Lab 4: Glacial and periglacial processes and landforms 

Introduction

This lab explores various glacial processes and landforms on Google Earth. To get started, download the associated Lab4.kmz file from Avenue to Learn and open it in Google Earth. You should see all the stops associated with this lab.

There are four locations that will be explored in this lab: glaciers in the Alpes of Switzerland, the Columbia Glacier in Alaska, the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland, the Mackenzie River Delta in the Northwest Territories, and the Drakensberg area in Lesotho. You will be asked to identify various glacial and periglacial landscapes and perform some calculations using tools available in Google Earth. The final question allows you to independently explore the globe and identify glacial and periglacial features on the Earth’s surface.

Tasks

1) The Alpes, Switzerland (6 pts)

a) Fly to the Alpes marker and notice the five markers labelled A-E in this area. Identify the features at each marker. (5 pts)

b) Are these features erosional or depositional? (1 pt)

2) Columbia Glacier, Alaska (13 pts)

a) Fly to the Columbia Glacier marker and explore the area. What is the dark streak through the middle of the glacier? (1 pt)

b) Explore the edge of the glacier where it meets the sea. What is the name of the process that is seen to be taking place here? (1 pt)

c) Measure the length of the glacier from Marker A to its edge in the most recent imagery in 2021. (1 pt)

d) Use the historical imagery tool to observe changes in the glacier over time. Measure the length of the glacier from Marker A to its edge in 2003 (1 pt) and in 1984 (1 pt).

e) Use the measurements from (c) and (d) to calculate the rate of retreat between 1984 and 2003 (2 pts) and between 2003 and 2021 (2 pts). Show your work.

f) Assuming the Columbia Glacier continues to retreat at the current rate (the rate calculated between 2003-2021), in how many years will it be completely retreated to Marker A? Show all your work. (3 pts)

g) Assuming the Columbia Glacier completely melts in the future, what type of landform will be present here? (1 pt)

3) Vatnajökull, Iceland (12 pts)

a) Fly to the Vatnajökull Stop 1. What landform is located here? (1 pt)

b) Is the glacier actively melting or accumulating at the time of the imagery? (1 pt) How can you tell? (1 pt)

c) Notice the crescent shape feature at Marker A that approximately follows the shape of the glacier’s edge. What type of moraine is this? (1 pt)

d) Briefly describe how this moraine formed (2 pts) and what type of material do we expect to find here? (1 pt)

e) Fly to the Vatnajökull Stop 2. What are these elevated ridges called? (1 pt)

f) Briefly describe how these features form (2 pt)

g) Zoom out and explore the area around the Vatnajökull Stop 2. Identify two types of lakes present in this area. (2 pts)

4) Mackenzie River Delta, Northwest Territories (6 pts)

a) Fly to the Mackenzie River Delta Stop 1. What landforms are seen here? (1 pt)

b) Briefly describe how these features form. (2 pts)

c) Fly to the Mackenzie River Delta Stop 2. What landform is seen here? (1 pt)

d) Briefly describe how this feature formed. (2 pts)

5) Drakensberg, Lesotho (3 pts)

a) Fly to the Drakensberg marker and observe the unique features visible on the side of the mountain. Briefly explain the process that leads to these features (2 pts) and what it is called (1 pt).

6) Find a Landscape Example (5 pts)

Explore Google Earth on your own and find an example of a glacial or periglacial landform located in a country not already explored in this lab. Identify the landform (1 pt) and briefly explain its formation (2 pts). Include a properly formatted image with your answer. (2 pt)