Felsenmeer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The phrase Felsenmeer comes from the German language and means 'sea of rock'. In a Felsenmeer, frost and ice have quickly broken up the top layer of the rock, covering the underlying rock formation with jagged, angular bolders. The depth of the layer of bolders can vary depending on vegetation, climate, and rock type, and can be as much as twelve feet deep. Basalt and sedimentary rocks often produce larger, more numerous Felsenmeer's than other types of rock.

Felsenmeers are most often found in high mountain regions near the Arctic Circle, especially in Iceland and in the Canadian arctic.