Glacial geology

(geology) The study of land features resulting from glaciation.

The scientific study of the effects of glaciers on the broad land areas, on the oceans, and on climate, of their erosion and deposition, and of their modification of the Earth's surface in detail. Included in the realm of glacial geology is the history of glacial theory, consideration of the origin of glacial ages, extent and times of past glaciations, erosion and sculpturing of plains and mountains, deposition of ice-contact and meltwater sediments, and the consequences of glaciers on worldwide climate, and also on local climate around their edges. Quite distinct from glacial geology, however, is the separate, growing subscience of glaciology, the study of glaciers themselves. See also Glaciology.

Features on the Earth's surface explained by former worldwide glaciation are numerous, embracing, for example, glacially eroded and molded valleys and mountains; ice-transported and deposited sediments and nonglacial sediments; abandoned stream channels with associated floodwater deposits; elevated silts and clays that collected around continental edges when sea level was higher; valleys eroded across and into continental shelves and slopes when sea level was much lower; communities of plants and animals similar to each other but separated by shallow seaways where land bridges once existed; fossil shells and microorganisms in deep-sea sediments reflecting colder or warmer water temperatures than today; vegetated sand dunes aligned to wind systems no longer operating; ancient shorelines and beach ridges ringing dry empty lake basins far inland; and orderly patterns of stones and fine sediments next to glacier margins in polar regions and high mountains. See also Cirque; Drumlin; Glacial epoch; Moraine.