Physics Photo of the Week
February
11,
2011
Glaciated and Non-glaciated Appalachians
The top photo was taken from the top of Mt. Pisgah in Northern Vermont
overlooking Willoughby Lake. Note that the neighboring mountains
are all round-topped - the rounded appearance is caused by many
thousands of years of glaciation. The glaciers helped form
Willoughby Lake - a very deep lake of ancient volcanic origin.
The volcanic activity occured about 400 million years ago. The
last glaciers receded relatively recently - only 10 thousand years ago.
The bottom photo was taken from another Mt. Pisgah looking south.
This Mt. Pisgah is in North Carolina near Asheville and Warren Wilson
College. Notice that the Southern Appalachians consist of V-type
valleys, and the peaks are "sharp" and jagged. The Southern
Appalachians have never been glaciated, hence they have not been
rounded. There are also no natural lakes in the area.
Glaciers tend to form lakes due to many moraines and deposits that
form natural dams to create lakes.
Both these areas of the Appalachian Mountains are moderately rugged and
support a large variety of plant and animal life.
Physics
Photo of the
Week is
published weekly during the academic year on Fridays by the Warren
Wilson College Physics
Department. These photos feature interesting phenomena in
the world around us. Students, faculty, and others are invited to
submit digital (or film) photographs for publication and
explanation. Atmospheric phenomena are especially welcome.
Please send any photos to dcollins@warren-wilson.edu.
All photos and discussions are copyright by Donald
Collins or by the person credited for the photo and/or
discussion. These photos and discussions may be used for private
individual use or educational use. Any commercial use without
written permission of the photoprovider is forbidden.
Click
here
to
see the Physics Photo
of
the Week Archive.
Observers are invited to submit
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