Late Neogene Sirius Group strata in Reedy Valley, Antarctica: a multiple-resolution record of climate, ice-sheet and sea-level events

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Wilson, Gary S., Harwood, David M., Askin, Rosemary A., Levy, Richard H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1998
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; Ice Sheet; Journal of Glaciology; Reedy Glacier
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001957; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000001957

Abstract Late Neogene Sirius Group strata from Tillite Spur and Quartz Hills in the Reedy Glacier area, Antarctica, demonstrate the variability in Sirius Group facies and contrasts Sirius Group strata deposited at high and low paleo-elevation, respectively. The Tillite Spur and Quartz Hills Formations (Pliocene) are formally defined here.The Tillite Spur Formation type section crops out on the edge of the Wisconsin Plateau overlooking Tillite Spur. It comprises 32m of alternating coarse gray conglomerate and muddy olive-brown diamictites. The Quartz Hills Formation type section crops out above the western margin of Reedy Glacier in a pre-existing cirque towards the southern end of the Quartz Hills. It comprises c.100m of alternating massive diamictites and rhythmically interbedded sandstone and laminated mudstones which were deposited close to sea level and subsequently rapidly uplifted (>500 m Myr −1 ) to their present elevation at c. 1500 m. Three orders of paleoclimatic variability are recorded in the Sirius Group strata from Reedy Valley: (1) recycled marine microfloras in glacial diamictites indicate intervals of marine incursion into the Antarctic cratonic interior co-occurring with reductions in the East Antarctic ice sheet; (2) an advancing and retreating paleo-Reedy Glacier deposited a glacial/interglacial sequence alternating on a 10-100 kyr scale; 3) Centimeter and millimeter stratification in strata of the Quartz Hills Formation record annual kyr scale variability.