Till | Glacial Deposits, Sediments & Soils | Britannica (original) (raw)

till, in geology, unsorted material deposited directly by glacial ice and showing no stratification. Till is sometimes called boulder clay because it is composed of clay, boulders of intermediate sizes, or a mixture of these. The rock fragments are usually angular and sharp rather than rounded, because they are deposited from the ice and have undergone little water transport. The pebbles and boulders may be faceted and striated from grinding while lodged in the glacier. Some till deposits show limited organization of the fragments: large numbers of stones may lie with their long axes parallel to the flow direction of the glacier. This could provide more accurate information about flow direction than other glacial indicators. Although difficult to distinguish by appearance, there are two types of till, basal and ablation. Basal till was carried in the base of the glacier and commonly laid down under it. Ablation till was carried on or near the surface of the glacier and was let down as the glacier melted.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.