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Home / IAS Preparation / Glacial Depositional Landforms

Glacial Depositional Landforms: Meaning, Types & More| UPSC Notes

Last Updated on Dec 05, 2024
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Glacial depositional landforms are formed by the movement and melting of glaciers. They play a significant role in shaping the Earth's surface. These landforms are characterized by their distinctive features and geological significance. They offer valuable insights into the dynamic processes of glacial erosion and deposition.

For UPSC aspirants, understanding glacial depositional landforms is essential, particularly in the context of the UPSC Geography paper. This topic holds significance as it sheds light on the mechanisms of landscape formation and the interactions between glaciers and the environment.

This article on Glacial Depositional Landforms UPSC will look into the intricacies of glacial depositional landforms. It will explore their definition, formation processes, and notable examples around the world.

Read the article on Glacial Erosional Landforms!

GS Paper

General Studies Paper I

Topics for UPSC Prelims

Characteristics of each glacial depositional landform, Differences between various landforms, Basic mechanisms of deposition by glaciers, Locations where these landforms are typically found.

Topics for UPSC Mains

Differences between terminal, lateral, and medial moraines, Role of glaciers in shaping the Earth's surface, glacial erosion vs. deposition, Comparisons between glacial depositional and erosional landforms.

What are Glacial Depositional Landforms?

Glacial depositional landforms refer to the features on the Earth's surface created by the deposition of sediments carried by glaciers. These landforms result from the interaction between glacial ice and the underlying terrain, as glaciers transport and deposit vast quantities of rock debris and sediment.

Glacial Processes and Deposition

Glaciers are massive bodies of ice formed from the accumulation and compaction of snow. They exert a profound influence on the landscape through processes of erosion and deposition. Glacial erosion occurs as ice scours and plucks rock material from the underlying bedrock. Glacial deposition occurs when glaciers deposit sediment they carry as they melt. These processes are interlinked. Glacial erosion creates the sediment that is subsequently deposited to form various landforms.

Read the article on the Landforms Created By Wind!

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Types of Glacial Depositional Landforms

Moraines

Moraines are accumulations of unconsolidated glacial debris. This includes rock, gravel, sand, and clay, deposited by moving glaciers. Moraines come in several types.

  • Terminal moraines mark the furthest advance of a glacier.
  • Lateral moraines form along the sides of glaciers.
  • Medial moraines result from the merging of two glaciers.
  • Ground moraines are deposited beneath glaciers.

Prominent moraine formations include the terminal moraine of the Wisconsin glaciation in North America and the lateral moraines of the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand.

Drumlins

Drumlins are elongated, teardrop-shaped hills composed of glacial till. They form beneath glaciers through a combination of depositional and erosional processes. Theories suggest that their formation involves the deformation of sediments by moving ice. Drumlins are commonly found in regions formerly covered by continental ice sheets, such as the drumlin fields of the Canadian Shield and the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Eskers

Eskers are long, winding ridges composed of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams flowing beneath glaciers. These sinuous landforms form as sediment accumulates in tunnels within the glacier's interior and are subsequently exposed as the glacier retreats. Notable eskers include the Sandford Esker in Ireland and the Valparaiso Moraine in Indiana, USA.

Kames and Kettle Holes

Kames are irregular mounds of stratified sand and gravel deposited by glacial meltwater streams. Kettle holes are depressions formed by the melting of isolated blocks of ice left behind by retreating glaciers. They are commonly found in glaciated regions, such as the Kettle Moraine in Wisconsin and the Esker Ridge in Scotland.

Outwash Plains

Outwash plains are vast expanses of sediment deposited by glacial meltwater streams as glaciers retreat. These flat, gently sloping plains are composed of sand and gravel. These are sorted and deposited by flowing water, forming fertile landscapes conducive to agriculture. Examples of outwash plains include the Great Plains of North America and the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand.

Erratics

Erratics are large boulders transported and deposited by glaciers far from their original source. These solitary rocks are often composed of distinctively different material than the surrounding bedrock. These serve as indicators of past glacial activity. Prominent examples of erratics include the Boulder Train in Pennsylvania and the Norber Erratics in England.

Read the article on the Landforms Created By River!

Key Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants

  • Diverse Landforms: Understanding the variety of landforms such as moraines, drumlins, eskers, kames, kettles, outwash plains, erratics, and till plains is crucial for comprehending glacial processes and their impact on the landscape.
  • Formation Mechanisms: These landforms are created through processes of deposition where glaciers leave behind sediments as they advance and retreat.
  • Moraine Identification: Moraines consist of unstratified debris like rocks and soil carried and deposited by glaciers, indicating the glacier's path and terminal points.
  • Drumlins' Significance: Drumlins are streamlined hills of glacial deposits that reveal the direction of ice flow and are essential indicators of past glacial movement.
  • Eskers and Meltwater Influence: Eskers are formed by subglacial meltwater channels and provide evidence of the hydrological processes operating beneath glaciers.
  • Kames and Outwash Deposition: Kames result from sediment deposited by glacial meltwater, often forming mounds or hills, while outwash plains are flat areas of well-sorted sediments beyond the glacial terminus.
  • Kettle Formation: Kettles are depressions formed by the melting of buried ice blocks, often leading to kettle lakes, and are significant for understanding post-glacial landscapes.
  • Erratics and Till Plains: Erratics are large boulders transported by glaciers from their place of origin, highlighting the glacier's carrying capacity. Till plains are extensive areas covered by unsorted glacial till, showing the widespread influence of glacial deposition.

Conclusion

Glacial depositional landforms offer a window into the dynamic processes that have shaped the Earth's surface over millennia. From the towering moraines left behind by retreating glaciers to the serpentine ridges of eskers and the solitary wanderers known as erratics, these landforms bear witness to the immense power of ice and water in sculpting the landscapes we see today.

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Glacial Depositional Landforms UPSC FAQs

Fluvio glacial depositional landforms are landforms formed by the deposition of sediment transported by glacial meltwater streams.

The topic of glacial depositional landforms falls under the Geography paper of the UPSC examination.

Examples of depositional glacial landforms include moraines, drumlins, eskers, kames, kettle holes, outwash plains, and erratics.

Glacial erosional landforms result from the removal of material by moving glaciers. Glacial depositional landforms form from the deposition of sediment by melting glaciers.

Moraines, drumlins, eskers, kames, kettle holes, outwash plains, and erratics are some landforms produced by glacial deposition.
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