History of research on glaciation in the White Mountains, New Hampshire (U.S.A.)

• Published in: Géographie physique et Quaternaire
• Main Author: Thompson, Woodrow B.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal 1999
• Subjects: Ice Sheet
• Online Access: http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/004879ar; https://doi.org/10.7202/004879ar

The glacial geology of the White Mountains in New Hampshire has been the subject of many investigations since the 1840's. A series of controversies evolved during this period. First was the question of what geologic processes were responsible for eroding the bedrock and depositing the cover of surficial sediments. By the 1860's, the concept of glaciation replaced earlier theories invoking floods and icebergs. Research in the late 1800's concerned the relative impact of continental versus local glaciation. Some workers believed that surficial deposits in northern New Hampshire were the product of valley glaciers radiating from the White Mountains, but in the early 1900's continental glaciation was established as the most important process across the region. Debate over the extent and timing of alpine glaciation in the Presidential Range has continued until recent years. The most intensely argued topic has been the manner in which the Late Wisconsinan ice sheet withdrew from the White Mountains: whether by rapid stagnation and downwastage, or by progressive retreat of a still-active ice margin. The stagnation model became popular in the 1930's and was unchallenged until the late 1900's. Following a research hiatus lasting over 40 years, renewed interest in the glacial history of the White Mountains continues to inspire additional work. La géologie glaciaire des White Mountains au New Hampshire a fait l'objet de nombreuses études de 1840 à 1940. Les recherches ont donné lieu à différentes controverses au cours de cette période. Il y a d'abord eu la question des processus géologiques responsables de l'érosion du substratum et de la mise en place des sédiments de surface. Vers les années 1860, l'hypothèse des glaciers a prévalu sur les théories évoquant les inondations et les icebergs. La recherche à la fin du XIX e siècle cherchait à déterminer l'apport relatif des glaciations continentales et des glaciations locales. Certains chercheurs croyaient que les dépôts de surface dans le nord du New Hampshire provenaient ...