BOULDER TRANSPORT BY ICE ON A ST. LAWRENCE SALT- MARSH, PATTERN OF PLURIANNUAL MOVEMENTS

• Main Author: Urs Neumeier
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.452.8335; http://ismer.uqar.ca/IMG/pdf/Neumeier_2011_Coastal_Sediments_2011.pdf

Abstract: The boulder transport by sea-ice was measured during four winters (2006-2010) on the Pointe-aux-Épinettes salt marsh and sand flat, a semi-protected intertidal area of the St. Lawrence estuary with sub-arctic winter conditions. Two different transport mechanisms could be distinguished, pushing by ice floes and ice-rafting. The latter transported each winter 5-12 % of the 197 monitored boulders on distances between 2 and 140 m; several boulders were also exported offshore. The transport directions were variable, changing over short distances and the direction pattern differed from year to year. Boulder mobility varied also between winters, this was only partially linked with average winter temperature. The results highlight the capacity of sea ice to transport coarse sediments in low energy environments and the importance to take these processes into account for the sediment budget in sub-arctic regions.