Examples Of Plate Tectonics In The Connecticut River Valley
Connecticut got its shape through many processes, these processes were plate tectonics, glaciation, and weathering & erosion.
One example of plate tectonics in CT is the Connecticut River Valley. The Connecticut River Valley was also formed by glaciation but first came the plate tectonics. When the plates divided it created a rift valley, (When the land on two sides rises but the middle land lowers or stays the same.) rift valleys can be formed by earthquakes and some other natural forces as well. This is only one example of plate tectonics. Another example is Mount. Frisell which is a result of plates colliding into each other. When CT “supposedly” separated from pangea it bumped into other landforms and created mountains.
Glacian also
shaped CT ,when the Wisconsin glacier melted water and rocks flowed down and flooded CT. The flooding was stopped by a natural dam but over time the dam broke and the water flowed out. The water from the glacier also filled up the middle rift valley and created the CT river. While the water was flowing out from the flooding it made a waterfall. The water spilled into the ocean and mixed fresh water with salt water. This made Long Island sound by bringing down rocks and till to create land. The glacier carried down rocks to Hammonasset as well, these are still there today on the moraine trail in Hammonasset state park.
Weathering and erosion was a big cause of shaping CT. The weather and precipitation eroded the land in CT. For example hills and mountains could have been much higher 100 years ago or even 1,000 years ago but because of rain,sleet,hail,and wind the rocks and dirt have eroded away. One type of weathering combined weathering and glaciation. This is called freeze thaw weathering, when the water from a glacier gets into the holes of a mountain and opens them even more to make cracks and potholes. Long Island sound was eroded by the tides,water,wind,and precipitation in Connecticut.
CT’s shape was the work of many forces. Those being glaciation, plate tectonics,and weathering & erosion. These all in some way or another helped to form the land we know today as CT.
One example of plate tectonics in CT is the Connecticut River Valley. The Connecticut River Valley was also formed by glaciation but first came the plate tectonics. When the plates divided it created a rift valley, (When the land on two sides rises but the middle land lowers or stays the same.) rift valleys can be formed by earthquakes and some other natural forces as well. This is only one example of plate tectonics. Another example is Mount. Frisell which is a result of plates colliding into each other. When CT “supposedly” separated from pangea it bumped into other landforms and created mountains.
Glacian also
shaped CT ,when the Wisconsin glacier melted water and rocks flowed down and flooded CT. The flooding was stopped by a natural dam but over time the dam broke and the water flowed out. The water from the glacier also filled up the middle rift valley and created the CT river. While the water was flowing out from the flooding it made a waterfall. The water spilled into the ocean and mixed fresh water with salt water. This made Long Island sound by bringing down rocks and till to create land. The glacier carried down rocks to Hammonasset as well, these are still there today on the moraine trail in Hammonasset state park.
Weathering and erosion was a big cause of shaping CT. The weather and precipitation eroded the land in CT. For example hills and mountains could have been much higher 100 years ago or even 1,000 years ago but because of rain,sleet,hail,and wind the rocks and dirt have eroded away. One type of weathering combined weathering and glaciation. This is called freeze thaw weathering, when the water from a glacier gets into the holes of a mountain and opens them even more to make cracks and potholes. Long Island sound was eroded by the tides,water,wind,and precipitation in Connecticut.
CT’s shape was the work of many forces. Those being glaciation, plate tectonics,and weathering & erosion. These all in some way or another helped to form the land we know today as CT.