Glacial Deposition and Landforms Created

Glacial till refers to the mixture of rocks, sand and clay that glaciers carry along as they move. When the ice melts, it deposits this till, forming unique features on the landscape that give us clues about the glacier’s previous paths.

Glacial Landforms Created by Deposition

Erratics

Erratics are large boulders that glaciers transport and deposit in areas different from their origin. These boulders usually stand out from the surrounding rocks due to their different composition.

Erratics can be found scattered across the landscape, indicating areas once covered by massive sheets of ice.

Drumlins

When glaciers move moraine (accumulations of dirt and rock) around, they sometimes create elongated hills known as drumlins. These hills have a distinctive teardrop shape, with a gentle slope on the side the glacier approached from (up-ice side) and a steeper slope on the opposite side (down-ice side).

Drumlins often appear in clusters or swarms, and their formation and arrangement can provide clues about the direction of past glacial movements. By studying these formations, we can trace the paths glaciers took.