 |
| Titel |
Paleosols in the Transantarctic Mountains: indicators of environmental change |
| VerfasserIn |
J. G. Bockheim |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
|
| Sprache |
Englisch
|
| ISSN |
1869-9510
|
| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Solid Earth ; 4, no. 2 ; Nr. 4, no. 2 (2013-11-20), S.451-459 |
| Datensatznummer |
250084944
|
| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/se-4-451-2013.pdf |
|
|
|
|
|
| Zusammenfassung |
| The Transantarctic Mountains (TAMs), a 3500 km long chain that subdivides
East Antarctica from West Antarctica, are important for reconstructing the
tectonic, glacial, and climatic history of Antarctica. With an ice-free area
of 24 200 km2 (50% of the total in Antarctica), the TAMs contain
an unusually high proportion of paleosols, including relict and buried soils.
The unconsolidated paleosols range from late Quaternary to Miocene in age,
the semi-consolidated paleosols are of early Miocene to Oligocene age, and
the consolidated paleosols are of Paleozoic age. Paleosols on unconsolidated
deposits are emphasized in this study. Examples are given from the McMurdo
Dry Valleys (78° S) and two outlet glaciers in the central and
southern TAMS, including the Hatherton–Darwin Glacier region (80° S)
and the Beardmore Glacier region (85°30' S). Relict soils
constitute 73% of all of the soils examined; 10% of the soils
featured burials. About 26% of the soils examined are from the last
glaciation (< 117 ka) and have not undergone any apparent change in
climate. As an example, paleosols comprise 65% of a mapped portion of
central Wright Valley. Paleosols in the TAMs feature recycled ventifacts and
buried glacial ice in excess of 8 Ma in age, and volcanic ash of Pliocene to
Miocene age has buried some soils. Relict soils are more strongly developed
than nearby modern soils and often are dry-frozen and feature sand-wedge
casts when ice-cemented permafrost is present. The preservation of paleosols
in the TAMs can be attributed to cold-based glaciers that are able to
override landscapes while causing minimal disturbance. |
| |
|
| Teil von |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|