Characterization of Sediment and Sedimentary Processes by Thermoluminescence Level in the Fjord and Shelf Environment of Western Spitsbergen, Svalbard

This study explored the relationship between high Arctic depositional environments and the natural thermoluminescence (TL) signal of sediments. The energy and duration of light exposure during deposition controls the TL level of silicate mineral grains in the sediment. The results indicate that the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Forman, Steven L.
Other Authors: COLORADO UNIV AT BOULDER INST OF ARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1988
Subjects:
Physical and Dynamic Oceanography
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Optics
*THERMOLUMINESCENCE
*GLACIAL DEPOSITS
*SEDIMENTATION
EXPOSURE(GENERAL)
LIGHT
RATES
DEPTH
DEPOSITION
SHALLOW WATER
SIGNALS
RANGE(DISTANCE)
HIGH LATITUDES
SEA WATER
OCEAN ENVIRONMENTS
SEDIMENTS
SILICATES
OCEAN BOTTOM
GLACIERS
MUD
LAND ICE
FJORDS
GRANULES
ARCTIC OCEAN ISLANDS
TIME DEPENDENCE
COASTAL REGIONS
CONTROL
SOURCES
GLACIAL TILLS
ICE SHELVES
SVALBARD
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Svalbard
glacier
Ice
Ice Shelf
Ice Shelves
permafrost
Spitsbergen
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA202466
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA202466
Description
Summary:This study explored the relationship between high Arctic depositional environments and the natural thermoluminescence (TL) signal of sediments. The energy and duration of light exposure during deposition controls the TL level of silicate mineral grains in the sediment. The results indicate that the TL signal of sediments is proportional to the distance from glacier sediment source and water depth in the littoral/sublittoral zone. The highest TL levels are from tills or ice-shelf sediments, which receive little or no light exposure with deposition. Intermediate TL levels are associated with ice-proximal environments; lower and consistent TL levels are recorded for glacial-marine muds collected from fiord and shelf areas. The TL of sediments decreases away from the glacier sediment source because of longer light exposure with slower rates of deposition. The lowest TL levels are for littoral and sublittoral sediments which receive extended light exposure with shoaling. The relative TL signal of sediments is a new tool for deciphering the source of sediment, particulary in environments proximal to a glacier terminus and in shallow water, less than 15 m deep. Keywords: Glacial and marine sediments; Arctic Ocean islands; Glacial deposits.

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