Gravitational erosion

Gravitational erosion is caused by gravity in contrast to the physical movement of wind and water required for other types of soil erosion. Gravitational erosion involves both large scale mass wasting and smaller scale erosion. Forms of gravitational erosion include avalanche, landslide, debris flow, mudflow, and sinkhole formation. ^[1] Two types of mass movements are slump and creep.

Slump

• Material slips down along a curved surface
• When the slope becomes too steep, the base material cannot support the rock and sediment above.
• Water can cause slump by slipping weakening the slipping mass.
• Where a stronger layer rests on top of a weaker layer, it collapses.
• A curved scar is left where the slumped materials originally rested.

Creep

• Materials slowly shift downhill
• Creep is caused by gravity alone
• This process is extremely slow and would be difficult to see without a LOT of time and measurements

Gravitational erosion can leave major scars and land. Zach Case

References

1. ^ Manual on Sediment Management and Measurement. World Meteorological Organization. 2003. ISBN 92-63-10948-6. http://www.whycos.org/IMG/pdf/948_E.pdf. Retrieved 2006-06-22.