Glaciation Revision Notes

(If you study this section you do not have to study The Sea)

Glaciation
 Glaciation occurred about 2 million years ago when one third of the earth was
covered in ice.
 Snow fell in the winter and the summer was not warm enough to melt it
therefore ice accumulated.
 Moving rivers of ice called glaciers also formed.

Processes of glacial erosion

(Marking Scheme: 2 processes @ 3 marks each, 1 mark name it, 1 statement and 1
explain)
Plucking:
 As the glacier moves it creates friction with the ground that in turn causes
heat.
 This melts the base of the glacier.
 The water trickles into the underlying rocks, refreezes and sticks to the
glacier.
 The glacier plucks out the rock as it moves forward.
Abrasion:
 The plucked pieces of rock become embedded in the base of the glacier and
scrape the ground.
 The scratches are called striae, more than one are called striations.

Features of glacial erosion

(Marking scheme: 10 marks, 1 mark name feature, 3 marks for labelled diagram and
6 marks for two formations @ 3 marks each, {1 mark statement and 2 marks
development})

Landform/Feature: Cirque/Corrie/Coom
Example: The Devil’s Punchbowl, Killarney.
Processes: Plucking and abrasion.
Formation: 1. Cirques are arm-chair shaped hollows on the side of a mountain. They
have three steep sides and are the birthplace of a glacier. (Description)
2. Snow collected in the hollow and compacted to form ice.
3. It then began to widen and deepen the hollow by abrasion.
4. When it overflowed the hollow it moved downslope as a glacier.
5. When the ice melted a small lake called a tarn was left in the hollow.
(Hint: Remember FEED: Feature, Example, Explain and Diagram)

Arête
 A steep narrow ridge of land that is left after two cirques cut back to back
e.g. Devils Punchbowl, Killarney.

Pyramidal peak
 The piece of land left when three or more cirques cut back to back e.g.
Carrauntoohill, Co. Kerry.
Glaciated Valley
 A u-shaped valley cut out by a glacier from a pre-existing v-shaped river
valley.
 It has a wide flat base and steep valley sides e.g. Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.
(Hint: Often comes up as a short question to label this diagram)

Truncated Spurs
 Cut-off interlocking spurs that have been eroded by a glacier e.g.
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.

Ribbon Lakes
 They are water filled hollows on the valley floor that have been plucked out
by the glacier.
 If they are connected by a river they are called paternoster lakes e.g.
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.

Hanging Valley
 A tributary glaciated valley.
 They are found high on the valley sides, as they did not have as much power
to erode as deep as the main glacier.
 They are now often occupied by a waterfall e.g. Polanass Waterfall,
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.

Fiords
 A drowned u-shaped valley.
 The valley is situated by the coast and was flooded as sea level rose, due to
the ice melting e.g. Killary Harbour, Co. Mayo.

Features of glacial deposition

(Marking scheme: 10 marks, 1 mark name feature, 3 marks for labelled diagram and
6 marks for two formations @ 3 marks each, {1 mark statement and 2 marks
development})

Landform/Feature: Moraine
Example: Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.
Processes: Deposition
Formation: 1. Moraines are ridges of unsorted sand and gravel transported and then
deposited by a glacier. (Description)
2. Lateral moraines are found on the sides of the glacier. The material
comes from the weathered mountain sides.
3. Medial moraines are found in the middle of the glacier. They form
when two small glaciers combine and their lateral moraines join.
4. Ground moraines are found at the base of the glacier. They are
formed from material plucked by the glacier from the valley floor
5. Terminal moraines are found in front of the glacier, lying across the
valley. They mark the furthest advance of the glacier.
(Hint: Remember FEED: Feature, Example, Explain and Diagram)
Drumlin
 An oval-shaped hill often occurring in swarms in lowland regions often called
‘basket of eggs’ landscape.
 The glacier dropped Boulder clay and it then moved over the clay rounding it.
 It has one steep end and one gentle e.g. Clew Bay, Co. Mayo.

Erratics
Rocks picked up by the glacier and dropped in an area of a different rock type e.g.
Connemara granite found in the Burren, Co. Clare.

Boulder Clay Plains

 A lowland area covered by boulders, stones and clay deposited by a melting
glacier.
 They are very good for farming e.g. Golden Vale, Co. Tipperary.

Eskers
 A long ridge of stratified sand and gravel left down by meltwater streams
from a glacier as it retreated e.g. Esker Riada, Midlands.

Outwash Plain
 Flat areas of sand and gravel washed out in front of a melting glacier.
 They are poor farming areas e.g. Curragh, Co. Kildare.

People and Glaciation

 Cirques are used as reservoirs for HEP generation and water supply e.g. ESB
Turlough Hill, Co. Wicklow.
 Meltwater streams cut gaps in mountains these are used as route ways e.g.
Bray-Arklow road.
 Glaciated valleys are tourist attractions e.g. Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.
 Eskers provide sand and gravel for the building industry e.g. Blessington, Co.
Wicklow.