Eorisonal landforms

• What are types of erosional landforms?


  • Interlocking spurs
  • Rapids
  • Waterfalls
  • Gorges
• What is an interlocking spur?


  • Projection of high land from alternating sides of the valley, projected onto the valley floor
  • Formed by fluvial erosion

  
• Where are interlocking spurs found?


  • Uppercourse
• What are characteristics of interlocking spurs?


  • Steep gradient
  • Projections from alternating sides
  • Narrow valley floor
  • May have scree slopes
• How are interlocking spurs formed?


  • Start as a V shaped Valley
  • The river's load causes vertical erosion
  • Loose material on the valley sides are taken with the flow of the river, increasing the load force
  • The river takes a winding path due to projections of hard rock that the river can't overcome
• What is a waterfall? (characteristics)


  • Water falls down a steep vertical drop
  • Plunge pool is formed
  • overhang is formed
• How is a waterfall formed?

  • Water erodes the soft rock under the waterfall, creating a plunge pool
  • Erosional processes deepen the soft rock plunge pool further, creating an overhang
  • The hard rock of the overhang collapses
  • This process continues as the waterfall retreats upstream, creating a gorge
• What are the characteristics of a gorge?


  • Verry narrow valley
  • Found immediately downstream of a waterfall
  • River takes up all of the valley floor
  • Turbulent water
• How is a gorge formed?


  • As a waterfall retreats upstream, a steep and narrow valley is formed which is a gorge