Glaciogenetic

Glaciogenetic is an adjective used in geology and geomorphology to describe processes, formations, or deposits that originate from glacier activity. The term combines glacio-, from Latin glacia "ice," and -genetic, from Greek genesis "origin."

Glaciogenetic landforms include features produced by glacial erosion and deposition, such as moraines (lateral, medial, and end moraines), drumlins, eskers, and kettle lakes. Glaciogenetic sediments encompass glacial till, a mixture of clay, silt, sand, and boulders deposited directly by ice, and stratified outwash deposited by meltwater in proglacial environments. In some regions, lake or marine sediments accumulate in environments temporarily occupied by ice, yielding varved or other glaciofacial deposits.

Geologists distinguish glaciogenetic materials from other geomorphic or sedimentary categories by origin in ice or ice-dominated processes. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with glaciogenic or glacial in broader contexts, but glaciogenetic emphasizes the glacier-derived origin rather than current glaciation status.

Studying glaciogenetic formations aids reconstruction of past ice sheets, their extent, dynamics, and associated paleoenvironments. It informs interpretations of landscape evolution during Quaternary glaciations and supports correlations across regions with similar glaciation histories.