ice sheet. Moraines occur in both currently glaciated regions and places where glaciers have since disappeared. The debris is often called glacial till.

All flashcards

Moraine
An accumulation of unconsolidated debris previously carried by a glacier or ice sheet.
Glacial till
Debris transported and deposited by glacial ice; it is generally unsorted and unstratified.
Passive moraine formation
Debris is placed onto the landscape with limited reworking by the ice.
Active moraine formation
Moving ice directly forms or reshapes sediment.
Medial moraine
A debris ridge down the center of a glacier, formed where debris from joined glaciers meets.

Quiz questions

  1. How does a medial moraine typically form?Answer: Debris from adjacent sides joins where two glaciers meet.
  2. What does a terminal moraine mark?Answer: The farthest advance of a glacier.
  3. Which description best fits a ground moraine?Answer: A broad till-covered area without prominent ridges.
  4. Which feature is characteristic of de Geer moraines?Answer: Small till ridges occurring in groups in low-lying areas.
  5. Where does debris accumulate to form a supraglacial moraine?Answer: On top of glacial ice.

Based on the Wikipedia article Moraine, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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