HR: 0800h
AN: C51B-0384 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Sedimentary characteristics of Late Pleistocene till from the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica
AU: * Licht, K
EM: klicht@iupui.edu
AF: Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
AU: Palmer, E
EM: emersonpalmer@mac.com
AF: Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
AU: Swope, R J
EM: rjswope@iupui.edu
AF: Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
AB: Particle size distributions were measured from till samples collected at seventeen moraines along the Byrd and Nimrod Glaciers. Approximately 2 g of material was separated from till samples, treated with 35% H₂O₂, and measured 3 to 5 times on a Malvern Mastersizer 2000. All sites are dominated by sand- and gravel-sized material with distinct spatial patterns in the silt and clay content. Till from the north side of Byrd Glacier and along the trunk of Nimrod glacier have variable modes in the sand fraction and <5% clay. The tills are primarily derived from locally eroded bedrock. Moraines found at the head of both glaciers contain 15% - 70% fines (silt plus clay) and are interpreted to represent the presence of subglacially-derived sediment. Till deposited in the Ross Sea from outlet glaciers likely contains a mixture basal debris derived from the East Antarctic craton and material eroded as glaciers cross the Transantarctic Mountains.
DE: 0700 CRYOSPHERE (4540)
DE: 1620 Climate dynamics (0429, 3309)
DE: 3025 Marine seismics (0935, 7294)
DE: 4944 Micropaleontology (0459, 3030)
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting