<p>You're looking at a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissected_plateau" rel="nofollow noreferrer">dissected tableland</a>, the relatively flat upper surfaces are an old flattened (by erosion and/or sediment deposition) ground surface. Given that the valleys cutting through appear to be quite steep sided and flat bottomed, I would guess that the primary erosive force is late stage <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier" rel="nofollow noreferrer">glacial</a> action towards the end of the last ice age. The original plateau was probably flattened out by the action of earlier <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_sheet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ice sheets</a> at a time closer to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Glacial_Maximum" rel="nofollow noreferrer">last glacial maximum</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-07T02:18:17.007Z
2024-07-07T09:45:35.003Z
2024-07-07T09:45:35.003Z
Ash
<p>Complete newbie to any earth sciences here. Please tell me if this is the wrong stack exchange website</p>
<p>I was browsing around on google earth (as one does), and I noticed these &quot;discoloured&quot; regions in upper Canada.</p>
<p>I checked on a topographical map, and saw that they were higher up than the land surrounding them too.</p>
<p>On Google Earth:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9uMyt7KN.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9uMyt7KN.png" alt="Elevated areas in canada on google earth" /></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1utRfr3L.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1utRfr3L.png" alt="Elevated areas in canada circled for emphasis" /></a></p>
<p>On topographical map:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/bmBYMN9U.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bmBYMN9U.png" alt="Elevated areas in canada on elevation map" /></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/IYUBRfwW.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IYUBRfwW.png" alt="Elevated areas in canada on elevation map, circled for emphasis" /></a></p>
<p>What are these land forms, and what could have created them?</p>
<p>Note: For anyone looking for a good online topographical map, go <a href="https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>, click the layers icon on the top bar, and enable 'elevation tinted hillshade'.</p>

<geology><geography><canada><landscape>
What are these large elevated regions in Northern Canada?
Priff13
# What are these large elevated regions in Northern Canada?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-06)

Complete newbie to any earth sciences here. Please tell me if this is the wrong stack exchange website

I was browsing around on google earth (as one does), and I noticed these "discoloured" regions in upper Canada.

I checked on a topographical map, and saw that they were higher up than the land surrounding them too.

On Google Earth:
[![Elevated areas in canada on google earth](https://i.sstatic.net/9uMyt7KN.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/9uMyt7KN.png)
[![Elevated areas in canada circled for emphasis](https://i.sstatic.net/1utRfr3L.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/1utRfr3L.png)

On topographical map:
[![Elevated areas in canada on elevation map](https://i.sstatic.net/bmBYMN9U.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/bmBYMN9U.png)
[![Elevated areas in canada on elevation map, circled for emphasis](https://i.sstatic.net/IYUBRfwW.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/IYUBRfwW.png)

What are these land forms, and what could have created them?

Note: For anyone looking for a good online topographical map, go [here](https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer), click the layers icon on the top bar, and enable 'elevation tinted hillshade'.

**Tags:** geology, geography, canada, landscape


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-07-07. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

You're looking at a [dissected tableland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissected_plateau), the relatively flat upper surfaces are an old flattened (by erosion and/or sediment deposition) ground surface. Given that the valleys cutting through appear to be quite steep sided and flat bottomed, I would guess that the primary erosive force is late stage [glacial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier) action towards the end of the last ice age. The original plateau was probably flattened out by the action of earlier [ice sheets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_sheet) at a time closer to the [last glacial maximum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Glacial_Maximum).


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