Pedogeomorphology and weathering at Snow Island, Maritime Antarctica

Abstract

Despite progress in the last decade on periglacial geomorphology and permafrost research in Antarctica, many areas in Maritime Antarctica remain unsurveyed. This study aimed to identify and describe the main periglacial landforms of President Head Peninsula, at Snow Island, Maritime Antarctica, with emphasis on the relationships between soils, landforms and lithology. We identified and mapped landforms and their physiographic aspects at 1:15,000 scale using Sentinel-2 satellite image (10 m spatial resolution) and georeferenced using portable GPS. Morphological, physical, chemical, micromorphological and mineralogical properties of selected soils were also analyzed. Seventeen types of landforms were mapped (glacial, glaciofluvial, tectonics and structural, periglacial, and marine landforms), whose complexity of geomorphic features is explained by the diversity of morphogenetic processes and lithological diversity. Three distinct geomorphological domains were identified (proglacial, paraglacial, and periglacial). The paraglacial domain is more dynamic and presents immature or poorly developed soils. The periglacial domain has many rocky outcrops, interspersed with Holocene beaches and vegetated marine terraces. Landforms associated with gelifluction, patterned ground and permafrost were only observed on the upper plateaus of the periglacial domain. No soil formation were observed in the proglacial domain.