Transcript Erosion

Erosion
Erosion takes rocks and other partials from
one location and puts them in another.
Weathering is breaking up rocks, erosion is
carrying them away.
The Agents of Erosion
Wind
Water
Glaciers
Gravity / Mass Movement
Wind Erosion
Wind can carry sand, silt, and clay from one
place and deposit it in another.
This type of erosion is most frequent in dry
areas with little or no vegetation.
Wind Erosion
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/Mesquite_Sand_Dunes.JPG
Water Erosion
The most important agent of erosion is running water.
 Water runs down hill and form a gully by taking away
sediment.
Water continues to flow in the gully and eventually forming
a valley.
Water can cause erosion of the shore line can be from
waves in the ocean.
Water Erosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gully_ElPasoCounty_CO_USA.jpg
Water Erosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wavecut_platform_southerndown_pano.jpg
Glaciers Erosion
Glacier Erosion is sometimes referred to as Ice Erosion
Glaciers move slowly across land picking up large rocks
and and even larger boulders.
Glaciers can cause deep valleys to form as they move
across the land.
Glaciers Erosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glacier_mouth.jpg
Gravity/Mass Movement Erosion
Gravity is the force behind Water and Glacier Erosion
Gravity alone can cause Erosion
Gravity/Mass Movement Erosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion#Gravity_erosion
Types of Gravity/Mass
Movement Erosion
Slump
Creep
Rockfalls
Rockslides
Mudflows
Landslides
Slump
A slump occurs when a mass of land slip/ move down a slope.
A slump occurs when the the slope becomes to steep and the
material under it can not support the ground above it.
http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blslump.htm
http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blslump.htm
Creep
Sediment slowly moves down hill.
Leaning trees and fence post are clues that
creeping occurring
Rockfalls Occur when parts of a rock break off and tumble through the air.
http://www.seismo.ethz.ch/hazard/risk/PaleoSeis/rockfalls2.htm
Rockslides
Large and small rock slide down a slope.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/11090.htm
Mudflows
Happen after heavy rains.
More likely to occur when there is a lack of vegetation.
Gravity pulls on the heavy water saturated sediment and
causes it to flow down hill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mudflow_mailboxes.jpg
Landslides
A movement of land down a slope.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050601-1811-wst-lagunalandslide.html