When we see a landscape we have to take into account that there are various geomorphological agents that are the elements capable of modeling the landscape. These are elements that have a certain activity and that are capable of creating new forms in the relief or destroying existing ones. This is an ongoing balance in the geology of the terrain. One type of geomorphological agent is the glacier modeling and a glacier it is a tongue of ice that is gradually advancing towards the sea and that is capable of generating icebergs.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about glacier modeling.
What is the glacier shaper
When we talk about various geomorphological agents that act on a specific landscape, we are talking about continuous actions of these elements that act on the relief. For example, the elevation of a mountainous system brings with it the rejuvenation of river channels. Normally, we speak of fluvial modeling in which some elements are taken into account, such as wind, sea currents and waves. The ice is also capable of moderating the landscape at will, although in a much slower way.
Contrary to popular belief, a glacier is a dynamic system that moves along the mountain range over time. To think of ice as an inert, inactive body. However, it maintains constant movement because, as liquid water organizes the remaining molecules that bind together, it moves the glacier along the mountain range.
Because ice has less density than water, they escape from floating and lakes and seas can freeze but only on the surface. In this way, the rest of the living beings and organisms that inhabit them are allowed to continue living under the ice layer without any problem. If we do the math, ice is about one-ninth the density of liquid water. This is the reason why any icerberg still maintains the ninth part of its body without sinking.
Glacial shaping is the set of elements that transform a landscape over time. As the glacier moves from one side of the mountain range to the other, it acts on and modifies the entire relief it passes through. Over thousands of years and after hundreds of cycles of freezing and thawing, they ultimately shape the landscape. This is what we call glacial shaping.
Characteristics of ice and its action
To discuss the different elements involved in shaping the landscape, we must consider the physical characteristics of ice. It is a dynamic substance and is quite important when shaping the landscape. It is typically found at the top of mountains and in polar regions, as the temperature there tends to be lower, allowing for the continuous formation of ice. Let's not forget that for a glacier to shape the landscape, it must remain stable for years and years.
As a geomorphological agent we can divide ice activity into three main processes: erosion, transport and sedimentation. When it comes to glacial modeling, transport is the least important element.
We find glacier modeling in areas where temperatures are always stable around 0 degrees. This temperature is more common in high mountain areas and it is called a mountain glacier. The erosion process that produces the ice separates into two large blocks. The first is the phenomenon known as physical weathering. This physical weathering is nothing more than the alteration of geological materials by the action of different external agents.
Water has the ability to expand because, when it freezes, it increases in volume, unlike other elements. This means that if a quantity of liquid water has seeped into a crack in a rock, once it solidifies, it is capable of cracking the rock and expanding with such force that it will eventually break. This part of physical weathering is known as gelling. It is one of the most important ways that ice has to erode the planet.
Glaciers move through valleys in a similar way to river water but at a slower pace. They are capable of eroding and transporting the material at the end of its journey and depositing it in the form of glacial sediments.
Moderate glacier phenomena
The first phenomenon we encounter is that of boot. This is a movement in which the rocky substrate material advances thanks to the displacement that occurs at the bottom and sides of the glacier itself. This is due to the melting that occurs in these areas of the glacier.
The second phenomenon is known as abrasion.This is the polishing effect that ice can produce on the surface it passes over, leaving a series of striations several centimeters wide. These striations can reveal information about how long the glacier has been moving. Geologists can determine the direction in which the glacier advanced.
Among the forms associated with glacier modeling we have the glacier circusIt's an associated feature that can range in size, as ice acts on a variety of scales. It's so named because it's an amphitheater-shaped depression that occurs at the head of a valley. It's usually fairly easy to identify, as it can also contain glacial lakes. Because it has a depression at the bottom of the glacier, it's prone to accumulating precipitation water.
Another formation that we find are the U-shaped glacial valleys. Since river erosion is much more intense than glacial erosion, the valley formed by river erosion is V-shaped, while glacial erosion is U-shaped. Glacial erosion is a phenomenon that must be studied to understand the characteristics of mountains.
Finally, we also find the drumlins. They are symmetrical shapes in which muddy edges and irregular blocks stand out that have been produced by the movement of the ice that could not polish the entire surface through which it advanced. This is how a rough part remains that stands out from the rest and is called drumlins.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about glacier modeling.