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The influence of Totten Glacier on the Late Cenozoic sedimentary record

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2020

Federica Donda Open the ORCID record for Federica Donda [Opens in a new window] ,
German Leitchenkov Open the ORCID record for German Leitchenkov [Opens in a new window] ,
Giuliano Brancolini Open the ORCID record for Giuliano Brancolini [Opens in a new window] ,
Roberto Romeo Open the ORCID record for Roberto Romeo [Opens in a new window] ,
Laura De Santis Open the ORCID record for Laura De Santis [Opens in a new window] ,
Carlota Escutia Open the ORCID record for Carlota Escutia [Opens in a new window] ,
Philip O'Brien Open the ORCID record for Philip O'Brien [Opens in a new window] ,
Leanne Armand Open the ORCID record for Leanne Armand [Opens in a new window] ,
Andrea Caburlotto Open the ORCID record for Andrea Caburlotto [Opens in a new window]  and
Diego Cotterle Open the ORCID record for Diego Cotterle [Opens in a new window]
Federica Donda*
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
German Leitchenkov
Affiliation:
The All-Russia Scientific Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean, St Petersburg, Russia Institute of Earth Sciences, St Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russia
Giuliano Brancolini
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
Roberto Romeo
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
Laura De Santis
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
Carlota Escutia
Affiliation:
Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra CSIC - Universidad de Granada, Avda de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla (Granada), Spain
Philip O'Brien
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Leanne Armand
Affiliation:
The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
Andrea Caburlotto
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
Diego Cotterle
Affiliation:
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

Analysis of multichannel seismic profiles collected on the continental rise off the Sabrina Coast, East Antarctica, has allowed the determination of the acoustic features that are indicative of major evolution steps of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) and highlights the role of meltwater that originated from Totten Glacier in shaping the margin architecture. The arrival of marine-terminating glaciers into the coastal region was recorded by an enhanced sediment input on the continental rise and the nucleation of channel-levees. Downslope sedimentary processes were dominant throughout the Late Cenozoic, testifying to the progressive growth of a highly dynamic, temperate ice sheet on the continent. The last evolutionary step marks the transition to when a full polar glacial regime occurred. The development of a prograding wedge with steeply dipping foresets on the continental shelf and slope exemplifies sedimentation at this time. Other sub-sea-floor observations indicate that downslope fluxes, triggered by glacial meltwater, were still able to deeply erode and deliver sediments to the rise area. This study's findings have led to the identification of expanded and well-preserved sedimentary successions, which we suggest should be considered as priority targets for future International Ocean Discovery Program deep drilling due to the sensitivity of the ice sheet in this area.

Keywords

East Antarcticamultichannel seismicseismostratigraphy
Type
Physical Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , August 2020 , pp. 288 - 300
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Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2020

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