Depositional Features of Glaciers

Depositional Features

Soft sediment left behind by glaciers, formed by retreat.

Unsorted Sediment

Sediment that was in direct contact with ice.

Stratified Sediment

Sediment that is organized by layering due to meltwater.

Outwash

Broad accumulation of stratified drift adjacent to an end moraine.

Valley Train

Outwash confined to a mountain valley.

Till (Ground Moraine)

Leftover sediment from the retreat of a glacier.

Moraine

Layers or ridges of till accumulated from glacial activity.

Lateral Moraine

Accumulation of debris along the sides of a valley.

Medial Moraine

Dark stripe of debris created where two glaciers coalesce.

End Moraine

Moraine that forms at the snout of a glacier.

Recessional End Moraines

Multiple moraines formed when a glacier retreats and stabilizes.

Drumlin

Asymmetrical hill of till sloped to one side indicating the direction of glacier movement.

Kettle Lake

Lakes formed from blocks of ice melting and leaving a depression.

Presumpscot Formation

Clay formed from sediment left by glaciers in ocean water.

Erratic

Boulders that do not match the underlying bedrock.

Esker

Ridges made of sand and gravel formed from ice tunnels.

Kames

Asymmetrical mounds or hills of sand and gravel.

Ground Moraine

Debris left behind by melting glaciers filling in low spots.

Striations

Grooves carved into rocks by glacial movement.

Stratified Drift

Sediment that is sorted and layered by glacial meltwater.