QUATERNARY SEDIMENT PATTERNS IN THE WEDDELL SEA: RELATIONS AND ENVIRON- MENTAL CONDITIONS

• Main Authors: D. K. Fiitterer, H. Grobe, S. Griinig
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antarctic; Arctic; The Antarctic; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*; Ice Shelves; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.456.2776; http://epic.awi.de/869/1/Fue1988c.pdf

G e r m a n y Abstract. Sediment patterns such as tex-ture, composition, and facies from three selected areas of the Antarctic continental margin of the Weddell Sea are discussed in relation to environmental variations of the Quaternary hydrosphere and cryosphere. Advance and retreat of ice shelves as well as oscillations in sea ice coverage are reflected by particular sediment facies. The distribu-tion of ice-rafted detritus tracks the Ant-arctic Coastal Current, and the Weddell Sea Bottom Water contour current can be rec-ognized by its distinctive winnowing and erosion pattern. Distribution and abundance of biogenic sediment components arc mainly controlled by the duration of sea ice coverage reflecting the long-term climatic evo lu t ion.