Presumed ground-ice depressions in East Anglia

Abstract

Shallow depressions in the western parts of East Anglia on the Chalk between the boulder clay and the Fens are described and attributed to the formation of ground ice and its subsequent thawing. We prefer to use the non-committal term , ground-ice features, rather than the name of any specific form found in Arctic North America or Soviet Asia. The more recent of these forms seem to date here, as elsewhere in Europe, from Zone III of the Late-glacial (Weichselian), while a more important phase of development took place in Zone I or an earlier Weichselian phase. It is possible that the Breckland meres also originated as groundice features.