Proglacial glaciotectonic deformation at Melabakkar‐Ásbakkar, west Iceland

Abstract

A study of proglacial deformation associated with a Late Weichselian glaciomarine sequence was carried out at Melabakkar‐Ásbakkar, west Iceland. At this site, coarse‐grained sediments have been deformed into compressive structures with no associated push moraine morphology. Two large structures were examined, Structure A which consists of large‐scale reverse (and normal) faulting and overturned bedding; and Structure B, which is more complex, with open folding, high‐angle reverse faulting, nappe structures and normal faulting. The structures were interpreted as the result of increasing compressive proglacial deformation, followed by subglacial deformation, which destroyed the surface morphology of the push moraine and incorporated some of the sediments into a subglacial diamicton. The results from this study were compared with other examples of proglacial deformation, and it is suggested that at sites where deformation was restricted to the margin, longitudinal strain was lower than at sites where deformation extended out into the foreland. It is also suggested that if deformation increases downglacier, this is indicative of an overall glacial advance, whilst if the deformation decreases downglacier, this is indicative of a glacial retreat.