Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data
The glacial history of the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice-Sheet (WAIS) is of particular interest with its response to climate changes. A potential deglaciation and collapse of the Thwaites and Pine Island glacier drainage basins alone would result in a global sea level rise of approxi...
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ftawi:oai:epic.awi.de:22446 2023-05-15T13:23:42+02:00 Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data Weigelt, Estella Gohl, Karsten Uenzelmann-Neben, Gabriele Larter, R. D. 2010 https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/22446/ https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.34846 unknown Weigelt, E. orcid:0000-0003-1598-456X , Gohl, K. orcid:0000-0002-9558-2116 , Uenzelmann-Neben, G. orcid:0000-0002-0115-5923 and Larter, R. D. (2010) Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data , 24. Internationale Polartagung, 06. - 10. Sept. 2010, Obergurgel, Austria. . hdl:10013/epic.34846 EPIC324. Internationale Polartagung, 06. - 10. Sept. 2010, Obergurgel, Austria. Conference notRev 2010 ftawi 2021-12-24T15:34:15Z The glacial history of the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice-Sheet (WAIS) is of particular interest with its response to climate changes. A potential deglaciation and collapse of the Thwaites and Pine Island glacier drainage basins alone would result in a global sea level rise of approximately 1.5 m. Multichannel seismic reflection profiles offer a record of the glacial development in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment during the Neogene. We identify pronounced northwest-dipping reflector series of more than 1 s TWT thickness (> 800 m) on the middle shelf indicating well layered sedimentary units. The dipping strata reveal a striking alternation of reflection-poor, almost opaque units and sequences of closely spaced, continuous reflectors. We suggest that the distinct change in reflection pattern represents marked episodes of ice sheet advance and retreat. Due to the similarity with the seismic stratigraphy and lithology in bore-hole records of the distant Ross Sea, we suggest that these dipping strata to developed since the onset of glaciation in the Miocene. Numerous reflection-poor vertical pipes with sharp vertical boundaries are located mostly in the shallow part of the middle shelf. We identify reflection signals below them and, hence, exclude gas bearing chimneys but interpret the structures to present dewatering veins. We take the occurrence of dewatering pipes as further evidence for a glacial origin and overprint of the sedimentary sequences. Conference Object Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Pine Island Glacier Ross Sea Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar- and Marine Research (AWI): ePIC (electronic Publication Information Center) Amundsen Sea Antarctic Pine Island Glacier ENVELOPE(-101.000,-101.000,-75.000,-75.000) Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
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Open Polar |
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Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar- and Marine Research (AWI): ePIC (electronic Publication Information Center) |
op_collection_id |
ftawi |
language |
unknown |
description |
The glacial history of the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice-Sheet (WAIS) is of particular interest with its response to climate changes. A potential deglaciation and collapse of the Thwaites and Pine Island glacier drainage basins alone would result in a global sea level rise of approximately 1.5 m. Multichannel seismic reflection profiles offer a record of the glacial development in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment during the Neogene. We identify pronounced northwest-dipping reflector series of more than 1 s TWT thickness (> 800 m) on the middle shelf indicating well layered sedimentary units. The dipping strata reveal a striking alternation of reflection-poor, almost opaque units and sequences of closely spaced, continuous reflectors. We suggest that the distinct change in reflection pattern represents marked episodes of ice sheet advance and retreat. Due to the similarity with the seismic stratigraphy and lithology in bore-hole records of the distant Ross Sea, we suggest that these dipping strata to developed since the onset of glaciation in the Miocene. Numerous reflection-poor vertical pipes with sharp vertical boundaries are located mostly in the shallow part of the middle shelf. We identify reflection signals below them and, hence, exclude gas bearing chimneys but interpret the structures to present dewatering veins. We take the occurrence of dewatering pipes as further evidence for a glacial origin and overprint of the sedimentary sequences. |
format |
Conference Object |
author |
Weigelt, Estella Gohl, Karsten Uenzelmann-Neben, Gabriele Larter, R. D. |
spellingShingle |
Weigelt, Estella Gohl, Karsten Uenzelmann-Neben, Gabriele Larter, R. D. Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
author_facet |
Weigelt, Estella Gohl, Karsten Uenzelmann-Neben, Gabriele Larter, R. D. |
author_sort |
Weigelt, Estella |
title |
Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
title_short |
Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
title_full |
Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
title_fullStr |
Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data |
title_sort |
ice sheet variations in the western amundsen sea embayment as depicted in seismic data |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/22446/ https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.34846 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-101.000,-101.000,-75.000,-75.000) |
geographic |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Pine Island Glacier Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
geographic_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Pine Island Glacier Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Pine Island Glacier Ross Sea |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Pine Island Glacier Ross Sea |
op_source |
EPIC324. Internationale Polartagung, 06. - 10. Sept. 2010, Obergurgel, Austria. |
op_relation |
Weigelt, E. orcid:0000-0003-1598-456X , Gohl, K. orcid:0000-0002-9558-2116 , Uenzelmann-Neben, G. orcid:0000-0002-0115-5923 and Larter, R. D. (2010) Ice sheet variations in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as depicted in seismic data , 24. Internationale Polartagung, 06. - 10. Sept. 2010, Obergurgel, Austria. . hdl:10013/epic.34846 |
_version_ |
1766374245720391680 |