Geomorphology and glacial history of Rauer Group, East Antarctica

The presence of glacial sediments across the Rauer Group indicates that the East Antarctic ice sheet formerly covered the entire archipelago and has since retreated at least 15 km from its maximum extent. The degree of weathering of these glacial sediments suggests that ice retreat from this maximum...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary Research
Main Authors: White, DA, Bennike, O, Berg, S, Harley, SL, Fink, D, Kiernan, K, McConnell, A, Wagner, B
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Inc. 2009
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
Geomorphology and Regolith and Landscape Evolution
Antarctic
East Antarctic Ice Sheet
East Antarctica
Larsemann Hills
Rauer Group
Vestfold
Vestfold Hills
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Sheet
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2009.04.001
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/57959
Description
Summary:The presence of glacial sediments across the Rauer Group indicates that the East Antarctic ice sheet formerly covered the entire archipelago and has since retreated at least 15 km from its maximum extent. The degree of weathering of these glacial sediments suggests that ice retreat from this maximum position occurred sometime during the latter half of the last glacial cycle. Following this phase of retreat, the ice sheet margin has not expanded more than 1 km seaward of its present position. This pattern of ice sheet change matches that recorded in Vestfold Hills, providing further evidence that the diminutive Marine Isotope Stage 2 ice sheet advance in the nearby Larsemann Hills may have been influenced by local factors rather than a regional ice-sheet response to climate and sea-level change.

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