Glacial Geomorphology
Spring, 2009
Prof. W. W. Locke
223/224 Traphagen
wlocke@montana.edu; 994-6918
So why study glacial geology?
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Uniformitarian
Variable
Local ›̶ global
Applied physics
Modern analogs
Processes
Modeling
Himalaya's Receding Glaciers Suffer Neglect
(from the “Christian Science Monitor” 1/3/07)
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NEW DELHI - Billions of people in China and the Indian
subcontinent rely on South Asia's Himalayan glaciers - the
world's largest store of fresh water outside the polar ice caps.
The massive ice floes feed seven of the world's greatest Asian
rivers in one of the world's most densely populated regions.
Yet as global climate change slowly melts glaciers from Africa
to the Andes, scientists say the glaciers in the Himalayas are
retreating at a rate of about 33 to 49 ft each year – faster than
in any other part of the world. The Gangotri Glacier – one of
India's largest, a mass of ice about 18 mi long – is retreating at
a rate of more than 100 ft a year.
An Intro to Glacial Geology
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Glacial Geology as a Science
Glaciology
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Glacial Geology
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The study of ice as a material
The study of ice as an agent of change
Quaternary Geology
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The study of the last ~2 million years
A History of Glacial Geology
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1779
1795
1821
1837
1841
1865
1871
1890
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H. B. de Saussure – erratic boulders
J. Hutton – glacial erratics
I. Venetz-Sitten – former expanded ice
L. Agassiz – “a great ice period”
C. Maclaren – eustatic sea level change
T. F. Jamieson – isostatic deformation
G. K. Gilbert – ice sheet moraines
G. K. Gilbert – pluvial lake Bonneville
Further Evolution of Glacial Theory
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1932(65) – J H. Bretz – the Channeled Scablands
1947 (-57, -70) – R. F. Flint – Glacial Geology
1952 – J. F. Nye – mechanics of glacier flow
1968 – J. T. Andrews – postglacial uplift, Canada
1968 – G. S. Boulton – deformation tills
1969 – W. S. B. Paterson – The Physics of Glaciers
1981 – Denton & Hughes – The Last Great Ice
Sheets
The Elements of Glaciology
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Glaciers as a system
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Glaciers as a material
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Energy budget (balance?)
Mass budget (balance?)
Glacier flow
Albedo, etc.
Glaciers as climate indicators
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Snowlines
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Glaciation threshold, firn line, ELA
The Elements of Glacial Geology
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Glacial Erosion
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Glacial Transport
Glacial Deposition
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Plucking, abrasion
Lodgment, melt-out
Meltwater
Proglacial Geology
Paraglacial Geology
Elements of Quaternary Geology
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Quaternary Stratigraphy
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Glacial events
δ18O in ocean sediments
Pollen, foraminifera
Ice core records
Fossil records…
Quaternary climates
Glacier  climate feedbacks
Elements of This Course
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Readings
Class (Tu, Th) –
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questions, discussion
minimal lecture ?
Lab (M) (30%)
Hour Exam (15%)
Student projects/presentations (15%)
Final Exam (30%)
Field Trip
What Will You Learn?
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Very little of applied
value!
Application of
principles
Context for surficial
studies
“Natural Art
Appreciation”
Resources
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Syllabus
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Department
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Prof. Locke
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Course Matrix
Glacial Geology
Glacial Geology
PowerPoints
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From campus: in the MSU domain;
\\opal\glacial
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Must be registered in the course
From off-campus: set up VPN?