Tarn (lake)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Glacial action forming a tarn.
Glacial action forming a tarn.

A tarn (or corrie loch) is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn.[1] A corrie may be called a cirque.

The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond; it is often found in names of both glacial and non-glacial small upland lakes in the English Lake District, Pennines and Cumbria.

In local dialect in Cumbria, the word is also used generally to refer to any small lake or pond, regardless of its location and origin. [2]

In Scandinavian languages a tjern or tjärn, tärn or tjørn is a small natural lake, often in a forest or with vegetation close around it or growing into the lake.

[edit] Gallery

Upper Thornton Lake in North Cascades National Park

View of Tarn Hows, Cumbria

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Look up tarn in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Illustrated Glossary of Alpine Glacial Landforms. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
  2. ^ Fresh Water Tarns. Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
 This glaciology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
 This geographical term article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.