Comparisons in depositional style of “polar” and “temperate” glacial ice; Late Paleozoic Whiteout Conglomerate (West Antarctica) and late Proterozoic Mineral Fork Formation (Utah)

Author(s):  
Charles L. Matsch ◽  
Richard W. Ojakangas
2020 ◽  
Vol 177 (6) ◽  
pp. 1107-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ezpeleta ◽  
Juan José Rustán ◽  
Diego Balseiro ◽  
Federico Miguel Dávila ◽  
Juan Andrés Dahlquist ◽  
...  

The Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) has been well recorded in the uppermost Mississippian–Pennsylvanian of Gondwana. Nevertheless, little is known about the temporal and geographic dynamics, particularly during the early Mississippian. We report on exceptional Tournaisian glaciomarine stratigraphic sections from central Argentina (Río Blanco Basin). Encompassing c. 1400 m, these successions contain conspicuous glacigenic strata with age constraints provided by palaeontological data and U/Pb detrital zircon age spectra. A variety of marine, glaciomarine and fan-deltaic environments indicate relative sea-level variations mainly associated with tectonism and repetitive cycles of glacial activity. Provenance analysis indicates a source from the Sierras Pampeanas basement located to the east. Fifteen sequences were grouped into three depositional models: (1) Transgressive Systems Tracts (TST) to Highstand Systems Tracts (HST) sequences unaffected by glacial ice; (2) Lowstand Systems Tracts (LST) to TST and then to HST with glacial influence; and (3) non-glacial Falling-Stage Systems Tracts (FSST) to TST and HST. The glacial evidence indicates that the oldest Mississippian glacial stage of the LPIA in southwestern Gondwana is constrained to the middle Tournaisian. In contrast with previous descriptions of Gondwanan coeval glacial records, our sequence analysis confirms complex hierarchical climate variability, rather than a single episode of ice advance and retreat.Supplementary material: Detailed stratigraphic sections, palaeocurrents and compositional analysis and U/Pb detrital Zr methodology and data are available at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5011424


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1007-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Bockheim

Abstract. 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 was 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.


Solid Earth ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 451-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Bockheim

Abstract. 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.


2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kalvoda ◽  
O. Babek ◽  
O. Fatka ◽  
J. Leichmann ◽  
R. Melichar ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 593 ◽  
pp. 29-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
EK Brault ◽  
PL Koch ◽  
KW McMahon ◽  
KH Broach ◽  
AP Rosenfield ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Sweeney ◽  
C.A. Finn ◽  
D.D. Blankenship ◽  
R.E. Bell ◽  
John C. Behrendt

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