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Glacial geomorphology and cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al exposure ages in the northern Dufek Massif, Weddell Sea embayment, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2012

Dominic A. Hodgson ,
Michael J. Bentley ,
Christoph Schnabel ,
Andreas Cziferszky ,
Peter Fretwell ,
Peter Convey  and
Sheng Xu
Dominic A. Hodgson*
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Michael J. Bentley
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK Department of Geography, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
Christoph Schnabel
Affiliation:
NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Analysis Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
Andreas Cziferszky
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Peter Fretwell
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Peter Convey
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Sheng Xu
Affiliation:
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
*
daho@pcmail.nerc-bas.ac.uk
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Abstract

We studied the glacial geomorphology and geochronology of two ice-free valleys in the Dufek Massif (Antarctic Specially Protected Area 119) providing new constraints on past ice sheet thickness in the Weddell Sea embayment. 10Be and 26Al cosmogenic surface exposure dating provided chronological control. Seven glacial stages are proposed. These include an alpine glaciation, with subsequent (mid-Miocene?) over-riding by a warm-based ice sheet. Subsequent advances are marked by a series of minor drift deposits at 760 m altitude at > 1 Ma, followed by at least two later ice sheet advances that are characterized by extensive drift sheet deposition. An advance of plateau ice field outlet glaciers from the south postdated these drift sheets. The most recent advance involved the cold-based expansion of the ice sheet from the north at the Last Glacial Maximum, or earlier, which deposited a series of bouldery moraines during its retreat. This suggests at most a relatively modest expansion of the ice sheet and outlet glaciers dominated by a lateral ice expansion of just 2–3 km and maintaining a thickness similar to that of the northern ice sheet front. These observations are consistent with other reports of modest ice sheet thickening around the Weddell Sea embayment during the Last Glacial Maximum.

Keywords

deglaciationglaciationice sheetsPensacola Mountainssea levelTransantarctic Mountains
Type
Earth Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , 17 July 2012 , pp. 377 - 394
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2012

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