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1. Introduction
The last mega-geological event to have affected the Irish landscape is the last ice age, or glaciation. This occurred between 73,000 and 10,000 years ago and had a huge effect on our landscape and geology, being the final shaping action over the majority of our countryside.
2. Why did we have an ice age?
Over the course of Earth's history the surface temperature has undergone huge variations, varying from intensely hot conditions to intense cold.
3. Why does the ice extent expand and contract?
There are three factors that contribute to the development of glacial conditions in Ireland every few thousand years. These are all related to the Earths position and geometry as an orbiting planet in the Solar System.
4. How does the ice collect and flow?
As the ice moves over its substrate, small pieces of rock and soil freeze to the base of the glacier and are 'plucked' from their resting place and incorporated into the base of the glacier.
5. What did Ireland look like during the last Ice Age?
During the last glaciation ice covered the entire country except perhaps for a small area in west Limerick and north Kerry. This ice was up to 1 km thick in places and was continually flowing. The erosive power of this ice sheet on the underlying landscape was phenomenal.
6. What materials and landforms are deposited underneath the ice?
Glacial ice scratches and erodes rock over which is passes by abrading and plucking this rock. This can be likened to bulldozing. Bedrock is crushed into either boulders, cobbles or pebbles and sand, silt and clay.
7. What happens when the ice starts to melt?
When the ice sheet begins to melt and retreat this is the start of deglaciation. During this time huge amounts of meltwater are released, hence it is no surprise that the majority of landforms deposited during deglaciation are associated with glacial meltwater deposition.
8. Humans and Glaciation
Living in a country like Ireland which has been covered by ice several times in the recent geological past, the effect of glaciation on humans is bound to be a marked one.
Glacial Definitions A-Z
A dictionary of definitions on glaciation
