Abstract
Trough mouth fans (TMFs) are sediment depocentres that form along high-latitude continental margins at the mouths of some cross-shelf troughs. They reflect the dynamics of past ice sheets over multiple glacial cycles and processes operating on (formerly) glaciated continental shelves and slopes, such as erosion, reworking, transport and deposition. The similarities and differences in TMF morphology and formation processes in the Arctic and Antarctic regions remain poorly constrained. We analyse the dimensions and geometries of 15 TMFs from Arctic and Antarctic margins and the grain size distribution of 82 sediment cores centred on them. We compare the grain size composition of sub- and proglacial diamictons deposited on the shelves and glacigenic debris flows deposited on the adjacent TMFs and find a significant difference between Arctic and Antarctic margins. Antarctic margins show a coarser grain size composition for both glacigenic debris flows and shelf diamictons. This significant difference provides insight into high-latitude sediment input, transportation and glacial-interglacial regimes. We suggest that surface runoff and river discharge are responsible for enhanced fine-grained sediment input in the Arctic compared with the Antarctic.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Geological Society Special Publication |
| Publisher | Geological Society of London |
| Pages | 203-221 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Edition | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |
Publication series
| Name | Geological Society Special Publication |
|---|---|
| Number | 1 |
| Volume | 475 |
| ISSN (Print) | 0305-8719 |
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Processes influencing differences in arctic and antarctic trough mouth fan sedimentology. / Gales, Jenny; Hillenbrand, Claus Dieter; Larter, Rob; Laberg, Jan Sverre; Melles, Martin; Benetti, Sara; Passchier, Sandra.
Geological Society Special Publication. 1. ed. Geological Society of London, 2019. p. 203-221 (Geological Society Special Publication; Vol. 475, No. 1).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Research › peer-review
TY - CHAP
T1 - Processes influencing differences in arctic and antarctic trough mouth fan sedimentology
AU - Gales, Jenny
AU - Hillenbrand, Claus Dieter
AU - Larter, Rob
AU - Laberg, Jan Sverre
AU - Melles, Martin
AU - Benetti, Sara
AU - Passchier, Sandra
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Trough mouth fans (TMFs) are sediment depocentres that form along high-latitude continental margins at the mouths of some cross-shelf troughs. They reflect the dynamics of past ice sheets over multiple glacial cycles and processes operating on (formerly) glaciated continental shelves and slopes, such as erosion, reworking, transport and deposition. The similarities and differences in TMF morphology and formation processes in the Arctic and Antarctic regions remain poorly constrained. We analyse the dimensions and geometries of 15 TMFs from Arctic and Antarctic margins and the grain size distribution of 82 sediment cores centred on them. We compare the grain size composition of sub- and proglacial diamictons deposited on the shelves and glacigenic debris flows deposited on the adjacent TMFs and find a significant difference between Arctic and Antarctic margins. Antarctic margins show a coarser grain size composition for both glacigenic debris flows and shelf diamictons. This significant difference provides insight into high-latitude sediment input, transportation and glacial-interglacial regimes. We suggest that surface runoff and river discharge are responsible for enhanced fine-grained sediment input in the Arctic compared with the Antarctic.
AB - Trough mouth fans (TMFs) are sediment depocentres that form along high-latitude continental margins at the mouths of some cross-shelf troughs. They reflect the dynamics of past ice sheets over multiple glacial cycles and processes operating on (formerly) glaciated continental shelves and slopes, such as erosion, reworking, transport and deposition. The similarities and differences in TMF morphology and formation processes in the Arctic and Antarctic regions remain poorly constrained. We analyse the dimensions and geometries of 15 TMFs from Arctic and Antarctic margins and the grain size distribution of 82 sediment cores centred on them. We compare the grain size composition of sub- and proglacial diamictons deposited on the shelves and glacigenic debris flows deposited on the adjacent TMFs and find a significant difference between Arctic and Antarctic margins. Antarctic margins show a coarser grain size composition for both glacigenic debris flows and shelf diamictons. This significant difference provides insight into high-latitude sediment input, transportation and glacial-interglacial regimes. We suggest that surface runoff and river discharge are responsible for enhanced fine-grained sediment input in the Arctic compared with the Antarctic.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064205345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1144/SP475.7
DO - 10.1144/SP475.7
M3 - Chapter
T3 - Geological Society Special Publication
SP - 203
EP - 221
BT - Geological Society Special Publication
PB - Geological Society of London
ER -