Processes of glacial erosion
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What are the two main processes of glacial erosion?
Abrasion Plucking
What is abrasion?
Abrasion has a snapper effect caused by the weight of the ice scouring the valley floor and sides using the angular rock material trapped underneath. Abrasion results in a smooth and often shiny rock surface. Scratches caused by large rocks beneath the ice can often be seen, these are called striations
What is plucking?
When melt water beneath a glacier freezes, it bonds the glacier base to the rocky surface below. As the glacier moves, any loose fragments of rock are plucked away. This process leaves behind a jagged rocky surface as opposed to the smooth surface resulting from abrasion
