The geomorphic imprint of glacier surges into open-marine waters: Examples from eastern Svalbard ...

• Main Authors: Ottesen, D, Dowdeswell, JA, Bellec, VK, Bjarnadóttir, LR
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017
• Subjects: 37 Earth Sciences; 3709 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience; 3705 Geology; 13 Climate Action; 14 Life Below Water; Svalbard; glacier; Tidewater
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17863/cam.13691; https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/267761

Seafloor morphology beyond nine tidewater glaciers terminating in open-marine settings in eastern Svalbard has been investigated using multibeam swath-bathymetry. Historical information on tidewater glacier fluctuations over the past century or so shows that the seafloor offshore has been exposed only recently. Most glaciers have been observed to surge or have looped surface moraines indicating past surges. During these ice advances and subsequent retreat, a well-preserved submarine landform assemblage has been produced. (a) Subglacial landforms include: overridden moraine ridges, mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs), other streamlined lineations, elongate drumlins and medial moraines, small ridges forming a complex boxwork or rhombohedral pattern, and meltwater-related eskers and channels. (b) Ice-marginal landforms include: large terminal moraines with debris flow lobes on their outer flanks and indentations on their inner sides, small transverse retreat moraines, and crater-like kettle holes. (c) ...