Differences in ice retreat across Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica, since the Last Glacial Maximum: indications from multichannel seismic reflection data, in: Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World

Abstract An understanding of the glacial history of Pine Island Bay (PIB) is essential for refining models of the future stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). New multichannel seismic reflection data from inner PIB are interpreted in context of previously published reconstructions for th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: G. Uenzelmann-neben, K. Gohl, R. D. Larter, P. Schlüter, Pine Isl
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2007
Subjects:
Antarctic
Island Bay
Pine Island Bay
West Antarctic Ice Sheet
West Antarctica
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Sheet
Pine Island
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.517.394
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1047/srp/srp084/of2007-1047srp084.pdf
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Summary:Abstract An understanding of the glacial history of Pine Island Bay (PIB) is essential for refining models of the future stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). New multichannel seismic reflection data from inner PIB are interpreted in context of previously published reconstructions for the retreat history in this area since the Last Glacial Maximum. Differences in the behavior of the ice sheet during deglaciation are shown to exist for the western and eastern parts of PIB. While we can identify only a thin veneer of sedimentary deposits in western PIB, eastern PIB shows sedimentary layers ≤ 400 msTWT. This is interpreted as a result of differences in ice retreat: a fast ice retreat in western PIB accompanied by rapid basal melting led to production of large meltwater streams, a slower ice retreat in eastern PIB is most probably the result of smaller drainage basins resulting in less meltwater production.

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