Marine Science Faculty Publications

Submarine Glacial Landforms on the Cold East Antarctic Margin

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2016

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1144/M46.172

Abstract

The East Antarctic continental margin, which extends from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea (Fig. 1h), surrounds the largest and oldest ice mass on Earth; however, it has only been studied at a few locations because of its remoteness and persistent sea ice. The shelf is 100–150 km wide over most of its length but broadens where major crustal structures intersect it, such as in Prydz Bay (Fig. 1a) where the shelf is 200–300 km wide. This paper reviews what is known presently about the geomorphology of the best-studied sectors of the East Antarctic margin: the deep re-entrant of Prydz Bay and the narrower shelves of George V and Mac.Robertson Land (Fig. 1h). Only a small proportion of the East Antarctica shelf has been surveyed with multibeam bathymetry, so this review is also dependent on compilations of single-beam bathymetry, seismic-reflection profiles and side-scan sonar data. In particular, we use George V Digital Elevation Model (GVDEM, Beaman et al. 2011) and International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO; Arndt et al. 2013). The slope has been more widely studied, with large amounts of seismic-reflection data available (e.g. Kuvaas & Leitchenkov 1992; Escutia et al. 2000; Solli et al. 2007; Close et al. 2007).

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Submarine Glacial Landforms on the Cold East Antarctic Margin, in J. A. Dowdeswell, M. Canals, M. Jakobsson, B. J. Todd, E. K. Dowdeswell & K. A. Hogan (Eds.), Atlas of Submarine Glacial Landforms: Modern, Quaternary and Ancient, Geological Society of London Publications, v. 46, p. 501-508

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