Ice Surface Lowering Research Articles

Late Quaternary Ice-Surface Fluctuations of Hatherton Glacier, Transantarctic Mountains

AbstractFormer longitudinal profiles of Hatherton Glacier, an outlet through the Transantarctic Mountains, constrain nearby polar plateau elevations and ice-shelf grounding in the southwestern Ross Embayment. Four gravel drift sheets of late Quaternary age beside Hatherton Glacier are, from youngest to oldest, Hatherton, Britannia I, Britannia II, and Danum. The Hatherton drift limit is uniformly 20 to 70 m above the present ice surface. The Britannia II drift limit is within 100 m of the present surface of uppermost Hatherton Glacier but is 450 m above middle Hatherton Glacier. Extrapolation of this profile downglacier indicates a surface elevation 1100 m above the present Ross Ice Shelf. The Britannia I drift limit is parallel to, but 50–100 m below, Britannia II drift. The Danum drift limit is parallel to, but 50–100 m above, the Britannia II profile. From correlation with drifts near McMurdo Sound and from local 14C dates, we assign an early Holocene age to Hatherton drift, a late Wisconsin age to Britannia drifts, and an age of marine isotope Stage 6 to Danum drift. By our age model, the upper reaches of Hatherton Glacier (and presumably the adjacent polar plateau) have not exceeded their current elevations by more than 100–150 m during the last two complete global glacial-interglacial cycles, whereas the middle and lower reaches of Hatherton Glacier have thickened considerably during the last two global glaciations (late Wisconsin and marine isotope Stage 6). The effect of ice-shelf grounding probably was the major control of these changes of Hatherton Glacier. Holocene ice-surface lowering probably represents the last pulse of grounding-line recession in the southwestern Ross Embayment.

Late Quaternary Ice-Surface Fluctuations of Beardmore Glacier, Transantarctic Mountains

AbstractFormer longitudinal profiles of Beardmore Glacier, an outlet through the Transantarctic Mountains, constrain polar plateau elevations near the center of Antarctica and ice-shelf grouding in the southern Ross Embayment. Three gravel drift sheets of late Quaternary age occur alongside Beardmore Glacier. Plunket drift, the youngest, is parallel to and 7–30 m above the present ice surface. The upper limit of Beardmore drift, intermediate in age, is within 35–40 m of the present ice surface near the polar plateau but about 1100 m above the present ice surface near the glacier mouth. The upper limit of Meyer drift, the oldest, is parallel to and 30–50 m above Beardmore drift. From correlation with numerically dated drifts farther north, we assign an early Holocene age to Plunket drift, a late Wisconsin age to Beardmore drift, and an age of marine isotope Stage 6 to Meyer drift. By our age model, Beardmore Glacier was close to current elevations in its upper reaches and thickened considerably in its middle and lower reaches during the last two global glaciations represented by Beardmore and Meyer drifts. Most likely, grounded ice in the southern Ross Embayment caused such thickening of Beardmore Glacier almost to the polar plateau. A concomitant decline in precipitation is implied by ice-cap retreat on the nearby Dominion Range and is consistent with little change of upper Beardmore Glacier. Ice-shelf grounding most likely resulted from lowered sea level and/or basal melting. Lower than present precipitation was probably caused by colder air temperatures and more-distant open water. The Plunket profile records Holocene ice-surface lowering from increased surface ablation, decreased ice flow, or grounding-line recession.

Holocene glacier variations in New Zealand: A review

In the central Southern Alps of New Zealand, ice-surface lowering has exposed extensive sections of lateral moraines, allowing investigation of moraine stratigraphy and genesis. The presence of multiple superposed palaeosurfaces within moraine sequences allows recognition of any disturbances, displacements or contamination of till layers and interbedded organic material. Radiocarbon dating of buried wood and soils allows comparison between the Holocene glacial history of the Eastern Ranges and that of the Westland region. The periodicity of glacier response has been similar to both areas, although the precise timing of events has differed due to local climatic and environmental factors. In general, glaciers in New Zealand expanded about 5000, 4500-4200, 3700, 3500-3000, 2700-2200, 1800-1700, 1500, 1100, 900, 700-600 and 400-100 BP.

Pattern of Ice Surface Lowering for Rennick Glacier, Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica

AbstractRennick Glacier is one of the major ice drainages in northern Victoria Land. Unlike glaciers farther south along the Transantarctic Mountains, Rennick Glacier does not drain into the Ross Ice Shelf but flows directly into a seasonally ice-covered ocean. Therefore, current fluctuations of this glacier are unhampered by the dampening effects of the Ross Ice Shelf. The primary controls on the activity of this glacier and others in this region are mass balance and sea-level.Two major glacial events are recorded in the upper Rennick Glacier region. The location of erratics and glacially scoured features suggest that during the oldest or Evans glaciation ice covered all but the highest peaks in the region. Following this glaciation a re-advance produced the Rennick glaciation. Drift produced during this glaciation has a surface cover of unweathered clasts and is commonly found in the form of recessional moraines with associated ice-marginal lakes. Rennick Glacier is currently in a recessional phase of the Rennick glaciation. The phase is characterized by physical re-adjustments of local ice masses including progressive inland migration of the Rennick Glacier grounding line. To date the grounding line has migrated up to the mid-point of the glacier. This trend may be expected to continue.

Pattern of Ice Surface Lowering for Rennick Glacier, Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica

AbstractRennick Glacier is one of the major ice drainages in northern Victoria Land. Unlike glaciers farther south along the Transantarctic Mountains, Rennick Glacier does not drain into the Ross Ice Shelf but flows directly into a seasonally ice-covered ocean. Therefore, current fluctuations of this glacier are unhampered by the dampening effects of the Ross Ice Shelf. The primary controls on the activity of this glacier and others in this region are mass balance and sea-level.Two major glacial events are recorded in the upper Rennick Glacier region. The location of erratics and glacially scoured features suggest that during the oldest or Evans glaciation ice covered all but the highest peaks in the region. Following this glaciation a re-advance produced the Rennick glaciation. Drift produced during this glaciation has a surface cover of unweathered clasts and is commonly found in the form of recessional moraines with associated ice-marginal lakes. Rennick Glacier is currently in a recessional phase of the Rennick glaciation. The phase is characterized by physical re-adjustments of local ice masses including progressive inland migration of the Rennick Glacier grounding line. To date the grounding line has migrated up to the mid-point of the glacier. This trend may be expected to continue.