File(s) under permanent embargo
Submarine glacial landforms and interactions with volcanism around Sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands
The geomorphologic development of HIMI has involved a combination of construction via hotspot volcanism and mechanical erosion caused by waves, weather, and glaciers. Today, the ~2.5 km2 McDonald Islands are not glacierised; in contrast, the ~368 km2 Heard Island has 12 major glaciers, some extending from the summit of 2813 m to sea level. Historical accounts from Heard Island suggest that the glaciers were more extensive in the 1850s to 1870s, and have retreated at least 12% (33.89 km2) since 1997. However, surrounding bathymetry suggests a much more extensive previous glaciation of the HIMI region that encompassed ~9,585 km2, likely dating back at least to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ca. ~26.5 -19 ka.
We present analyses of multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data, acquired aboard RV Investigator in early 2016, that support the previous existence of an extensive icecap. These data reveal widespread ice-marginal and subglacial features including moraines, over-deepened troughs, drumlins and crag-and-tails. Glacial landforms suggest paleo-ice flow directions and a glacial extent that are consistent with previously documented broad scale morphological features. We identify >660 iceberg keel scours in water depths ranging from ~150 - 530 m. The orientations of the iceberg keel scours reflect the predominantly east-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current and westerly winds in the region.
40Ar/39Ar dating of volcanic rocks from submarine volcanoes around McDonald Islands suggests that volcanism and glaciation coincided. The flat-topped morphology of these volcanoes may result from lava-ice interaction or erosion by glaciers post eruption during a time of extensive ice-sheet cover and/or wave base erosion during sea level low stands.
The prevalence and range of glacial landforms around HIMI suggest extensive past glaciation, and that glaciers have exerted a major influence on submarine geomorphology.
History
Publication title
AGU Fall Meeting AbstractsVolume
OS34A-01Department/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesEvent title
AGU Fall MeetingEvent Venue
New Orleans, USADate of Event (Start Date)
2017-12-11Date of Event (End Date)
2017-12-15Repository Status
- Restricted