CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Bray, S.G.
Date : 1995
Title : Sculptured bedrock forms in the Victoria area, British Columbia
Publication : M.Sc. thesis, University of Victoria, Victoria
Issue :
Page(s) : 125 p
Abstract
The Victoria area has unusual sinuous sculptured bedrock forms. The main objectives of the survey are to: survey the Victoria region for the presence of sinuous sculptured erosional marks. systematically describe the location and morphology of the marks; and interpret the marks and their features with an emphasis on the processes of formation. Three sites with exceptionally well preserved forms exhibiting unusual characteristics are documented. Striations up to 1 cm long follow the forms rather than the regional ice flow direction and the forms themselves deviate from the ice flow direction by up to 50 degrees. There is an en echelon field of large scale horseshoe shaped forms with steep snouts and multiple lateral furrows. Unique protruding rib features run the length of the channel bottoms of some forms. Rock overhangs of up to 30 cm and sharp ridges are preserved within the forms. Current turbulent vortex flow models fail to explain the origin of the striations. It is argued that ice-contact abrasion could not simultaneously cause the striations yet leave the sharp details in the forms intact. A two stage process involving the initial carving of the forms by separated flows followed by an episode of subglacial till deformation causing striation type abrasion is proposed for the genesis of the Victoria forms.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology