Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T06:33:36.492Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Glacier flow at a former ice-divide in SW Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

Roger Cornish
Roger Cornish
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Heriot-Watt University, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HT, Scotland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Late Devensian ice-sheet movement in the western Southern Uplands of Scotland is demonstrated by the distribution of erratics from four different bedrock sources and by glacial striae and ice-moulded landforms. This evidence shows an almost radial movement of ice from an ice-divide zone. The control of relief over ice flow and the distribution of erratics is emphasised. The distribution of erratics from two of the sources, however, shows that debris in the ice was transported only a very short distance in certain places. Abundant deposits of lodgement till occur in the vicinity of the former ice-divide. Although it is generally considered that glacial erosion, and therefore deposition, are insignificant at the centre of ice-sheets, this study suggests otherwise. It is inferred that till and erratics may be emplaced during ice-sheet build-up when conditions for erosion obtained, these deposits being protected from subsequent removal by the establishment of an ice-divide across the area. The implications for high rates of erosion in ice-sheet source areas are examined.

Keywords

glacial erosionglacial erratic traingraniteLoch DoonSouthern Uplandsstriaetill deposition
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 73 , Issue 1 , 1982 , pp. 31 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aario, R. 1977. Associations of flutings, drumlins, hummocks and transverse ridges. Geojournal 1, 65–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G. S. 1970. On the deposition of subglacial and melt-out tills at the margins of certain Svalbard glaciers. J. Glaciol 9, 231–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G. S. 1972. Modern arctic glaciers as depositional models for former ice sheets. Q J Geol Soc London 128, 361–93.Google Scholar
Boulton, G. S. 1974. Processes and patterns of glacial erosion. In Coates, D. R. (ed.) Glacial geomorphology, 41–87. Binghampton: New York State University.Google Scholar
Boulton, G. S. 1975. Processes and patterns of subglacial sedimentation: a theoretical approach. In Wright, A. E. & Moseley, F. (eds) Ice Ages Ancient and Modern, 7–42. Liverpool: Seel House Press.Google Scholar
Boulton, G. S., Jones, A. S., Clayton, K. M. & Kenning, M. J. 1977. A British ice-sheet model and patterns of glacial erosion and deposition in Britian. In Shotton, F. W. (ed.) British Quaternary studies: recent advances, 231–46. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
Cazalet, P. C. D. 1973. Notes on the interpretation of geochemical data in glaciated areas. In Jones, M. J. (ed.) Prospecting in areas of glacial terrain, 25–9. London: Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.Google Scholar
Charlesworth, J. K. 1926. The glacial geology of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, west of Annandale and upper Clydesdale. Trans R Soc Edinburgh 55, 1–23.Google Scholar
Charlesworth, J. K. 1957. The Quaternary era—with special reference to its glaciation. London: Arnold.Google Scholar
Cornish, R. 1979. Glacial geomorphology of the west-central Southern Uplands of Scotland, with particular reference to ‘Rogen moraines’. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Edinburgh University.Google Scholar
Cornish, R. 1981. Glaciers of the Loch Lomond Stadial in the western Southern Uplands of Scotland. Proc Geol Assoc 92, 105–14.Google Scholar
Eyles, N. 1979. Facies of supraglacial sedimentation on Icelandic and Alpine temperate glaciers. Can J Earth Sci 16, 1341ndash;61.Google Scholar
Flint, R. F. 1971. Glacial and Pleistocene Geology. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Garnes, K. & Bergersen, O. F. 1977. Distribution and genesis of tills in central south Norway. Boreas 6, 135–47.Google Scholar
Geikie, A. 1863. On the phenomena of glacial drift of Scotland. Trans Geol Soc Glasgow 1, 1–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geikie, A. 1865. The scenery and geology of Scotland. London: MacMillan.Google Scholar
Gillberg, G. 1965. Till distribution and ice movements on the northern slopes of the south Swedish Highlands. Geol Foren Stockholm Forh 86, 433–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldthwait, R. P. 1973. Till deposition versus glacial erosion. In Fahey, B. D. & Thompson, R. D. (eds) Research in polar and alpine geomorphology, 3rd Geulph symposium on geomorphology, 159–66. Norwich: Geo Abstracts.Google Scholar
Gravenor, C. P. 1975. Erosion by continental ice sheets. Am J Sci 275, 594–604.Google Scholar
Hausen, H. 1914. Uber die Entwicklung der Oberflachenformen an den russischen Ostseelandern und angrenzenden Gouvernements in der Quartarzeit. Fennia 34, 1–140.Google Scholar
Hirvas, H. 1977. Glacial transport in Finnish Lapland. In Prospecting in areas of glaciated terrain, 128–37. London: Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.Google Scholar
Holden, W. 1977. The glaciation of central Ayrshire. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Glasgow University.Google Scholar
Hyvarinen, L., Kauranne, K. & Yletyinen, V. 1973. Modern boulder tracing in prospecting. In Jones, M. J. (ed.) Prospecting in areas of glacial terrain, 87–95. London: Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.Google Scholar
Krumbein, W. C. 1937. Sediments and exponential curves. J Geol 45, 577–601.Google Scholar
Lawson, D. E. 1979. A comparison of the pebble orientations in ice and deposits of the Matanuska Glacier, Alaska. J Geol 87, 629–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, H. A. 1959. Surficial geology of southern district of Keewatin and the Keewatin ice divide, N.W.T. Bull Geol Surv Can 51, 1–42.Google Scholar
Lundqvist, J. 1969. Problems of the so-called Rogen moraine. SVER GEOL UNDERS C648.Google Scholar
Lundqvist, J. 1973. Isavsmältningens forlopp i Jamtlands Ian. Sver Geol Unders C681.Google Scholar
Mannerfelt, C. M. 1981. Stagnation or activity in the last ice remnants? Geogr Ann 63a, 139–47.Google Scholar
Mills, H. H. 1978. Some characteristics of glacial sediments on Mount Rainier, Washington U.S.A. J Sediment Petrol 48, 1345–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrissey, C. J. & Romer, D. M. 1973. Mineral exploration in glaciated regions of Ireland. In Jones, M. J. (ed.) Prospecting in areas of glacial terrain, 45–53. London: Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.Google Scholar
Mutanen, T. 1971. An example of the use of boulder counting in lithologic mapping. Bull Geol Soc Finl 43, 131–40.Google Scholar
Nobles, L. H. & Weertman, J. 1971. Influence of irregularities of the bed of an ice-sheet on deposition rate of till. In Goldthwait, R. P. (ed.) Till: a symposium, 117–26. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.Google Scholar
Paterson, W. S. B. 1969. The physics of glaciers. Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Peach, A. M. 1909. Boulder distribution from Lennoxtown, Scotland. Geol Mag 46, 26–31.Google Scholar
Richey, J. E., Anderson, E. M. & MacGregor, A. G. 1930. Explanation of Sheet 22—north Ayrshire. Mem Geol Surv Scotland.Google Scholar
Sauramo, M. 1924. Tracing of glacial boulders and its application in prospecting. Bull Comm Geol Finl 67, 5–37.Google Scholar
Shakesby, R. A. 1978. Dispersal of glacial erratics from Lennox-town, Stirlingshire. Scott J Geol 14, 81–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, J. 1979. Genesis of the Sveg tills and Rogen moraines of central Sweden: a model of basal melt out. Boreas 8, 409–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shilts, W. W. 1973. Glacial dispersal of rocks, minerals and trace elements in Wisconsinan till, southeastern Quebec, Canada. In Black, R. F., Goldthwait, R. P. & Willman, H. B. (eds) The Wisconsinan Stage, 189–219. Mem Geol Soc Am 136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shilts, W. W. 1980. Flow patterns in the North American ice sheet. Nature 286, 213–8.Google Scholar
Shilts, W. W., Cunningham, C. M. & Kaszycki, C. A. 1979. Keewatin ice sheet—re-evaluation of the traditional concept of the Laurentide ice sheet. Geology 7, 537–41.Google Scholar
Skae, H. M., Home, J., Campbell, C. & Geikie, A. 1877. Explana- tion of Sheet 9—Kirkcudbrightshire (north-east part) and Dumfriesshire (south-west part) MEM GEOL SURV SCOTLAND.Google Scholar
Smith, J. 1898. The drift or glacial deposits of Ayrshire. Trans Geol Soc Glasgow 11 Suppl., 1–134.Google Scholar
Sugden, D. E. 1976. A case against deep erosion of shields by ice sheets. Geology 4, 580–2.Google Scholar
Sugden, D. E. 1978. Glacial erosion by the Laurentide ice sheet. J. Glaciol 21, 367–91.Google Scholar
Sugden, D. E. & John, B. S. 1976. Glaciers and landscape. London: Arnold.Google Scholar
Teumer, T. H. 1927. Die Geschiebeforschung als Mittel zur Erforschung der Bewegungsrichtung des Inlandeises. Z Ges-Chiebeforsch 3, 14–35.Google Scholar
Whillans, I. M. 1978. Erosion by continental ice sheets. J Geol 86, 516–24.Google Scholar
White, W. A. 1972. Deep erosion by continental ice sheets. Bull Geol Soc Am 83, 1037–56.Google Scholar
Worsley, P. 1970. The Cheshire-Shropshire lowlands. In Lewis, C. A. (ed.) The glaciations of Wales and adjoining regions, 83–106. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Wright, W. B. 1937. The Quaternary ice age. London: MacMillan.Google Scholar