Outline & rubric

Introduction:

Part (iii) of this Practical will apply the techniques and approaches developed in Parts (i) and (ii) to

a geomorphological mapping and profiling exercise of the landscape and landforms in the

Peterborough area of Southern Ontario. This will use topographic maps produced by Natural Resources Canada and digital terrain data via Google Earth.

As a training (non-assessed) exercise in the Practical class we will explore geomorphological

mapping techniques using contour data. This will involve drawingselected geomorphological

features on a topographic map included in Appendix 1 – please ensure you have printed out Figure A2 and A3 for the practical session.

Objectives

After completion of this practical you should be able to:

1.   Construct topographic profiles using contour data from Natural Resources Canada maps and compare them with profiles derived from digital terrain data (Google Earth).

2.   Interpret topographic data and profile data to develop a geomorphological map.

3.   Use your geomorphological maps and topographic profiles to evaluate the character of glacial landforms in the Peterborough area.

Resources (see Quercus Files/Practical Materials folder)

•    Figure 5: Location Map.

•    Figs 6a-c: Mapping Study Area Maps.

•    Natural Resources Canada Topographic Map 31 D/8 (Peterborough): 1:50,000 scale – also available as hardcopy in the lab.

•   Google Earth digital terrain data – see tutorial slides in associated pdf file (Practical 1iii Google Earth tutorial.pdf).

•   Quaternary geology map of Ontario (available as a Google Earth file - goo_quaternary2021.kml

– in the Practical Materials folder).

Figure 5 identifies the mapping study areas to the east of Peterborough, Ontario. Figs 6a-c provide detailed maps of the study area as follows:

a)   Normal colour reproduction of the topographic map.

b)   A version of 6a which highlights the contours.

c)   A lightened version of 6a which is intended for use as a base map for your geomorphological map drawing.

Instructions

Read each section below and complete the map exercises and written questions in the spaces

provided – please ensure that you print copies of Figures 6a-c and bring them to the practical.    Practical 1(iii) is an individual exercise although you may discuss the work with other members of your practical group. See below for submission instructions.

Section 5

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the topography in the general area and especially in the specific mapping study area – you should take advantage of the full hardcopy and(or) PDF copies  of the 31 D/8 source map and also Google Earth imagery (see instructions in the tutorial).

Submission instructions

Submission should be online via Quercus (Assignments / Practical 1) as a single .pdf document that combines Parts (i-iii); submit by 9 pm, Monday 5th  February.

References and other useful literature

•   Trenhaile (2016). Chapter 7,p.223-236.

•   Clark, C.D. et al. (2009). Size and shape characteristics of drumlins, derived from a large sample, and associated scaling laws. Quaternary Science Reviews, 28: 677-692.

•    Evans, D.J.A. and Twigg, D.R. (2002). The active temperate glacial landsystem: amodel based on Breidamerkurjokull and Fjallsjokull, Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21: 2143-2177.

•    Livingstone, S.J. et al. (2008). Glacial geomorphology of the central sector of the last British- Irish Ice Sheet. Journal of Maps, 2008: 358-377.

•   Smith, M.J. et al. (2011) Geomorphological Mapping: Methods and Applications. Elsevier.

Appendix 1: Geomorphological mapping exercise (non-assessed)

Continental glaciation advanced and retreated over North America and Europe producing many

erosionaland depositional features. Figure A1 illustrates some of the most common erosionaland depositional features associated with the passage of a continental glacier (you may also find

Trenhaile’s 2016 Chapter 7,p.218-236 helpful). The unsorted and unstratified deposits of gravel,   sand, and clay form moraines, including ground and terminal moraines. Many relatively flat plains of unsorted coarse till are formed behind terminal moraines. These till plains typically have low,    rolling relief, deranged drainage patterns and the following depositional features:

•    Drumlins, smoothed hills made of till shaped by the ice, are oriented in the direction of the glacier's movement;

•    Eskers arecurving, narrow deposits of coarse gravel left by meltwater stream deposits in tunnels beneath the ice. Often eskers end in a delta;

•    Kames are small hills of poorly sorted sand and gravel that collected in depressions in the surface of a glacier.

Beyond the morainal deposits, glaciofluvial outwash plains of stratified drift feature stream

channels that are meltwater-fed, braided, and overloaded with debris deposited across the

landscape. Kettles are depressions left by melting blocks of ice that were buried in the drift and are found in both ground moraines and in outwash plains.

Figure A1: Common depositional landforms produced by continental glaciers (from Christophersonet al., 2013)

Figure A2: Contour map of a hypothetical continental (formerly) glaciated landscape

Figure A2 shows a contour map of a hypothetical landscape that has been shaped by continental glaciers.

Figure A3 (below) reproduces the hypothetical contour map from Figure A2 but with lightgrey contour coloring; this will serve as a base map for your geomorphological map (i.e. amap that  identifies and delimits specific landforms) exercise to be conducted in class.