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Evolution of subglacial bedforms along a paleo-ice stream, Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf

Ó Cofaigh, C.; Pudsey, C.J.; Dowdeswell, J.A.; Morris, P.

Evolution of subglacial bedforms along a paleo-ice stream, Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf Thumbnail


Authors

C.J. Pudsey

J.A. Dowdeswell

P. Morris



Abstract

Geophysical data from the Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf reveal streamlined subglacial bedforms in a cross-shelf trough. Bedforms exhibit progressive elongation with distance along the trough, and record flow of a paleo-ice stream from the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet during the last glacial maximum. Downflow evolution of the bedforms indicates increasing flow velocities as the ice stream traversed the shelf. This, in turn, is related to a transition from crystalline bedrock on the inner shelf to a soft sedimentary substrate on the outer shelf. Although streaming flow operated across both substrates, the highest flow velocities occurred over the soft bed. Spatial variation in the inferred nature of fast-flow, from sliding to subglacial sediment deformation and/or ploughing, was also lithologically controlled. These data highlight the control of subglacial geology on ice-stream dynamics in the geological record and demonstrate a direct relationship between the formation of streamlined subglacial bedforms and paleo-ice streams.

Citation

Ó Cofaigh, C., Pudsey, C., Dowdeswell, J., & Morris, P. (2002). Evolution of subglacial bedforms along a paleo-ice stream, Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf. Geophysical Research Letters, 29(8), https://doi.org/10.1029/2001gl014488

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2002-04
Deposit Date Oct 6, 2008
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Geophysical Research Letters
Print ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 29
Issue 8
DOI https://doi.org/10.1029/2001gl014488
Keywords Marine Geology and Geophysics, Marine seismics, Hydrology, Glaciology, Information Related to Geographic Region, Antarctica.

Files

Published Journal Article (532 Kb)
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Copyright Statement
© 2002 American Geophysical Union.
O'Cofaigh, C. and Pudsey, C. J. and Dowdeswell, J. A. and Morris, P., (2002), 'Evolution of
subglacial bedforms along a paleo-ice stream, Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf.',
Geophysical research letters., 29 (8), Article 1199, 10.1029/2001GL014488 (DOI). To view the published open abstract, go to http://dx.doi.org and enter the DOI.





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