Chapter 16: Problem 3

Explain the process of creep, and discuss how it differs from solifluction.

Short Answer

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Creep is a slow, continuous movement of soil and rock particles down a slope due to gravity, occurring in various environments and driven by cycles of wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, and vegetation influence. Solifluction occurs in regions with frozen soil (permafrost), where saturated soil (active layer) flows downhill over the underlying permafrost, causing mass soil displacement. While both are slow, gravity-driven mass movements, they differ in driving factors and particle movement mechanisms, with creep causing individual particles to move and solifluction causing mass displacement of soil layers.

Step by step solution

Define and explain the process of creep

Creep is a slow, continuous movement of soil and rock particles down a slope due to gravity. This process occurs in most geological settings and can be driven by wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, and the influence of vegetation. Creep results in the gradual deformation or displacement of soil over a prolonged period of time, typically on the order of many years.

Define and explain the process of solifluction

Solifluction is a type of mass waste movement that occurs in regions where the ground is frozen for part or all of the year, such as in high latitudes or high altitude environments. In these regions, water cannot infiltrate the frozen soil (permafrost), so it collects at the soil’s surface during the warmer seasons. The saturated top layer, called the active layer, becomes unstable and begins to flow downhill over the underlying permafrost at a slow rate, causing mass soil displacement.

Identify the differences between creep and solifluction

There are several key differences between creep and solifluction: 1. Driving factors: Creep is driven by cycles of wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, and the influence of vegetation. In contrast, solifluction is driven primarily by the presence of saturated soil overlying frozen permafrost. 2. Environmental setting: Creep can occur in various environmental settings, while solifluction is specific to regions with frozen soil or permafrost. 3. Particle movement: Creep causes individual soil and rock particles to move gradually downhill, while solifluction causes mass displacement of soil layers.

Identify the similarities between creep and solifluction

Despite their differences, there are some similarities between creep and solifluction: 1. Both are slow mass movements of soil and rock particles downslope due to gravity. 2. Both processes lead to the deformation or displacement of soil over time. In conclusion, both creep and solifluction are processes that involve slow, gravity-driven movement of soil particles. However, they differ in terms of the environmental factors that drive them and the specific mechanisms causing particle movement. While creep occurs in various settings and is driven by a range of factors, solifluction is unique to regions with permafrost and is driven by water saturation in the active layer.

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Explain the process of creep, and discuss how it differs from solifluction.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Define and explain the process of creep

Define and explain the process of solifluction

Identify the differences between creep and solifluction

Identify the similarities between creep and solifluction

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