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recessional moraine
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recessional moraine

geology
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Quick Summary

A recessional moraine is a geological feature formed by a glacier. It is essentially a ridge of rock debris, known as till, that a glacier deposits when it temporarily stops retreating.12

These moraines are secondary terminal moraines, meaning they form at the glacier's edge during a pause in its overall backward movement. The presence of multiple recessional moraines can indicate a history of glacial retreats, with each ridge marking a point where the ice sheet stabilized for a period before continuing to melt back. This process helps geologists understand the chronology of glacial movements in a region.1

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