Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence
Abstract The Amundsen Sea embayment is a probable site for the initiation of a future collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the transport pathways of subglacial sediments into this embayment at present and during the last glacial period. It dis...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102011000320 2024-09-15T17:39:03+00:00 Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence Ehrmann, Werner Hillenbrand, Claus-Dieter Smith, James A. Graham, Alastair G.C. Kuhn, Gerhard Larter, Robert D. 2011 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102011000320 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102011000320 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 23, issue 5, page 471-486 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2011 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102011000320 2024-09-04T04:04:20Z Abstract The Amundsen Sea embayment is a probable site for the initiation of a future collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the transport pathways of subglacial sediments into this embayment at present and during the last glacial period. It discusses the clay mineral composition of sediment samples taken from the seafloor surface and marine cores in order to decipher spatial and temporal changes in the sediment provenance. The most striking feature in the present-day clay mineral distribution is the high concentration of kaolinite, which is mainly supplied by the Thwaites Glacier system and indicates the presence of hitherto unknown kaolinite-bearing sedimentary strata in the hinterland, probably in the Byrd Subglacial Basin. The main illite input is via the Pine Island Glacier. Smectite originates from the erosion of volcanic rocks in Ellsworth Land and western Marie Byrd Land. The clay mineral assemblages in diamictons deposited during the last glacial period are distinctly different from those in corresponding surface sediments. This relationship indicates that glacial sediment sources were different from modern ones, which could reflect changes in the catchment areas of the glaciers and ice streams. Article in Journal/Newspaper Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Pine Island Pine Island Glacier Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 23 5 471 486 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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English |
description |
Abstract The Amundsen Sea embayment is a probable site for the initiation of a future collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the transport pathways of subglacial sediments into this embayment at present and during the last glacial period. It discusses the clay mineral composition of sediment samples taken from the seafloor surface and marine cores in order to decipher spatial and temporal changes in the sediment provenance. The most striking feature in the present-day clay mineral distribution is the high concentration of kaolinite, which is mainly supplied by the Thwaites Glacier system and indicates the presence of hitherto unknown kaolinite-bearing sedimentary strata in the hinterland, probably in the Byrd Subglacial Basin. The main illite input is via the Pine Island Glacier. Smectite originates from the erosion of volcanic rocks in Ellsworth Land and western Marie Byrd Land. The clay mineral assemblages in diamictons deposited during the last glacial period are distinctly different from those in corresponding surface sediments. This relationship indicates that glacial sediment sources were different from modern ones, which could reflect changes in the catchment areas of the glaciers and ice streams. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ehrmann, Werner Hillenbrand, Claus-Dieter Smith, James A. Graham, Alastair G.C. Kuhn, Gerhard Larter, Robert D. |
spellingShingle |
Ehrmann, Werner Hillenbrand, Claus-Dieter Smith, James A. Graham, Alastair G.C. Kuhn, Gerhard Larter, Robert D. Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
author_facet |
Ehrmann, Werner Hillenbrand, Claus-Dieter Smith, James A. Graham, Alastair G.C. Kuhn, Gerhard Larter, Robert D. |
author_sort |
Ehrmann, Werner |
title |
Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
title_short |
Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
title_full |
Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
title_fullStr |
Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
title_full_unstemmed |
Provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the Amundsen Sea embayment, West Antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
title_sort |
provenance changes between recent and glacial-time sediments in the amundsen sea embayment, west antarctica: clay mineral assemblage evidence |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102011000320 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102011000320 |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Pine Island Pine Island Glacier Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Pine Island Pine Island Glacier Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 23, issue 5, page 471-486 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102011000320 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
23 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
471 |
op_container_end_page |
486 |
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1810477234533695488 |