A glacier-like landform that often heads in a cirque and consists of a valley-filling accumulation of angular rock blocks. Rock glaciers have little or no visible ice at the surface; include a poorly sorted mess of rocks and fine material; and may include: (1) interstitial ice a meter or so below the surface ('ice-cemented'), (2) a buried core of ice ('ice-cored'), and/or (3) rock debris from avalanching snow and rock. Some rock glaciers move, although very slowly.
The following additional comments may be helpful in creating appropriate axioms and children.
Rock glaciers are a cryogenic landform, supersaturated with ice that if active, moves down slope by the influence of gravity which produces creep and deformation of the mountain permafrost. Rock glaciers do not form where there is insufficient moisture to form the interstitial ice that permits movement of the mass. Some are believed to have been formed, at least partly, by burial of glacier ice. Active rock glaciers possess steep fronts with slope angles greater than the angle of repose. Rock glaciers are said to be inactive when the main body ceases to move. Most rock glaciers have transverse ridges and furrows on their surface. In general, rock glaciers present a lobate shape with surficial morphology similar to a lava flow. However, especially in the central Andes, the morphologies can be considerably complex with multiple basins contributing material and the superposition of two or more lobes.
It should be placed under http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00000133 glacier. There are several definitions in the GCW, the core of which is:
A glacier-like landform that often heads in a cirque and consists of a valley-filling accumulation of angular rock blocks. Rock glaciers have little or no visible ice at the surface; include a poorly sorted mess of rocks and fine material; and may include: (1) interstitial ice a meter or so below the surface ('ice-cemented'), (2) a buried core of ice ('ice-cored'), and/or (3) rock debris from avalanching snow and rock. Some rock glaciers move, although very slowly.
The following additional comments may be helpful in creating appropriate axioms and children.
Rock glaciers are a cryogenic landform, supersaturated with ice that if active, moves down slope by the influence of gravity which produces creep and deformation of the mountain permafrost. Rock glaciers do not form where there is insufficient moisture to form the interstitial ice that permits movement of the mass. Some are believed to have been formed, at least partly, by burial of glacier ice. Active rock glaciers possess steep fronts with slope angles greater than the angle of repose. Rock glaciers are said to be inactive when the main body ceases to move. Most rock glaciers have transverse ridges and furrows on their surface. In general, rock glaciers present a lobate shape with surficial morphology similar to a lava flow. However, especially in the central Andes, the morphologies can be considerably complex with multiple basins contributing material and the superposition of two or more lobes.
This term cross-references to http://sweetontology.net/realmLandGlacial/RockGlacier