pitted outwash plain
Quick Summary
A pitted outwash plain is a geological landform characterized by a plain constructed of outwash, which consists of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams flowing from a glacier. These plains are typically found beyond the terminal or recessional moraine of a glacier. The term "pitted" refers to the presence of undrained depressions called kettles, which form when blocks of stagnant ice become buried by outwash and later melt, leaving behind steep-sided holes. These plains are formed by glaciofluvial deposits, where the variable discharge of glacial meltwater leads to the deposition of sediments in braided channels, creating a gently sloping, often wedge-shaped deposit.123
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