
NPS Photo
Glacier scientists often use striations to determine the direction that the glacier was flowing, and in places where the glacier flowed in different directions over time, they can tease out this complex flow history by looking at the layered striations. Thus, glacier striae are an important tool for people looking to reconstruct past glaciers.
As the glacier passes over a surface over longer and longer periods of time, it smoothes it much like sandpaper does. This smooth rock surface often has striations imprinted on it as well, and the entire thing is known as "glacier polish."
To learn more about glaciers, glacier features, and glacial landforms, see the Glaciers & Glacial Landforms Page.