Transportation in Glacial Landscapes

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Classification by Location in Glacier

  • Supraglacial is debris being carried on the surface of the glacier. This will most often come from weathering and rockfall
  • Englacial is debris within the ice. This may have been supraglacial material that has been covered by further snowfall, fallen into crevasses or sunk into the ice due to localised pressure melting.
  • Subglacial is debris embedded in the base of the glacier which may have been derived from plucking and abrasion or that has continued to move down through the ice as former englacial debris.
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Sources of Transported Material

Rockfall- Weathered debris falls under gravity from the exposed rock above the ice down onto the edge of the glacier

Avanlanches- These often contain rock debris within the snow and ice that moves under gravity

Debris Flows- In areas of high precipitation and snow or ice can combine with scree, soil and mud

Aeolian Deposits- Fine material carried and deposited by wind, often blowing across outwash deposits

Volcanic Eruptions- A source of ash and dust

Plucking- Large rocks plucked from the side and base of valleys

Abrasion- Smaller material worn away from valley floors and sides (like sandpaper) 

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