Effects of glaciations and permafrost upon the development of karst in Canada

Abstract Canadian examples suggest that karst landforms may be divided into eight types in terms of their temporal relationships to the record of repeated Quaternary glaciations. Two types are postglacial, two are subglacial, one type occurs where glacial features are adapted to karstic drainage, an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Main Author: Ford, Derek
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1987
Subjects:
Ice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/esp.3290120508
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fesp.3290120508
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/esp.3290120508
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Summary:Abstract Canadian examples suggest that karst landforms may be divided into eight types in terms of their temporal relationships to the record of repeated Quaternary glaciations. Two types are postglacial, two are subglacial, one type occurs where glacial features are adapted to karstic drainage, and three types display sequences of karstic and glacial action. Glacier effects upon karst landforms and their underlying aquifers display the gamut of possibilities. They may destroy, inhibit, preserve, or stimulate karst development. Where continuous permafrost is maintained when covered by glacier ice, postglacial karst is limited to the active layer epikarst. Where permafrost is thawed beneath ice or during deglaciation there are a variety of postglacial karst developments, depending in part upon climate and in part upon local lithologic and relief conditions.