Many depositional landforms develop during glaciation. The main depositional landforms formed by glaciers include:
- Moraines: These are accumulations of rocky debris (till) carried and deposited by glaciers. Different types include terminal moraines at the glacier's furthest extent, lateral moraines along glacier sides, medial moraines where two glaciers meet, and recessional moraines formed during temporary pauses in glacier retreat.
- Drumlins: Smooth, elongated hills formed by glacial deposition of till, often found in clusters called drumlin swarms. They are shaped by the glacier's movement, with the blunt end facing the ice advance.
- Eskers: Sinuous ridges formed by sediment deposited by subglacial meltwater streams.
- Kames: Irregularly shaped mounds of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater in openings of ice.
- Outwash plains: Flat areas of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater flowing from glaciers.
- Erratics: Large boulders transported and deposited by glaciers far from their source rock.
- Till plains: Extensive flat or gently undulating areas of unsorted glacial till deposited beneath glaciers.
These depositional landforms are critical indicators of past glaciation and glacier movement patterns. They result from sediment transported by ice or meltwater and deposited as the glacier melts and retreats.
If an image is provided with labels, a common approach is to label terminal moraines, lateral moraines, drumlins, eskers, kames, and outwash plains as key depositional forms shown.
