Title:

Subglacial sediments: A regional geological template for ice flow in West Antarctica

Author(s):

Studinger, Michael
Bell, Robin E.
Blankenship, Donald D.
Finn, Carol A.
Arko, Robert A.
Morse, David L.
Joughin, Ian

Date:

2001

Type:

Articles

Department:

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Volume:

28

Permanent URL:

http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:10762

Book/Journal Title:

Geophysical Research Letters

Abstract:

We use aerogeophysical data to estimate the distribution of marine subglacial sediments and fault‐bounded sedimentary basins beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). We find that significant ice flow occurs exclusively in regions covered by subglacial sediments. The onsets and lateral margins of ice streams coincide with the limit of marine sediments. Lateral margins are also consistently linked with fault‐bounded basins. We predict that the inland migration of ice streams B and C 1 towards the ice divide outside the region covered by marine or rift sediments is unlikely. The subglacial geology has the potential to modulate the dynamic evolution of the ice streams and the WAIS.

Subject(s):

Hydrologic sciences
Marine geology
Geophysics

DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2000GL011788

Item views:

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