Middle to Late Weichselian Norwegian Channel Ice Stream deposits and morphology on Jæren, southwestern Norway and the eastern North Sea area |
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| Authors: | KNUT STALSBERG EILIV LARSEN DAG OTTESEN HANS PETTER SEJRUP |
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| Institution: | (e-mail: ) Geological Survey of Norway, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway;Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allègaten 41, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway |
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| Abstract: | Glacial lineations on a bank area and a coastal lowland, both bordering the Norwegian Channel, are studied with regard to morphology and distribution by means of side-scan sonar data, detailed digital maps and fieldwork. Their genesis and age are further elucidated through stratigraphic and sedimentologic information from excavations in one typical coast-parallel drumlin. Four excavated sections revealed four lithologic units: Prodeltaic glaciomarine sand, glaciofluvial gravel, glaciomarine diamicton and deformation till. After Middle Weichselian delta progradation, glaciomarine diamicton was deposited and later subglacially reworked by a northwards flowing glacier. The two upper diamictons form the main volume of the ridge, which is interpreted as a drumlin, and imply a reinterpretation of the Jæren part of the so-called Lista moraine. Preconsolidation of glaciomarine diamicton suggests a maximum ice thickness of 500 m during drumlin formation, indicating an ice surface slope of 1 m/km. The occurrence of sediments that provided low basal shear stresses, and the orientation of drumlins and megaflutes indicating ice confluence both point to high glacier flow velocities and suggest that an ice stream, rather than a slower moving part of the ice sheet, occupied the Norwegian Channel during the Late Weichselian maximum. Deformation till overlying, more or less, undeformed glaciomarine diamicton suggests that high glacier velocities during periods of low driving stresses were possible due to a subglacial deformable layer. |
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