Characteristics of Striae and Clast Shape in Glacial and Non-Glacial Environments
Linear abrasion features on rock surfaces are produced by interacting rock particles in relative motion. The most common examples are striae produced by temperate glaciers, and as a consequence, striae have long been used as a means of identifying the passage of past glaciers. However, there are man...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | unknown |
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2003
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.16959130.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Characteristics_of_Striae_and_Clast_Shape_in_Glacial_and_Non-Glacial_Environments/16959130 |
| Summary: | Linear abrasion features on rock surfaces are produced by interacting rock particles in relative motion. The most common examples are striae produced by temperate glaciers, and as a consequence, striae have long been used as a means of identifying the passage of past glaciers. However, there are many non-glacial processes that can produce striae. These have been sporadically documented in the geological literature but have failed to make a lasting impression on the wider Earth Sciences community. These non-glacial processes include tectonic deformation, meltwater flow, non-glacial ice, wind action, volcanic blasting, mass movements of rock debris, among many others. Many produce coarse-grained deposits similar in character to glacial tills and there are several instances where non-glacial deposits and striae have been misinterpreted as glacial in origin. This thesis examines linear abrasion features (mostly striae) from five different environments, three glacial (temperate, polythermal and cold) and two non-glacial environments (mass movement and tectonic) to characterise the striae from different origins. The aim was to assess if there are readily observable and measurable differences in striae character between environments and to develop field-based criteria that allow a sound judgement of their origin in the geological record. Over 760 measurements of individual striae were made (orientation and size) on around 20 representative clasts and characteristic features of about 50 striated clasts from the various environments are illustrated in an "Atlas of linear abrasion features". In addition clast shape and striae occurrence were measured on 1260 clasts from deposits and about 100 bedrock linear abrasions from a cold-based glacier were recorded. The results show that some striae are diagnostic of certain environments but a combination of clast shape and striae characteristics is the most reliable method of correctly interpreting coarse-grained deposits with striated clasts. Results also highlight the wide ... |
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