Valley morphology and glaciation in the Tararua Range, southern North Island, New Zealand

Abstract

An empirical evaluation of valley cross‐profile morphology using 1:50 000 scale topographic maps is performed on four valleys in the Tararua Range (southern North Island) to determine possible glacial influences on valley development. Power‐law (y = ax^b ) and quadratic equations (y = a + bx + cx² ) are fitted to cross‐profiles by statistical regression. Comparison of b exponents and c coefficients from the power‐law and quadratic equations, respectively, with results from areas glaciated during the late Quaternary, indicates a glacial signature on the upper parts of some of the valleys. This supports the hypothesis that the uppermost parts of valleys in the Tararua Range have been fashioned by glacial erosion.

Keywords:

• valley
• glaciation
• cross‐profile
• morphology
• Tararua Range