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Question

Basket-of-eggs topography is related to

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2021 GAT Previous Year Paper (18-Apr-2021)
The correct answer is

Drumlins

The question asks about the landform associated with 'Basket-of-eggs topography'. This is a specific term used in physical geography to describe a particular type of landscape formed by glacial action.

Understanding Basket-of-Eggs Topography

The term "Basket-of-eggs topography" describes a landscape characterized by numerous elongated, egg-shaped hills scattered across the area. When viewed from above, these hills, often appearing in clusters, give the visual impression of eggs lying in a basket. This distinctive pattern is a key indicator of the geological processes that shaped the region.

Drumlins and Glacial Landscapes

Drumlins are streamlined hills formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated material. They are typically elongated in the direction of ice flow, with a blunt, steeper 'stoss' end facing the direction from which the ice came and a gentler, tapering 'lee' end pointing in the direction the ice moved towards. Drumlins often occur in large groups or swarms, forming extensive fields.

It is the clustering of these individual, egg-shaped drumlins across a landscape that creates the visual effect referred to as 'Basket-of-eggs topography'. The size and shape of drumlins can vary, but their characteristic elongation and tendency to appear in groups make them responsible for this specific type of terrain.

Why Other Options Are Not Basket-of-Eggs Topography

Let's briefly look at the other options to understand why they do not form the 'Basket-of-eggs' landscape:

  • Eskers: Eskers are long, winding ridges composed of stratified sand and gravel. They represent deposits from streams flowing within, under, or upon a glacier. They are linear features, not the scattered, egg-shaped hills of the 'Basket-of-eggs' landscape.
  • Cirques: Cirques are amphitheatre-like valleys carved by glacial erosion, typically at the head of a glacial valley. They are bowl-shaped depressions in mountainous areas, not scattered hills on lower ground.
  • Moraines: Moraines are accumulations of glacial debris (till) deposited by a glacier. They can form various features like ridges (terminal moraine, lateral moraine) or undulating plains (ground moraine). While moraines are glacial landforms, they do not specifically create the pattern of numerous, distinct, egg-shaped hills characteristic of 'Basket-of-eggs' topography.

Based on the distinctive appearance of numerous, elongated, egg-shaped hills in clusters, the 'Basket-of-eggs topography' is directly associated with fields of drumlins.

Glacial Landform Description Relation to Basket-of-Eggs Topography
Drumlins Streamlined, egg-shaped hills formed by ice flow. Often occur in swarms. Directly forms this type of topography due to their shape and clustering.
Eskers Long, sinuous ridges of sand and gravel. Linear feature, not related to the egg-shaped hills.
Cirques Bowl-shaped depressions in mountainsides. Erosional feature in high terrain, not related to the scattered hills.
Moraines Accumulations of glacial till, forming various ridges or plains. Depositional feature, but not typically the distinct, egg-shaped hills seen in 'Basket-of-eggs' landscapes.

Conclusion on Basket-of-Eggs Topography

The striking visual pattern known as 'Basket-of-eggs topography' is a direct result of the deposition and shaping action of glaciers, specifically leading to the formation and clustering of drumlins. Therefore, this topography is related to Drumlins.

Revision Table: Glacial Topography

Review these key glacial landforms:

  • Drumlin: Streamlined hill, often in groups, forms 'Basket-of-eggs' topography.
  • Esker: Winding ridge of sorted sediment.
  • Cirque: Armchair-shaped glacial basin in mountains.
  • Moraine: Ridge or accumulation of unsorted glacial debris (till).

Additional Information: Drumlins and Ice Flow

Drumlins provide valuable information about the direction of ancient ice flow. The long axis of a drumlin is typically parallel to the direction of ice movement. The steeper, blunt end (stoss) points up-ice, while the gentler, tapering end (lee) points down-ice. Studying drumlin fields helps geologists reconstruct past glacial movements and ice sheet dynamics.

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