Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin
The Wilkes Subglacial Basin (WSB), the largest subglacial basin in East Antarctica, is a topographic depression of continental proportions that lies beneath the East Antarctic continental ice sheet. Discovered by the US Victoria Land Traverse 1959–60, the origin of the WSB and the influence of palae...
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fttudelft:oai:tudelft.nl:uuid:792517ed-f346-4cfc-853a-825f18185989 2023-07-30T03:56:36+02:00 Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin Weihaupt, J.G. (author) Van der Hoeven, F.G. (author) Lorius, C. (author) Chambers, F.B. (author) 2013-08-24 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:792517ed-f346-4cfc-853a-825f18185989 en eng Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science, 2013, FirstView Article--1365-2079 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:792517ed-f346-4cfc-853a-825f18185989 (c) 2013 Antarctic Science Ltd climate continental ice sheet lithosphere subglacial topography journal article Text 2013 fttudelft https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 2023-07-08T20:09:42Z The Wilkes Subglacial Basin (WSB), the largest subglacial basin in East Antarctica, is a topographic depression of continental proportions that lies beneath the East Antarctic continental ice sheet. Discovered by the US Victoria Land Traverse 1959–60, the origin of the WSB and the influence of palaeoclimate on its overlying continental ice sheet have remained uncertain since the time of its discovery. Most explanations of origin favour lithospheric structural control as a function of tectonic activity. Lithospheric flexure due to thermally or isostatically induced uplift of the Transantarctic Mountains was suggested in the 1980s. Lithospheric extension and rifting was proposed in the 1990s. More recent investigations have revealed the presence of fold and thrust belts, casting doubt on flexural and extensional hypotheses as the primary mechanisms, suggesting instead a compressional scenario. While remaining inconclusive, these tectonic mechanisms in one form or another, or in combination, are now believed to have provided the structural control for the origin of the WSB. Not yet comprehensively examined, however, is the role of non-tectonic processes in the formation of the WSB, as they may have influenced the size, configuration, subglacial sedimentation and subglacial topography of the WSB. In this paper we review the tectonic hypotheses and examine post-tectonic climate change along with glacial and marine processes as potentially significant factors in the present condition and configuration of the WSB. In the process, we find that there are a number of features not included in previous investigations that may have been major factors in the modification of the subglacial basin. Geoscience and Remote Sensing Civil Engineering and Geosciences Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Victoria Land Delft University of Technology: Institutional Repository Antarctic East Antarctica Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land Wilkes Subglacial Basin ENVELOPE(145.000,145.000,-75.000,-75.000) Antarctic Science 26 4 377 383 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Delft University of Technology: Institutional Repository |
op_collection_id |
fttudelft |
language |
English |
topic |
climate continental ice sheet lithosphere subglacial topography |
spellingShingle |
climate continental ice sheet lithosphere subglacial topography Weihaupt, J.G. (author) Van der Hoeven, F.G. (author) Lorius, C. (author) Chambers, F.B. (author) Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
topic_facet |
climate continental ice sheet lithosphere subglacial topography |
description |
The Wilkes Subglacial Basin (WSB), the largest subglacial basin in East Antarctica, is a topographic depression of continental proportions that lies beneath the East Antarctic continental ice sheet. Discovered by the US Victoria Land Traverse 1959–60, the origin of the WSB and the influence of palaeoclimate on its overlying continental ice sheet have remained uncertain since the time of its discovery. Most explanations of origin favour lithospheric structural control as a function of tectonic activity. Lithospheric flexure due to thermally or isostatically induced uplift of the Transantarctic Mountains was suggested in the 1980s. Lithospheric extension and rifting was proposed in the 1990s. More recent investigations have revealed the presence of fold and thrust belts, casting doubt on flexural and extensional hypotheses as the primary mechanisms, suggesting instead a compressional scenario. While remaining inconclusive, these tectonic mechanisms in one form or another, or in combination, are now believed to have provided the structural control for the origin of the WSB. Not yet comprehensively examined, however, is the role of non-tectonic processes in the formation of the WSB, as they may have influenced the size, configuration, subglacial sedimentation and subglacial topography of the WSB. In this paper we review the tectonic hypotheses and examine post-tectonic climate change along with glacial and marine processes as potentially significant factors in the present condition and configuration of the WSB. In the process, we find that there are a number of features not included in previous investigations that may have been major factors in the modification of the subglacial basin. Geoscience and Remote Sensing Civil Engineering and Geosciences |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Weihaupt, J.G. (author) Van der Hoeven, F.G. (author) Lorius, C. (author) Chambers, F.B. (author) |
author_facet |
Weihaupt, J.G. (author) Van der Hoeven, F.G. (author) Lorius, C. (author) Chambers, F.B. (author) |
author_sort |
Weihaupt, J.G. (author) |
title |
Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
title_short |
Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
title_full |
Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
title_fullStr |
Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
title_full_unstemmed |
Origin(s) of Antarctica's Wilkes subglacial basin |
title_sort |
origin(s) of antarctica's wilkes subglacial basin |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:792517ed-f346-4cfc-853a-825f18185989 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(145.000,145.000,-75.000,-75.000) |
geographic |
Antarctic East Antarctica Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land Wilkes Subglacial Basin |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic East Antarctica Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land Wilkes Subglacial Basin |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Victoria Land |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Victoria Land |
op_relation |
Antarctic Science, 2013, FirstView Article--1365-2079 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:792517ed-f346-4cfc-853a-825f18185989 |
op_rights |
(c) 2013 Antarctic Science Ltd |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102013000746 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
26 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
377 |
op_container_end_page |
383 |
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1772813839616704512 |