GLACIATION IN THE SWISS ALPS:

Glaciation refers to the work of glaciers i.e. erosion, transportation and

deposition.
A glacier is a mass of moving ice. Glaciers result from accumulation and
compaction of snow in higher altitudes. Snow is compacted into ice under its
own weight which then moves down slope under the influence of gravity.

Glaciers moving down slope, erode the surface, transport the material and then
it is deposited in the lowlands. Therefore the work of glaciers includes glacial
erosion, glacial transportation and glacial deposition.
Glacial erosion and deposition have led to the formation of glacial features
which have been an important tourist attraction.

Conditions leading to glaciation in the Swiss Alps:

1. High altitude which favours very cold conditions for glacial formation.
2. High latitude: This favours the existence of low temperatures that favours
snowfall and consequently the formation of glaciers.
3. The steep slopes: These enable the movements of glaciers or the ice sheets
that then erode and later deposit material.
4. Existence of a low snow line which results into easy accumulation of snow.

The fall of snow in a peri-glacial region is referred to as accumulation and this

is more during winter. Snow melt is referred to as ablation and this is more
during summer. Accumulation is more in the high altitudes while ablation is
more in the lower altitudes.

Essential points about glaciers

 Glaciers are flowing streams of ice
 Glaciers have a zone of accumulation where snowfall exceeds losses
(ablation)
 Accumulation can be due to high altitude (mountain glaciers) or cold climate
(continental glaciers)
 Glaciers have a zone of ablation where losses exceed snowfall
 Glaciers are governed by a balance of snowfall, ice flow, and ablation
 Glaciers retreat by melting back, not by retracting
 Glaciers produce distinctive landforms and small scale features

Glacial Erosion:
This refers to the removal of surface material by moving ice. Glaciers erode 10-
20 times faster than any river or running water. This is because the ice exerts
tremendous force or weight on the surface and also due to the fact that the
glacier occupies the whole valley.
Glacial erosion depends on the glacial flow. There are 2 ways in which glaciers
move depending on the ice temperature namely:

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 a) Creep: This is a very slow movement of ice because it is brittle in
nature. It occurs under very cold conditions.
b) Basal slipping: Relatively faster movement of ice because ice is just
slightly below freezing point. It occurs when the glacier slides over a
thin film of melt water below. The speed of movement is about
50metres a year.

As the ice moves, it may develop huge splits especially when the ice is put
under stress as it bends over a rock or as it spreads out as the valley widens.
These huge splits are called Crevasses.

Processes of Glacial Erosion:

a) Abrasion: This is when the rock fragments embedded in the ice grind
away or abrade the bed rock.
b) Plucking: Occurs when ice melts and then refreezes around previously
loosened rock material and as the glacier moves, it pulls out the loosened
blocks, pulling them out of the ground.
c) Basal sapping: Situation where ice filled in a hollow erodes backwards
eating up the back wall. It is also referred to as back wall recession.

Glacial Erosional Features:

1. Cirque/Corrie/Cwm: This is circular arm-chair shaped basin or
depression on the side of a glaciated mountain formed by basal sapping
or plucking. Its formation begins with a small crack or hollow filled with
water that freezes, expands and breaks up or shutters the size. A cirque
may be filled with water to form a lake known as a tarn.

2. Arête: A sharp knife – like edge of a glaciated mountain in between 2

cirques. It is normally formed when 2 cirques expand towards each other
leaving a sharp or narrow ridge separating them.

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3. Pyramidal Peak (Horns): This is a pointed peak of a glaciated mountain
formed when 3 or 4 Arêtes occur or form on the same point creating a
pyramid-shaped peak.

4. Glacial trough (U- shaped Valley):

This is a broad, flat - bottomed (floored) and steep sided valley with a U-
shape profile. It is formed when a large mass of glacier occupies an old
valley and erodes away the interlocking spurs to form a U-shaped valley.
The glacier fills the entire valley and erodes the spurs into straight sides,
there by changing the cross profile from a V-shaped to a U-shaped.
A U-shaped valley (glacial trough) in Switzerland is commonly associated
with settlements and agriculture because they are sheltered and they are
much warmer with fertile soils.

5. Hanging Valley:
This is tributary valley that may be left high above the main valley. It is
formed when the main valley is over deepened by glacial erosion.
These hanging valleys may be occupied by rivers and as they join the
main valleys, they end up as waterfalls. In Switzerland these waterfalls
have been harnessed for H.E.P. Production.

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6. Truncated spur: A hill at the side of a glacial trough whose end has been
cut off by the action of glaciers and now makes part of the valley sides.

7. Benches: Terrace like features at the slopes of a mountain formed as a

result of differential glacial erosion.
8. Striation/Striae: Long marks made on rocks of the valley bed or on
Roche Moutonnées by the debris carried along with ice.
9. Gendarmes: Protrusions on arêtes as a result of the existence of hard
and resistant rocks.
10. Rock steps and rock basins:
Rock steps are step – like features on a slope of a glacial mountain as a
result of differences in rock resistance. Rock basins are depressions or
hollows on the slopes of glacial mountains due to the existence of softer
rocks that are less resistant
10. Bergschrund: This is space between a mountain wall and a mass of a
glacier. It may be referred to as a crevasse formed at the head of a glacier.

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12. Crag and Tail: Erosional feature formed as result of differential erosion
due to the existence of hard and soft rocks.
Hard rock is on the side of the incoming glacier and protects the softer
rock on the downstream side leading to a feature with a gently sloping
downstream side.

13. Roche Moutonnée:

This is a feature resulting from the presence of a hard rock outcrop that
has been smoothened on the upstream side to give a gentle slope and is
plucked on the downstream side (side facing away from the incoming ice)
to give a steep and jugged rock face.

Roche Moutonnée

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 GLACIAL DEPOSITION:
This refers to the pack of materials transported by glaciers being deposited in
the lowland areas. Any material deposited by glaciers or their melt waters is
known as drift. This can be moraine, till or outwash.
Major features resulting from glacial deposition include the following:

1. Moraine: Materials that are transported by glaciers and finally deposited.

They consist of large quantities of rock waste or debris. Moraine can be of
different types or forms.
a) Terminal Moraine: Glacial material deposited or found at the front of a
glacier.
b) Lateral Moraine: Moraine that forms at the side of a glacier.
c) Medial Moraine: Formed in the middle of a mass of glacier when two or
more lateral moraines meet or join.
d) Ground Moraine: Material deposited at the bottom of a glacier.
e) Recessional Moraine: Are small ridges left as a glacier pauses during its
retreat. They reveal the history of glacial retreats along the valley.

2. Till plain: This is rather level land surface in a lowland glacial area made
of unsorted material that is deposited directly by ice.
3. Outwash-plain: This is material transported by glacier and deposited in
a low land area in form of a layer which could be spread over a wide area
by melt waters from a glacier.
It is made of fine materials especially sandy materials.
3. Drumlin: This is a long rounded hill made of glacial deposits of hundreds
of metres thick.
4. Erratic: These are blocks of rock which are of materials quite different
from that of the rocks of the region where it is deposited.
5. Esker: These are elongated ridges formed in a wide glacial valley. They
are usually formed when ice sheets melt leaving elongated narrow ridges.

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 Features of glacial deposition

6. Alluvial Fan: This is a fan shaped deposited material of alluvium at the

side of a valley within the highlands. They are deposited when a glacier
carrying moraine enters a relatively flat area and deposits its material.

Avalanche: This is a sudden or rapid movement of glacial material down

slope as a result of rapid thaw. It is a form of glacial landslide
experienced in the Alpine regions of Switzerland and has been destructive
to both life and property.

Benefits of Glaciation:
i) Glacial features act as tourist attractions e.g. mountain scenery.
ii) The hanging valleys have waterfalls that are used to generate Hydro-
electric power.
iii) The glacial troughs or U-shaped valleys are used as natural route ways.
iv) They have alluvium that may be fertile and used for cultivation.
v) Benches may have pastures (saeters) used for grazing during summer.
vi) Glacial features have been used for research and study purposes.
vii) They provide water to rivers or may be a source of waterfalls.
viii) Rivers water may be important for agricultural, industrial and domestic
use.

Problems associated with Glaciation:

a) They have led to formation of a rugged landscape which has hindered
development of transport networks and establishment of settlement.
b) Glaciers erode soil leaving the areas bare and unsuitable for cultivation.
c) The Avalanches that result may be destructive to life and property.
d) Glaciers make the peri-glacial areas too cold for human habitation.
e) Some out-wash plains have soils that lack plant nutrients and therefore
may be rendered as waste lands.
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