Question.
Describe the landforms formed by the erosional work of glaciers. (UPPSC 2017)
Answer.
Glaciers are also called rivers of snow and are found in the area where there is rain in the form of snow. It is commonly found in high latitudes such as Antarctica, Alaska, northern Canada, and the Scandinavian countries and in high-altitude regions such as the Himalayas region.
Glaciers move due to gravity. Due to friction with the weight of the ice, glaciers erode their base a lot. Glaciers form many erosive landforms on the tops of glaciers, valleys, and mountains. They bring eroded material into the glacier basins and deposit them in different sizes to form various depositional landforms.
The following are the erosive landforms of glaciers:
- Cirque
- Tarn Lake
- Horn
- Arete
- Hanging valley
- Valley
Cirque :
Cirque is the most common erosive topography in the Glacier Mountains. It is commonly found at the ends of glaciers. When frozen snow cuts the base land while moving down from the mountain tops, the depression created by this process is called a cirque.
Cirque is a deep, long, and broad depression, with the head as well as the sides very steeply concave.
During summers water gets stored in the Cirque which is called Tarn Lake.
Horn:
When the cirque retreats from the glacier hills from all three sides, a high pointed, and steep-sided peak called the Horn is formed. The highest peak in the Himalayas and the Alps is actually the Horn.
Arete:
When the dividing zone between two Cirque, is gradually eroded to form a wall-like structure with a zig-zag outline, is called an Arete.
Glacial Valley:
Glacial valleys are U-shaped valleys with steep sides and wide bases called glacial valleys.
Hanging Valley:
A hanging valley is a vertical valley that enters the main valley from higher ground.
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