Serac
U.S. Geological Survey photo by Bruce Molnia (fair use policy)
Seracs are tall peaks of ice on the surface of a glacier, commonly forming where sets of crevasses intersect. They were named by Horace Benedict de Saussure in 1787 (who also named roches moutonnées) for their resemblance to the soft sérac cheeses made in the Alps. This impressive serac field is on McBride Glacier in Alaska's Glacier Bay. Seracs form by a combination of melting, direct evaporation or sublimation, and erosion by wind.
Fossils
Geologic Features and Processes
Glaciers and Ice
Landforms
Minerals
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Geology and Society
