Cold Environments Processes

Glacial Erosion

ABRASION 

Glaciers in general carry large contents of coarse rock debris. This debris comes from physical weathering and mass movements in areas exposed above the ice and from erosion from the glacier itself.

As a glacier moves down slope, rock fragments within the ice abrade the solid bedrock. Evidence can be seen in the form of scratches or striations.

QUARRYING/ PLUCKING

This is more erosional than abrasion and can shift greater volumes of rock. It depends on the presence of water caused by pressure melting. The ice freezes to rock and as the glacier moves it forces the ice frozen to the ground to continue moving down slope, the rock may be pulled out of the ground. Processes …