A nivation hollow is a surface depression produced by nivation, the set of geomorphic processes that develop beneath and around a lingering snow patch, including mass wasting, freeze-thaw cycling, meltwater erosion, and the downslope creep of weathered material. As nivation continues, a hollow can enlarge to the point where it becomes the beginning of a cirque, the bowl-shaped landform typical of mountain glaciation. Some researchers have questioned how significant nivation really is in shaping periglacial landscapes, and use of the term is now discouraged in parts of the field.
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