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How is a terminal moraine different from a recessional moraine?
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glacial landform
Eskers,
or narrow
ridges of
gravel and sand left by a retreating glacier,
wind through western
Nunavut, Canada, near the Thelon River.
In the study of glacial landforms, both terminal and recessional moraines are types of end morainesâaccumulations of till deposited at the margin of a glacier. They are distinguished primarily by their position and the timing of their formation during a glacial cycle:12
- Terminal Moraine: This is a ridgelike accumulation of debris deposited at the outermost edge or maximum extent of a glacier's advance. It marks the furthest point reached by the ice during a specific glaciation.132
- Recessional Moraine: These are secondary end moraines formed during a temporary halt or a minor readvance as a glacier retreats from its terminal position. While a terminal moraine represents the glacier's maximum reach, a series of recessional moraines can be left behind as the ice front stabilizes periodically during its overall retreat, providing a chronological record of the glacier's movement.12
Essentially, while the terminal moraine defines the limit of the ice's furthest progress, recessional moraines document the stages of the glacier's subsequent withdrawal.12