Alpine valley heads on the Antarctic Peninsula |
| |
| Authors: | VALERIE M HAYNES |
| |
| Institution: | Department of Environmental Science, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK |
| |
| Abstract: | Landform assemblages may be useful for elucidating glaciological changes in West Antarctica. Numerous nunataks in the Antaretic Peninsula are highly dissected by alpine valley heads (corries, cirque-headed valleys, etc.). It is believed that these have been cut by wet-based mountain glaciation before and during the build up of the ice-sheet. though the smallest ones may have formed later at times when the ice-sheet was insufficiently thick to submerge them. Dimensions of the features suggest that the main alpine glaciation was in the Miocene. Morphometric analysis of 1663 alpine valley heads has been based on satellite imagery, concentrating on regional variations in frequency, size and orientation. Length of alpine glaciation is believed to be an important control of size. Orientation is believed to have been influenced by palaeoclimate as well as topography. During early, more marginal glaciations poleward and lee-side sites were occupied by corrie glaciers, with more windward sites being added as glaciation intensified, followed by northerly orientations under more recent polar conditions. Comparisons have also been made with other morphometric studies of corries in Antarctica and elsewhere. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
