Glacial and Wave Erosion

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Glacier Noun

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[glay-shur]

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Glacier

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A large, persistent body of dense ice that moves slowly over land, formed from compacted snow over many years.

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Example: The image shows how snowflakes turn into glacier ice through stages of granular snow and firn.

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Cryosphere Noun

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[kri-oh-sfear]

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Cryosphere

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The component of the Earth's system that includes all frozen water, such as glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice.

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Example: This image shows parts of the cryosphere, including glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice, helping students understand Earth's frozen water components.

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Continental Glacier Noun

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[kon-ti-nen-tal glay-shur]

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Continental Glacier

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A vast, continuous mass of ice that covers a significant portion of a continent or a large island.

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Example: The image shows cross-sections of large ice sheets, demonstrating how continental glaciers cover vast areas.

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Valley Glacier Noun

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[val-ee glay-shur]

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Valley Glacier

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A long, narrow glacier confined within a mountain valley that flows downhill due to the force of gravity.

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Example: A valley glacier flows between mountains, showing snow accumulation and lateral moraines.

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Plucking Noun

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[pluk-ing]

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Plucking

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The glacial erosion process where moving ice lifts and carries away loosened blocks of rock from the bedrock.

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Example: Ice flow lifts and carries rock from bedrock, showing glacial plucking.

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Abrasion Noun

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[uh-bray-zhun]

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Abrasion

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The erosional process where rock fragments in a glacier scrape and grind against the underlying bedrock surface.

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Example: The image shows how glaciers cause abrasion by scraping rock fragments against the ground.

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Till Noun

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[til]

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Till

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An unsorted mixture of sediment, including clay, sand, and boulders, deposited directly by a melting glacier.

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Example: A glacier deposits till, an unsorted sediment, as it melts, shown with clear labels.

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Moraine Noun

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[muh-rayn]

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Moraine

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A ridge-like accumulation of unsorted glacial debris (till) deposited at the edges or end of a glacier.

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Example: The image shows different types of moraines formed by glaciers, labeled clearly to illustrate how glacial debris is deposited.

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Horn Noun

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[horn]

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Horn

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A sharp, pointed mountain peak formed when several glaciers erode different sides of the same mountain.

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Example: A sharp, pointed mountain peak formed by glaciers eroding different sides, illustrating a 'horn'.

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Cirque Noun

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[surk]

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Cirque

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A bowl-shaped, amphitheater-like hollow formed at the head of a glacial valley by glacial erosion.

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Example: The image shows a cirque, a bowl-shaped hollow formed by glacial erosion, with labeled features like the cirque backwall and moraines.