Quaternary Glaciations in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica

Abstract

Abstract In the coastal mountain chain of southern Victoria Land approximately 4,000 km.2 of glacier-cut valleys and dividing ranges are almost completely ice-free, while the surrounding areas are fully glacierized. In the ice-free Wright Valley and Victoria Valley systems evidence of four glaciations is recognized. The earliest two glaciations were the most extensive; glaciers flowed eastwards from the ice plateau through the coastal ranges and cut broad valleys extending to McMurdo Sound and the Ross Sea. The moraines of these glaciations are thin and highly weathered. The third glaciation was less extensive, consisting of advances by smaller glaciers derived from the inland ice plateau, the Wilson Piedmont Glacier and névé fields in the dividing ranges. The surfaces of moraines of this glaciation are now partly covered by saline lakes, evaporite deposits and extensive areas of desert pavements strewn with ventifacts. The fourth and youngest glaciation comprised small advances by remnants of the plateau-fed valley glaciers. Thick boulder moraines of this glaciation overlie earlier deposits. During each glaciation the greatest volume of ice was derived from the inland ice plateau. The volume of ice entering the valleys was dependent on the difference in altitude between the plateau surface and subglacial rock thresholds at the valley heads. Decrease in the surface level of the inland ice plateau caused the rock thresholds to increasingly hinder the eastward flow of plateau ice until practically no ice could flow down into the valleys, thereby terminating the glaciation. Such a condition exists at the present time.