Alistair F. Pitty - The Nature of Geomorphology

Volume 24

ALISTAIR F. PITTY

First published in 1982 by Methuen & Co Ltd

This edition first published in 2020

by Routledge

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and by Routledge

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1982 Alistair F. Pitty

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-0-367-18559-6 (Set)

ISBN: 978-0-429-19681-2 (Set) (ebk)

ISBN: 978-0-367-22087-7 (Volume 24) (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-429-27475-6 (Volume 24) (ebk)

Publishers Note

The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.

Disclaimer

The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and would welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace.

ALISTAIR F. PITTY

METHUEN LONDON AND NEW YORK

First published in 1982 by

Methuen & Co. Ltd

11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE

Published in the USA by

Methuen & Co.

in association with Methuen, Inc.

733 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

1982 Alistair F. Pitty

Typeset by Keyset Composition, Colchester.

Printed in Great Britain
at the University Press, Cambridge

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Pitty, Alistair F.
The nature of geomorphology.
1. Geomorphology
I. Title
551.4 GB401.5

ISBN 0-416-32110-0

ISBN 0-416-32120-8 Pbk

Library of Congress Cataloging in publication Data

Pitty, Alistair F.
The nature of geomorphology.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Geomorphology. I. Title.
GB401.5.P67 1982 551.4 82-7921
ISBN 0-416-32110-0 AACR2
ISBN 0-416-32120-8 (pbk.)

The author and publishers would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce copyright figures:

The American Geographical Society for Fig. 12B; American Geophysical Union (and W. B. Langbein and S. A. Schumm) for Fig. 10D; American Journal of Science for Figs 2F (and A. Gupta), 8E (and B. Reed, C. J. Galvin and J. P. Miller) and 18A (and W. R. Farand); Association of American Geographers for Fig. 6A; Australian Geographical Studies for Figs 6B, 12F; The British Association for the Advancement of Science for Fig. 20B; Bulletin of the Department of Geography, University of Tokyo (and T. Yoshikawa) for Fig. 18B; Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa, for Fig. 8D from Geographical Bulletin, reproduced with permission of Information Canada; Die Erde for Fig. 12E; Elsevier (and M. O. Hayes) for Fig. 15D; Elsevier (and A. Singer) for Figs 16A and 16B; Erdkunde for Fig. 15C; W. H. Freeman and Company for Fig. 8B; Gebrder Borntraeger for Figs 5C, 8A, 14B, 15A; Geografiska Annaler for Figs 19B, 20E and G, 21B; The Geological Society of America for Figs 1B (and S. Uyeda and A. Miyashiro), 1D (and T. L. Henyey and T. C. Lee), 2A (and E. E. Larson et al.), 2B (and T. Matsuda, Y. Ota, M. Ando and N. Yokekura), 3 (and W. Alvarez), 4 (and V. R. Baker), 5B (and A. D. Howard), 7A (and K. L. Bowden and J. R. Wallis), 12A (and D. K. Davies, M. W. Quearry and S. B. Bonis), 13D (and J. M. Proffett), 15B (and T. J. Toy), 19C (and T. Sunamura), 20A (and R. A. Young and W. J. Brennan), 20C (and C. A. Bandoian and R. C. Murray), 20D (and P. E. Calkin and C. E. Brett), 21A (and R. N. Dubois) and 21C (and M. G. Foley); The Geological Society of London (and W. S. Pitcher) for Fig. 1C; The Geological Society of London (and C. H. Scholz) for Fig. 2C; The Geologists Association for Fig. 14A; Figs 12C and D reproduced with slight modification from the Journal of Glaciology by permission of the International Glaciological Society (and J. F. Nye, E. R. LaChapelle and T. E. Lang); The Institute of British Geographers for Fig. 20F; Masson et Cie for Table 1; Methuen and Co. for Fig. 10B; Panstowowe Wydawnictwo Nankowe for Fig. 11 (from Geographia Polonica); Quaternary Research for Fig. 19A; The Royal Society (and R. W. Girdler) for Figs 13A, B and C; The Soil Science Society of America for Fig. 10C; The United States Geological Survey for Figs 17A and B; University of Cambridge Press for Fig. 10A, taken from The Geological Magazine; University of Chicago Press for the following figs taken from Journal of Geology: 1A, 2D and E, 7B and C, 8C, 16C and 22; Fig. 17C reprinted by permission of John Wiley and Sons Inc. (copyright 1971).

* * *

As the present book represents a revision of the opening sections of Introduction to Geomorphology, first published in 1971, I remain indebted to all those mentioned in the Acknowledgements to the earlier work. I would also like to express enduring gratitude to Jay Appleton, as work on that book was initiated at his recommendation. Comments from Keith Clayton, Derek Mottershead and Nicholas Stephens on its presentation and format lent vital impetus to the task of revision. The completion of the present text and the draughting of its illustrations was made possible only by the generous support of Penny Ann Pitty. The scale of the problems encountered was considerably cut down to size by cheerful dialogues between Edward and Alice Pitty on how they might answer their hypothetical examination question: Describe the following glacial features eskers, drumlins, hummocky moraine, striations, and kame terraces. Rank in order of increasing interest.

It is hoped that the text reflects a little of the excellence of reading facilities enjoyed in the Brynmor Jones Library of the University of Hull, and the professional commitment of its staff. The text should also reflect the sustained and detailed editorial attention by the publishers, for which I am most grateful.

ALISTAIR F. PITTY
Cottingham
East Yorkshire

Geomorphological literature has now become so voluminous that it may seem impractical for an individual writer to attempt to encapsulate it all. Indeed, in the last ten years, the geomorphological market stall has been increasingly stocked with a range of specialized hybrids and a wealth of produce from academic communes involving several workers. However, if the individual student is to be expected to comprehend the scope of geomorphology, clearly it is only fair to expect that a sufficient overview must be within the grasp of the individual writer. Thus, the very reason that cautions against the present exercise is equally its main justification. Ideally, the advantage could be greater cohesion in scope, balance in format and evenness in level of treatment. Therefore, since each of these three aspects stems from different sources in the present blend, some brief introduction to its scope, format and level of treatment is required.