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Geomorphology and glacial history of Rauer Group, East Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Duanne A. White ,
Ole Bennike ,
Sonja Berg ,
Simon L. Harley ,
David Fink ,
Kevin Kiernan ,
Anne McConnell  and
Bernd Wagner
Duanne A. White*
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Geography, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
Ole Bennike
Affiliation:
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
Sonja Berg
Affiliation:
Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
Simon L. Harley
Affiliation:
School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
David Fink
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), PMB 1, Sydney, NSW 2234, Australia
Kevin Kiernan
Affiliation:
School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Tasmania, 7005, Australia
Anne McConnell
Affiliation:
School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Tasmania, 7005, Australia
Bernd Wagner
Affiliation:
Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 9850 6835.

E-mail address:duanne.white@mq.edu.au (D.A. White).

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Abstract

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.

Keywords

CosmogenicWeathering10BeIce sheetSchmidt hammerRaised beachRelative sea level
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 72 , Issue 1 , July 2009 , pp. 80 - 90
Copyright
University of Washington

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