Cryptodepression

Description

A cryptodepression is often due to creation of a rift valley or a glacial lake.

Lakes are often long and narrow. Further, the surrounding landscape and the shore of the lake can be very steep.

Examples

Simple calculation example:Lago O'Higgins/San MartínSurface elevation 250 m -Maximal depth 836 m =_________________________________Cryptodepression -586 m

Glacial lakes and moraine-dammed lakes: major prealpine lakes in Italy have cryptodepressions created by erosion. In other parts of the Alps, Swiss, Bavarian and Austrian lakes, cryptodepressions are not found because the lakes have significantly higher elevations. In North America, the Finger Lakes in New York are another example.

Rift valleys: the deepest known cryptodepression on Earth is in Lake Baikal (-1200 m).