Scree

Scree is a term given to broken rock that appears at the bottom of mountain cliffs. The term is generally used interchangeably with talus, though talus may be used more specifically to refer to scree in the context of a slope - that is, talus is scree accumulated on, or at the bottom of a slope.

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The formation of scree is a result of frost heaving, one of the physical erosion processes that slowly wear mountains down. During the day, water can flow into cracks and crevices in the rock. If the temperature drops sufficiently, for example with the onset of evening, the water freezes. Since water expands when it freezes, it forms a powerful wedge which can eventually break out pieces of rock. A repeated cycle of freeze-thaw can lead to significant erosion and most of the loose rock or scree slopes so common in the mountains have been formed in this way.

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Formation of scree can occur on worlds other than the Earth. For example it is fairly common for fresh craters on the Moon to have piles of talus along the base of the inner wall.

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Frost heaving: Frost heaving (or frost heave) occurs when soil expands upward or outward and contracts due to freezing and thawing. This process can damage plant roots through breaking or desiccation, cause cracks in pavement, and damage the foundations of buildings, even below the frost line. Moist, fine-grained ...

Erosion: Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock, and so forth) by the agents of wind, water, ice, movement in response to gravity, or living organisms (in the case of bioerosion). Although the processes may be simultaneous, erosion is to be distinguished from weathering, which is the decompos...

Moon: :For other moons in the solar system see natural satellite. For the astrological meaning of the Moon, see Solar system in astrology. For other uses see Moon (disambiguation)....