Erosion

⚫ Erosion is the process that breaks things down. Erosion is the breakdown of the
continentsand the landforms. The overall effect of breaking down and weathering the
land is called denudation. Denudation is the process of erosion. In short, erosion is the
geological process in
which landform are worn away and transported by agents of erosion.
Factors controlling erosion
(1) Gradient or slope
(2) Volume of agent
(3) Tools of erosion
Agents of erosion
(1) Water including surface and ground water
(2) Wind
(3) Glaciers
(4) Sea waves
Types of erosion
(1) Vertical erosion
(2) Lateral erosion
(3) Headward erosion
⚫ Limit for maximum vertical erosion by any agent beyond which it cannot degrade is
known asbase level of erosion. The sea level is known as grand base level of erosion.
This means that below sea level there are no erosional processes taking place.
Cycle of erosion
⚫ Endogenic forces create vertical irregularities and exogenic forces destroy them. This
endless process of creation and destruction is going on throughout the geological time.
Creation is followed by the destruction and destruction is followed by the creation.
This process is knownas cycle of erosion.
⚫ Cycle of erosion is the period of time during which an uplifted landmass undergoes
transformation by the denudational processes ending into low featureless plain and
further upliftment of that plain. Cycle of erosion is evolved through three sequential
periods (that is, youth followed by maturity and maturity is followed by old stage).
 (1) Youth : It is characterised by high rate of erosion and almost no deposition.

(2) Maturity : It is characterized by decreasing rate of erosion and increasing rate of

deposition.
(3) Old : It is characterized by almost nil vertical erosion, small amount of lateral
erosion andmaximum rate of deposition.
⚫ Due to rising sea level, there is a positive change in base level and this pushes cycle
of erosionforward while due to fall in the sea level, there is a negative change in the
base level and this pulls back cycle of erosion backward. Such a pulling back of cycle
of erosion is known as rejuvenation.

Landforms associated with rejuvenation (negative change in base level)

(1) Topographic discordance
(2) Paired terraces
(3) Valley in valley topography
(4) Uplifted peneplains
(5) Incised meanders
(6) Knick points and knick point waterfalls
Landforms associated with positive change in base level
(1) Formation of ria coasts and estuaries
(2) Formation of buried valleys or channels
(3) Formation of floodplains
(4) Formation and development of sea islands near coasts
 Processes
Erosional Depositional Cycle of Erosion
Agent involved in
Landforms Landforms
Youth Maturity Old erosion
Surface 1. V-shaped 1. Alluvial 1. Abundance 1. Formation 1. Erosion 1. Solution
Water valley fan and of consequent of alluvial almost stops or corrosion
(Fluvial 2. Gorge and cones streams fans and and maximum (chemical
Cycle of Canyon 2. Natural 2. Prominent cones deposition erosion
erosion / 3. Waterfall levees headward 2. Prominent happens - similar
Normal and rapids 3. River delta erosion lateral 2. Decreasing to that of
Cycle of (Arcuate 3. Valley erosion channel chemical
4. Potholes weathering)
erosion delta, bird deepening 3. U-shaped gradient
given by 5. Structural 2. Abrasion
- foot delta through valleys 3. Spreading of
W. M. benches/ river
and estuarine vertical 4. Meanders stream water or corrasion
Davis terraces (removal
delta erosion over a large
6. Meanders 5. Natural
4. Dendritic area of loose
4. Flood levees
7. Ox-bow plains drainage 4. Obstruction materials of
lakes 6. Flood
pattern in channel flow the rocks of
plains valley walls
8. Peneplains 5. Pothole 5. Decrease
and 7. Ox-bow and valley
drilling in velocity of
monadnocks lakes floors with
6. Maximum streams
the help of
kinetic energy 6. Formation of erosional
7. Convex delta and delta tools)
valley slopes lakes 3. Attrition
8. V-shaped 7. Formation of (mechanical
valleys peneplains and wear and tear
monadnocks of erosional
9. Canyons
(in dry and arid tools
and gorges
regions) themselves)
10. Numerous
waterfalls and 4. Hydraulic
rapids action (Break
down due
11. River
to impact of
capturing
water)
phenomenon.
12.
Interlocking
spurs
 Processes
Erosional Depositional Cycle of Erosion involved in
Agent
erosion
Landforms Landforms Youth Maturity Old
Groundwater 1. Lapies 1. All types 1. Initiation1. Total 1. Almost Only solution
(Karst cycle 2. Sink holes of deposits in of surface disappearance entire process as
of erosion the caves are drainage of surface limestone groundwater
3. Swallow
given by holes collectively 2. Sinkholes drainage. is washed is not an
Cvijic and called as and swallow 2. Numerous off. active
4. Dolines
Beede) Speleothems holes sinking creeks 2. erosional
5. Uvala agent.
2. Travertine 3. Lapies 3. Uvulas and Formation
6. Polje of
3. Stalactites 4. Dolines poljes
7. Collapse and featureless
5. Sinking 4. Numerous
Sinks stalagmites plain
creeks karst
8. Solution 4. Cave windows
and blind
Pans pillars valleys are
9. Karst Lakes formed
10. Karst
Window
11. Cockpits
12. Valleys
(Sinking creek,
blind valley,
karst valley)
13. Caves or
caverns
14. Ponors
15. Natural
bridge
 Processes
Erosional Depositional Cycle of Erosion involved in
Agent
Landforms Landforms erosion
Youth Maturity Old
Sea Waves 1. Cliff 1. Beaches 1. Cliff Most of the All the 1. Hydraulic
(Marine 2. Wave-cut 2. Sand bars or 2. Wave-cut features features action
cycle of platform spits (offshore platforms developed developed 2. Abrasion
erosion 3. Sea Caves bars, longshore 3. Sea Caves during youth during or corrasion
given by bars, hooked stage are youth 3. Corrosion
4. Sea Arc 4. Blowholes
W.M.Davis) bar, looped bar, obliterated. stage are or solution
5. Natural 5. Sea arc obliterated
connecting bars, 4. Attrition
chimney or 6. Stacks and
winged bars,
blow hole or coastline 5. Wave
tombolo) 7. Spits
gloup becomes pressure.
3. Coastal 8. Shoreline
6. Stack or almost
wetlands is irregular
stump Street and
4. Sabkha
7. Cove there is
5. Wave-built formation of
platform beaches

Processes
Erosional Depositional Cycle of Erosion involved in
Agent
Landforms Landforms erosion
Youth Maturity Old
Wind 1. Deflation 1. Ripple Wind as a tool of erosion does 1. Deflation
(Aeolian basins and desert marks not passes through youth, (process of
cycle of oasis 2. Sand dunes maturity and old phases. Cycle removing,
erosion or lifting and
2. Blow outs (Nebkha and of erosion in desert is mostly
blowing
Arid cycle 3. Mushroom lunette) controlled by seasonal streams
away dry
of erosion rocks (Pedastal/ 3. Seif and it is similar to that of normal and loose
given by Pizlfelsen) (longitudinal cycle of erosion. Also cycle of particles of
W.M.Davis) erosion is applicable only in the sand)
4. Inselbergs and sand dune)
case of mountains deserts and not 2. Abrasion
Bornhardts 4. Barchan
in the case of open deserts. (also known
5. Demiselles dunes
5. Star dunes as sand
6. Zeugen
blasting
7. Yardang 6. Parabolic
because
8. Dreikanter and dunes sand acts as
zweikanter 7. Loess a polishing
9. Stone lattice 8. Bolson, tool)
10. Wind bridge Playa and 3. Attrition
and wind Bajda
window
 Cycle of Erosion Processes
Erosional Depositional
Agent Youth Maturity Old involved in
Landforms Landforms
erosion
Glacier 1. U-shaped 1. Moraines 1. Hanging 1. 1. Formation 1. Abrasion
(Glacial valley (terminal, valley Beginning of terminal 2. Polishing
cycle of 2. Hanging lateral, ground 2. of and ground 3. Plucking
erosion Valley and medial U-shaped formation moraine
given by 3. Cirque moraines) valley of lateral 2. Outwash
W.M.Davis 2. Drumlins 3. Cirque moraines plains /
4.
(Basket 4. Arete 2. cryoplain
Bergschrund
of eggs Beginning 3. Formation
5. Tarn 5. Glacial
topography) of of eskers
6. Col, Arete stairways
3. Erratics/ formation and
and Horns and
Perched of kames
7. Nunatak paternoster
blocks drumlins
lakes
8. Crag and 4. Eskers
tail 6. No
5. Kames formation
9. Roches
6. Kettles and of
mountain
Hummocks moraines
10. Glacial
stairway
(giant
stairway/
cyclopean
stairway) and
paternoster
lakes
11. Glacial
grooves
12. Fiords
13. Outwash
plain