What is Glacial Erosion?

Processes of Glacial Erosion:

Plucking: This process occurs when a glacier picks up rocks and sediments from the land beneath it as it moves.

Abrasion: As a glacier moves, it scrapes and sculpts the landscape beneath it, wearing down the surface through the abrasive action of the rocks and sediments it carries.

Quarrying: This process involves the glacier plucking large pieces of rock from the bedrock and carrying them along as it flows, further shaping the landscape.

Landforms Created by Glacial Erosion:

U-shaped valleys: Glaciers carve out wide, U-shaped valleys as they move through the landscape, leaving behind a distinct geological feature.

Glacial cirques: These are bowl-shaped hollows carved out by glaciers at the head of a valley, often forming the starting point for glaciers.

Arêtes and horns: These are sharp, steep ridges and peaks formed by the erosion of glaciers on either side of a mountain.

Glacial troughs: These are long, deep valleys carved out by glaciers, often filled with water to form fjords.

Impact of Glacial Erosion:

Glacial erosion has had a significant impact on shaping the Earth's surface over millions of years, leaving behind unique landforms and shaping the way water flows across the land.