Glacial Troughs
Glacial troughs are deep, U-shaped valleys eroded by glaciers, characterized by steep valley sides and a flat or gently undulating floor. They often contain flat-bottomed glacial lakes (ribbon lakes) in their deepest sections.
Real World
The Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland is a textbook U-shaped glacial trough with 300-metre vertical cliffs and a flat valley floor now occupied by farms and villages.
Exam Focus
Contrast U-shaped troughs with V-shaped river valleys using specific features: steep sides, flat floor, truncated spurs.
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