Glacial vs. Fluvial Erosion Rates
Author Information
Author(s): Wilner Joel A., Nordin Bailey J., Getraer Alexander, Gregoire Rowan M., Krishna Mansa, Li Jiawen, Pickell Derek J., Rogers Emma R., McDannell Kalin T., Palucis Marisa C., Keller Brenhin
Primary Institution: Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College
Hypothesis
Are glaciers more effective erosional agents than rivers over geological timescales?
Conclusion
Glacial erosion rates are significantly higher than fluvial erosion rates across various timescales.
Supporting Evidence
- Glacial erosion rates exceed fluvial erosion rates by an order of magnitude.
- The study compiled a dataset of over 400 glacial erosion measurements.
- Findings suggest that rapid glacial erosion is not limited to deglaciation periods.
- Average glacial erosion rates are consistent across various independent variables.
Takeaway
This study shows that glaciers erode land much faster than rivers do, even when looking at long time periods.
Methodology
The study compiled over 400 glacial erosion rate measurements and more than 6000 nonglacial erosion rate measurements, analyzing them across various timescales and methods.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include measurement thickness bias and observational biases related to timescale.
Limitations
The study may not account for all potential biases in erosion rate measurements.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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