Glacial geology and late Cenozoic history of the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

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Glacial geology and late Cenozoic history of the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

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A glacial geology for the Transantarctic Mountains is determined based on a comparison of glacial deposits in the Queen Maud Mountains and along the nunataks at the heads of the ice-free valleys of southern Victoria Land with deposits studied by other workers in southern Victoria Land. Based on the terminology adopted in the Queen Maud Mountains and on correlation with deposits dated by Behling, Denton, Fleck and others in southern Victoria Land the glacial chronology of the Transantarctic Mountains includes the Amundsen Glaciation, 6,000 y.a.; Shackleton Glaciation, .24m y.a.; Scott Glaciation “Interglacial,” 2.1 to 2.4 m.y.a.; and Queen Maud Glaciation, 4.2 m.y.a. The ice surfaces of former glaciations in these mountains are extrapolated inland to generate former ice sheet surface profiles and out into the Ross Ice Shelf to determine former ground lines and ice thicknesses in this area. The ice surface reconstructions indicate that during the Queen Maud Glaciation the Transantarctic Mountains were almost completely covered by ice. Ice volumes are determined from the ice surface profiles of the former glaciations. These ice volumes are extrapolated over the area of Antarctic grounded ice and ice shelves, assuming the Transantarctic Mountains reflect glacial events over the whole continent. The ice volumes are converted to sea level equivalents to determine the effect of Antarctic glaciations on worldwide sea level.
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Ann Arbor, Mich., Xerox University Microfilms, 1973, 215p. Order No. 74-3248, PhD. Thesis.
Bibliographic Citation: 
Mayewski, P.A.Glacial geology and late Cenozoic history of the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica-Thesis/Dissertation Ann Arbor, Mich., Xerox University Microfilms, 1973, 215p. Order No. 74-3248, PhD. Thesis.1973