Synonyms
Rockglacier; Rock streams; Rubble stream
Definition
A rock glacier is a lobate or tongue-shaped landform consisting of rock debris and either an ice core or an ice-cemented matrix. This landform is distinguished by its distinctive series of ridges and furrows on the surface, which give the form its characteristic “wrinkled” pattern. Rock glaciers serve as distinctive reservoir for debris and water in alpine drainage basins.
Introduction
The surface of Earth, a patchwork of landforms, is shaped by various geologic and geomorphic processes influenced by the various subsystems of Earth (Figure 1). Individual landforms on a continuous surface serve as magnifying glasses into the history of Earth by providing a record of how past climates and environments interacted with the surface through erosion and deposition. Rock glaciers, often spectacular landforms, are one of the most ambiguous forms regarding human understanding of the process(es) of formation. This essay will explain...
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Giardino, J.R., Regmi, N.R., Vitek, J.D. (2011). Rock Glaciers. In: Singh, V.P., Singh, P., Haritashya, U.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2642-2_453
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