Chapter8ErosionalForces-Wikispaces.pptVIP

Occur in mountains where the temperature is very low all year round To find evidence of glaciers look for striations and plucking They erode bowl-shaped basins called cirques Arete forms when 2 valley glaciers side by side erode a mountain Horns form when the glacier erodes the mountain from several directions Valleys eroded by glaciers have a U-shape Wind picks up loose sediments and materials It can’t pick up very large sediments Wind erodes earth’s surface by deflation and abrasion Deflation wind blows across loose sediment, removing small particles like silt and sand Larger materials are left behind Occur mostly in deserts, plowed lands and beaches Abrasion Windblown sediments strike rocks and change the surface and shape of the rocks The impact of the sand is so strong it breaks off small fragments Occurs mostly in beaches, deserts and plowed lands Sandstorms occur when wind blows forcefully in deserts Dust storms occur when soil dries out Soil particles weigh less than sand-sized particles and they move higher through the air Dust storms can cover hundreds of kilometers Blow soil from places where vegetation has been removed Planting vegetation is one of the best ways to prevent wind erosion Farmers plant trees along their fields to act like windbreaks The trees reduce the energy of the wind and it is unable to pick up loose sediments Tree belts also trap snow, which makes the soil more moist Moist soil helps prevent erosion Vegetation is planted along seacoasts and deserts too Grasses, which have fibrous root systems are the best at stopping wind erosion Their roots are shallow and twist between particles to hold them in place planting vegetation is a good way to reduce the effects of abrasion and deflation, but can’t complete stop it Loess is deposits of fine-grained sediments Sediments settle on hilltop and in valleys The particles pack together and create a thick, yellowish deposit Is as fine as talcum powder Many farmlands have fertile soil that develope