Glacial and Periglacial Dynamics in Landform Evolution

Glacial and periglacial processes are central to shaping Earth's high-latitude and high-altitude landscapes through a complex suite of erosional, depositional and mass-movement mechanisms. Ice masses mould the terrain by scouring bedrock and redistributing sediment, forming a spectrum of landforms from striated bedrock and roche moutonnée to subglacial bedforms such as drumlins and mega-scale glacial lineations. Meltwater channels, eskers and moraines record the pathways of flowing and stagnant ice, while dynamic adjustments during deglaciation instigate paraglacial processes, triggering rock avalanches, sediment slumps and fluvial reorganisation. Periglacial domains, characterised by freeze–thaw cycles and permafrost, generate patterned ground, solifluction lobes and ice-cored moraines, further modifying post-glacial terrains. Interactions between glacial erosion, sediment supply and climate oscillations govern rates of landscape turnover, with permafrost degradation promoting slope instability and sediment flux. Recent advances in geomorphological mapping, cosmogenic dating and high-resolution remote sensing have refined temporal constraints on glacial episodes, whilst numerical models elucidate coupling between basal shear stress, meltwater lubrication and landform evolution. These insights are vital for forecasting landscape response to modern warming, for hazard assessment in cold regions and for reconstructing palaeo-glacial environments. Understanding the feedbacks among ice dynamics, permafrost stability and sediment delivery is essential for managing water resources, infrastructure resilience and ecological conservation in mountain and polar settings.

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Glacial and Periglacial Dynamics in Landform Evolution publication trend

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Technical terms

Permafrost: Ground that remains at or below 0°C for two or more consecutive years.

Paraglacial: Processes and landform adjustments following deglaciation in response to changing sediment supply and stability.

Subglacial bedform: Streamlined sediment or rock feature formed at the ice–bed interface under active glacial flow.

Drumlin: Elongated, smooth hill composed of glacial sediment, aligned in the direction of ice movement.

Mega-scale glacial lineation: Kilometre-scale grooves or ridges on former ice stream beds indicating high-velocity ice flow.

Solifluction: Slow downslope movement of water-saturated soil over permafrost during thawing periods.

References

1. Reconstruction of rock avalanche history in Val Viola, (Upper Valtellina, Italian Central Alps) through 10Be exposure ages, Schmidt Hammer R values, and surface roughness. Landslides (2024).
2. Reconciling records of ice streaming and ice margin retreat to produce a palaeogeographic reconstruction of the deglaciation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Quaternary Science Reviews (2018).
3. Do subglacial bedforms comprise a size and shape continuum?. Geomorphology (2016).