Opens in a new tab

Letter UGeology glossary

U-Shaped Valley

A U-shaped valley is a valley with a characteristic U-shaped cross-section, formed by glacial erosion. These valleys are significant in geomorphology for understanding glacial processes, the history of glaciation, and the sculpting of mountain landscapes.

Mountain valley with trees and river under cloudy sky (U-Shaped Valley)
Fig. 1 Mountain valley with trees and river under cloudy sky (U-Shaped Valley)

Source Benn, D. I., & Evans, D. J. A. (2010). “Glaciers and Glaciation.” Routledge.

join.me

Geology made clear, in your inbox.

Get clear, visual explainers on rocks, minerals, deep time, and the most fascinating parts of Earth science from Geoscopy.