Loess?????

Question

Loess.
What does that mean???

I have to answer this question:

Which of the following is NOT considered geologic evidence of past ice ages?

glacial till and erratics
loess
ice shelves
rock striations


I'm leaning towards loess b/c I have never seen that term in any of my lessons or resource sites.
Please help me!

Thank you!
Bri

Answer 1

Loess is a general term for silt deposits that have been laid down by wind.
Thick loess deposits generally form in areas that border continental glaciers. Meltwater from the glacier carries large amounts of silt sized sediment. In times of a dry climate like in the winter, winds pick up the flour sized sediment and carry it long distances.
With my experience, loess is found in relation to past glaciations.
Ice shelves don't always relate to past glaciations due to the fact that they are ice and melt away. They do however grate against rocks, but that is not always the best way to see past glaciations.
Till and striations are obvious signs of glaciers, so really all of them are signs of past glaciations but ice shelves is your best answer because the only thing they can leave behind is broken rock which is hard to distinguish in the geologic record.

Answer 2

I would answer Ice Shelves because Ice Shelves exist today in Antarctica and Greenland.

Answer 3

As the Germans say "vas is loess?"
You would be better off to check out Wikipedia on this.

Answer 4

rikki l, above, is quite correct.

glacial till and erratics
loess
ice shelves — THIS ONE IS OUT
rock striations

loess —deposits of silt laid down during glacial times.

Answer 5

"A loosely compacted yellowish-gray deposit of windblown sediment of which extensive deposits occur"