Glacial landforms of northwest Saskatchewan

Abstract

A comprehensive map of glacial landforms is presented for the area of northwest Saskatchewan, Canada. Remote sensing of 1-arc (∼30 m resolution) Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation models over an area of approximately 15,000 km2 were used as the primary data source for landform identification. A total of 16,856 landforms were identified pertaining to Quaternary glacial and postglacial activity. Ten landform types were mapped: ice flow parallel lineations (flutings, drumlins, mega-scale glacial lineations, and crag-and-tail ridges), moraines (major and minor), ice-thrust ridges, crevasse-fill ridges, meltwater landforms (major and minor meltwater channels and eskers), palaeo-shorelines and dunes. Collectively, these landforms constitute a glacial and postglacial landform record, which exhibits a more complex pattern than previously recognised, with evidence of multiple cross cutting ice flow directions. This geomorphological mapping of the regional landform record provides the prerequisite for future reconstructions of the glacial dynamics and chronology of northwest Saskatchewan.

Keywords

• Glacial geomorphology
• palaeoglaciology
• northwest Saskatchewan
• Laurentide Ice Sheet