OSL and Glacial Processes Assignment

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about geochronological dating and glacial processes, let’s apply these in a short, descriptive assignment.

OSL and Glacial Processes Assignment (25 points) Due 12/14 via Canvas

Part 1: Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating (5 points)

Watch the Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating lecture and answer the questions included in the Google Form at the bottom of the page. You must complete these questions by the assignment deadline in order for your points to be included.

The lecture and questions can be found on the Luminescence Dating Page Here

Part 2: Glacial Processes (20 points)

The video below is a short panorama I took during our field work on Perito Moreno Glacier. I filmed the video from left to right, standing on the side of the glacier. The terminus of the glacier is to my right (many miles down-ice).

1. Describe the landscape I’m standing in. In your description include responses to the following questions (1-2 paragraphs). Points will be awarded based off your use of geomorphic and glacial terms, your grasp on the interactions taking place in this landscape, and the quality of your description. (8 points):
   • What features in this video are key signs of the glacial impact on this landscape (be sure to use glacial vocabulary here)?
   • Where is erosion and deposition taking place in this landscape (both glacial and non-glacial?)
   • Pretending climate is constant but all geomorphic processes are still taking place, what will this landscape look like in 100 years?

2. Pick one thing (river, bedrock, boulders, vegetation, soil, topography, etc.) you observe in this landscape and describe how it is interacting with the glacier (ex: The trees are far from the glacier because there is not enough soil developed close to the glacier due to the unconsolidated sediments, and therefore they cannot grow there yet, etc.). How does this relationship impact the landscape evolution (ex: Having trees farther from the glacier will allow for the soil to be held in place there compared to closer to the ice, etc.)? (1-2 paragraphs) (6 points)

3. Assuming Perito Moreno glacier is a 170 m thick block of ice sliding down a perfectly linear valley comprised entirely of consolidated bedrock with a slope angle of 2 degrees, find the basal shear stress for the glacier. Calculate the bed shear stress exerted by a gravel-bed river (1 m flow depth, 1 degree slope angle) and compare this to the stress imparted by the glacier. (6 points)

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