Glossary of Terms: Y

Yardang

Rock that has developed a streamline form because of wind erosion. The long axis of these features is aligned with the dominant wind direction.

 

Y-axis

Vertical axis on a graph.

 

Yazoo Tributary

Small tributary channel that is prevented from joining the main stream channel by the presence of levees. Yazoo tributaries tend to flow on the floodplain parallel to the main stream channel.

 

Younger-Dryas

A cold period during the generally mild Holocene epoch that occurred from about 10,000 - 8,500 BC. Scientists speculate that this cooling may have been caused by the release of fresh water trapped behind ice on North America into the North Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

Citation: Pidwirny, M. (2006). "Glossary of Terms: Y". Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition. Date Viewed. http://www.physicalgeography.net/physgeoglos/y.html