Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA

Michael Iannicelli

doi:doi:10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA

Michael Iannicelli

Published in Earth Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 3)

Received: 13 May 2021 Accepted: 9 June 2021 Published: 30 June 2021

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Abstract

A controversy arises concerning relict, ubiquitous, depositional, solifluction, “string lobe” landforms in the Ridge and Valley province of Pennsylvania, reported by other investigators. A distinguishment is made here by defending an original interpretation of the particular landforms which identified these as snowdune meltwater-eroded depressions formed within colluvium during cold phases of the Pleistocene Epoch. Hence, the landforms are reassessed as “steps & risers” in this study which is jargon associated with nival erosion. The reidentification is warranted in the study because of multiple lines of evidence including: the landforms’ detailed geomorphology and sedimentology; the landforms having a highly, unusual, very repetitive, NE-SW orientation; and the landforms incurring a striking, gravity-defying, characteristic of running-water erosion repeatedly occurring irrespective of the steepest part of the general slope. Besides the evidence offered here, the study also gives insight, resolutions and re-confirmations in order to establish absolute identification while differentiating between discussed, periglacial, relict landforms. An agreement is reached however, regarding actual, true solifluction landforms occurring only on slopes that point in a particular, general direction.

Published in	Earth Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
Page(s)	136-144
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Snowdune Meltwater-Eroded Depressions, Steps & Risers, Cold Phases of the Pleistocene Epoch, Periglacial, Pennsylvania, USA

References

[1]	Marsh, B. 1992. Running Gap and wind-oriented, topographic welts: Stop 3.5B. In Clark, G.M., Ed., Central Appalachian Periglacial Geomorphology. Pennsylvania State University, Agronomy Series 120, Guidebook, 248 p.
[2]	Marsh, B. 1998. Wind-transverse corrugations in Pleistocene periglacial landscapes of Pennsylvania, Quaternary Research, v. 49, p. 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1006/qres.1997.1954
[3]	Marsh, B. 1999. Paleo-periglacial landscapes of central Pennsylvania. Northeast Friends of the Pleistocene Trip, Bucknell University. Lewisburg, PA, Guidebook, May 22-23, 1999.
[4]	Iannicelli, M. 2000. Snow dune erosion and landforms, Northeastern Geology and Environmental Sciences, v. 22, n. 4, p. 324-335. ISSN 0194-1453.
[5]	Craul, E. 2010. Solifluction expression on mountain footslopes of the Ridge and Valley. Northeast Regional National Cooperative Soil Survey Conference Elizabethtown, PA, June 7-10, 2010. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
[6]	Merritts, D., Schulte, K., Blair, A., Potter, N., Walter, R., Markey, E., et al., 2014, Lidar analysis of periglacial landforms and their paleoclimatic significance, unglaciated Pennsylvania. In, Anthony, R., Ed., Pennsylvania’s Great Valley and bordering mountains near Carlisle: Annual Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists, 79th, Carlisle, PA., Guidebook, p. 49–73.
[7]	Iannicelli, M. 2003. Devon Island’s oriented landforms as an analogy to Illinois-type paha. Polar Geography, v. 27, p. 339 -350. https://doi.org/10.1080/789610227
[8]	Iannicelli, M. 2010. Evolution of the Driftless Area and contiguous regions of midwestern USA through Pleistocene periglacial processes. The Open Geology Journal, v. 4, pp. 35-54. DOI: 10.2174/1874262901004010035
[9]	Hedding, D.W. 2011. Pronival rampart and protalus rampart: a review of terminology: Journal of Glaciology, v. 57, n. 206, p. 1179-1180. https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311798843241
[10]	Hedding, D.W. 2016. Pronival ramparts: A review: Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, v. 40, n. 6, p. 835-855. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133316678148
[11]	Ballantyne, C.K. & Kirkbride, M.P. 1986. The characteristics and significance of some Lateglacial protalus ramparts in upland Britain: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, v. 11, p. 659-671. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3290110609
[12]	Boggs, S., Jr. 2006. Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. Pearson Prentice Hall, N.J., 662 p. ISBN-13: 9780131547285
[13]	Ballantyne, C.K. & Harris, C. 1994. The Periglaciation of Great Britain. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York and Melbourne, 330 p. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3290200809
[14]	Grab, S.W. 1997. An evaluation of the Periglacial Morphology in the High Drakensberg and Associated Environmental Implications. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Natal, Pieteritzburg, South Africa, 400 p.
[15]	Mori, J., Sone, T., Strelin, J.A., Toeriello, C.A. 2005. Surface movement of stone-banked lobes and terraces on Rinks Crags Plateau, James Ross Island, Antarctica Peninsula. In, Futterer, D.K., Damaske, D., Kleinschmidt, G., Miller, H., Te4ssenhohn, F., Eds., Antarctica Contributions to Global Earth Sciences. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, p. 459-464.

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Michael Iannicelli. (2021). Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sciences, 10(3), 136-144. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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ACS Style

Michael Iannicelli. Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sci. 2021, 10(3), 136-144. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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AMA Style

Michael Iannicelli. Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sci. 2021;10(3):136-144. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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@article{10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19,
  author = {Michael Iannicelli},
  title = {Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA},
  journal = {Earth Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {3},
  pages = {136-144},
  doi = {10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.earth.20211003.19},
  abstract = {A controversy arises concerning relict, ubiquitous, depositional, solifluction, “string lobe” landforms in the Ridge and Valley province of Pennsylvania, reported by other investigators. A distinguishment is made here by defending an original interpretation of the particular landforms which identified these as snowdune meltwater-eroded depressions formed within colluvium during cold phases of the Pleistocene Epoch. Hence, the landforms are reassessed as “steps & risers” in this study which is jargon associated with nival erosion. The reidentification is warranted in the study because of multiple lines of evidence including: the landforms’ detailed geomorphology and sedimentology; the landforms having a highly, unusual, very repetitive, NE-SW orientation; and the landforms incurring a striking, gravity-defying, characteristic of running-water erosion repeatedly occurring irrespective of the steepest part of the general slope. Besides the evidence offered here, the study also gives insight, resolutions and re-confirmations in order to establish absolute identification while differentiating between discussed, periglacial, relict landforms. An agreement is reached however, regarding actual, true solifluction landforms occurring only on slopes that point in a particular, general direction.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA
AU  - Michael Iannicelli
Y1  - 2021/06/30
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
DO  - 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
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AB  - A controversy arises concerning relict, ubiquitous, depositional, solifluction, “string lobe” landforms in the Ridge and Valley province of Pennsylvania, reported by other investigators. A distinguishment is made here by defending an original interpretation of the particular landforms which identified these as snowdune meltwater-eroded depressions formed within colluvium during cold phases of the Pleistocene Epoch. Hence, the landforms are reassessed as “steps & risers” in this study which is jargon associated with nival erosion. The reidentification is warranted in the study because of multiple lines of evidence including: the landforms’ detailed geomorphology and sedimentology; the landforms having a highly, unusual, very repetitive, NE-SW orientation; and the landforms incurring a striking, gravity-defying, characteristic of running-water erosion repeatedly occurring irrespective of the steepest part of the general slope. Besides the evidence offered here, the study also gives insight, resolutions and re-confirmations in order to establish absolute identification while differentiating between discussed, periglacial, relict landforms. An agreement is reached however, regarding actual, true solifluction landforms occurring only on slopes that point in a particular, general direction.
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Author Information

Michael Iannicelli

Brooklyn College (C. U. N. Y.), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn, N. Y., USA

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APA Style

Michael Iannicelli. (2021). Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sciences, 10(3), 136-144. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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ACS Style

Michael Iannicelli. Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sci. 2021, 10(3), 136-144. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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AMA Style

Michael Iannicelli. Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA. Earth Sci. 2021;10(3):136-144. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19

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@article{10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19,
  author = {Michael Iannicelli},
  title = {Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA},
  journal = {Earth Sciences},
  volume = {10},
  number = {3},
  pages = {136-144},
  doi = {10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.earth.20211003.19},
  abstract = {A controversy arises concerning relict, ubiquitous, depositional, solifluction, “string lobe” landforms in the Ridge and Valley province of Pennsylvania, reported by other investigators. A distinguishment is made here by defending an original interpretation of the particular landforms which identified these as snowdune meltwater-eroded depressions formed within colluvium during cold phases of the Pleistocene Epoch. Hence, the landforms are reassessed as “steps & risers” in this study which is jargon associated with nival erosion. The reidentification is warranted in the study because of multiple lines of evidence including: the landforms’ detailed geomorphology and sedimentology; the landforms having a highly, unusual, very repetitive, NE-SW orientation; and the landforms incurring a striking, gravity-defying, characteristic of running-water erosion repeatedly occurring irrespective of the steepest part of the general slope. Besides the evidence offered here, the study also gives insight, resolutions and re-confirmations in order to establish absolute identification while differentiating between discussed, periglacial, relict landforms. An agreement is reached however, regarding actual, true solifluction landforms occurring only on slopes that point in a particular, general direction.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Reidentifying Depositional, Solifluction, “String Lobe” Landforms as Erosional, Topographic, Steps & Risers Formed by Paleo-Snowdunes in Pennsylvania, USA
AU  - Michael Iannicelli
Y1  - 2021/06/30
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
DO  - 10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
T2  - Earth Sciences
JF  - Earth Sciences
JO  - Earth Sciences
SP  - 136
EP  - 144
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5982
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20211003.19
AB  - A controversy arises concerning relict, ubiquitous, depositional, solifluction, “string lobe” landforms in the Ridge and Valley province of Pennsylvania, reported by other investigators. A distinguishment is made here by defending an original interpretation of the particular landforms which identified these as snowdune meltwater-eroded depressions formed within colluvium during cold phases of the Pleistocene Epoch. Hence, the landforms are reassessed as “steps & risers” in this study which is jargon associated with nival erosion. The reidentification is warranted in the study because of multiple lines of evidence including: the landforms’ detailed geomorphology and sedimentology; the landforms having a highly, unusual, very repetitive, NE-SW orientation; and the landforms incurring a striking, gravity-defying, characteristic of running-water erosion repeatedly occurring irrespective of the steepest part of the general slope. Besides the evidence offered here, the study also gives insight, resolutions and re-confirmations in order to establish absolute identification while differentiating between discussed, periglacial, relict landforms. An agreement is reached however, regarding actual, true solifluction landforms occurring only on slopes that point in a particular, general direction.
VL  - 10
IS  - 3
ER  -

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