Glacial influence on Neoproterozoic sedimentation: the Smalfjord Formation, northern Norway

ABSTRACT There is much debate regarding the intensity and geographic extent of glaciation during the Neoproterozoic, particularly in response to recent geochemical work suggesting that the Neoproterozoic earth was at times ice covered from equator to poles (the ‘Snowball Earth’ hypothesis). A detailed sedimentological analysis of the Neoproterozoic Smalfjord Formation of northern Norway was conducted in order to determine the extent and intensity of glacial influence on sedimentation. In the Tarmfjorden area, the Smalfjord Formation consists of a stacked succession of diamictites interbedded with fine‐grained laminated mudstones containing rare outsized clasts. Diamictites and interbedded mudstones are interpreted as the product of subaqueous mass flows generated along the basin margin. In the Varangerfjorden area, chaotically interbedded diamictites, conglomerates and sandstones are overlain by a thick succession of stacked sandstone beds; onediamictite unit at Bigganjargga overlies a striated pavement. The Varangerfjorden outcrops appear to record deposition on a subaqueous debris apron. Although diamictites contain rare striated and faceted clasts, suggesting a glacial sediment source, their origin as subaqueous mass flows prevents the interpretation of ice mass form or distribution. Rare lonestones may be associated with floating ice in the basin, which may be of glacial or seasonal origin. Glacial ice may have contributed poorly sorted glacial debris to the basin margin, either directly or through fluvioglacial systems, but there is no evidence of direct deposition by ice at Varangerfjorden or Tarmfjorden. The overall fining‐upward trend identified in the Smalfjord Formation and overlying Nyborg Formation is consistent with depositional models of rift basin settings. This fining‐upward trend, the predominance of mass flow facies including breccias associated with scarps and the evidence for extensional tectonic activity in the region suggest that tectonic activity may have played an important role in the development of this Neoproterozoic succession. The Smalfjord Formation at Tarmfjorden and Varangerfjorden does not exhibit sedimentological characteristics consistent with severe glacial conditions suggested by the snowball Earth hypothesis.     

Glacial erosion and geomorphology in the northwest Sierra Nevada, CA

Pleistocene glacial erosion left a strong topographic imprint in the northwestern Sierra Nevada at many scales, yet the specific landforms and the processes that created them have not been previously documented in the region. In contrast, glaciation in the southern and central Sierra was extensively studied and by the end of the 19th century was among the best understood examples of alpine glaciation outside of the European Alps. This study describes glacially eroded features in the northwest Sierra and presents inferred linkages between erosional forms and Pleistocene glacial processes. Many relationships corroborate theoretical geomorphic principles. These include the occurrence of whalebacks in deep ice positions, roches moutonnées under thin ice, and occurrence of P-forms in low topographic positions where high subglacial meltwater pressures were likely. Some of the landforms described here have not previously been noted in the Sierra, including a large crag and tail eroded by shallow ice and erosional benches high on valley walls thought to be cut by ice-marginal channels.     

Holocene glacial history and sea-level changes on James Ross Island,Antarctic Peninsula

A reconstruction of deglaciation and associated sea-level changes on northern James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula, based on lithostratigraphical and geomorphological studies, shows that the initial deglaciation of presently ice-free areas occurred slightly before 7400 ¹⁴C yr BP. Sea-level in connection with the deglaciation was around 30 m a.s.l. A glacier readvance in Brandy Bay, of at least 7 km, with the initial 3 km over land, reached a position off the present coast at ca. 4600 yr BP. The culmination of the advance was of short duration, and by 4300 yr BP the coastal lowlands again were ice-free. A distinct marine level at 16–18 m a.s.l. was contemporaneous with or slightly post-dates the Brandy Bay advance, thus indicating the relative sea-level around 4600–4500 yr BP. Our results from James Ross Island confirm that over large areas in this part of Antarctica the last deglaciation occurred late. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An approach to modelling the impact of snow drift on glaciation in the Cairngorm Mountains,Scotland

This paper uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to develop a rule-based model of the effect of snow drifting on glacier growth in the Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland during the Younger Dryas interval. We develop a qualitative model of snow drift that uses a number of simple heuristics to generate a map of relative accumulation at a 50-m resolution over the massif. Relative susceptibility to snow drifting is then compared for a number of different zones under varying wind directions. We conclude that, under the conditions tested in our model, glaciation of the Cairngorms during the Younger Dryas was confined to the high corries and that the pattern of snow drifting suggested by our model points to dominant southerly winds. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ice directions in western lleyn and the status of the gwynedd readvance of the last irish sea glacier

A ‘Gwynedd readvance’ of the last Irish Sea glacier, terminating on the north coast of the Lleyn peninsula in northwest Wales, has been proposed on the basis of differences in ice flow direction and in drift landforms on either side of the proposed limit. However, detailed drift mapping of western Lleyn reveals erosional and depositional evidence of ice flow direction which are consistent with a single advance and retreat. Differences in drift landforms are explained by the influence of topography on glacier dynamics and sedimentation. There is, therefore, no reason to invoke a ‘Gwynedd readvance’ of the last Irish Sea glacier and the marked climatic deterioration which a substantial readvance of such a large glacier would imply.     

华南南华纪南沱冰期海洋环境的沉积地球化学记录——来自黔东部南华系南沱组白云岩碳氧同位素和微量元素的证据

新元古代"雪球地球"事件代表地球经历的极端气候条件,对其后的大气和海洋氧化、生物地球化学循环和真核生物的演化都产生了深远的影响。然而同冰期化学沉积岩的缺乏,严重制约了对冰期海洋环境的了解。笔者等在贵州松桃地区一钻孔岩芯南华系南沱组中采集到一套同冰期白云岩,为南沱冰期海洋环境研究提供了理想材料。岩芯中白云岩层位于南沱组下部,夹持于两套杂砾岩、粉砂质泥岩组合中间,厚度1.61 m。偏光显微镜和扫描电镜观察表明岩性为微晶白云岩。采用Delta V Advantage稳定同位素质谱仪分析白云岩的碳、氧同位素,测定结果为:δ~(18)O_(V-PDB)在-16.97‰～-8.37‰之间,δ~(13)C_(V-PDB)在-9.68‰～-8.42‰之间,与冰期前后碳同位素组成对比,δ~(13)C_(V-PDB)具显著低负值特征。电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)微量元素分析结果表明:白云岩样品中铁、锰含量很高,铁含量的平均值约为92867×10~(-6),锰含量的平均值约为10644×10~(-6);Mn/Sr值较大,平均值约为26.89。综合碳、氧同位素的相关性及微量元素特征分析表明,南沱组同冰期白云岩碳同位素组成代表了原始的沉积记录。研究结果表明:①南沱组白云岩的出现反映了南沱冰期海洋中存在着开放的水体,这些开放水体为此时真核生物提供了重要的栖息场所。②南沱冰期海洋处于富铁缺氧的环境,白云岩中碳同位素低负值主要是甲烷厌氧氧化的结果。③同位素质量平衡计算表明,冰期海洋中较高比例的有机质埋藏和极其有限的大气-海洋气体交换导致了大气中氧浓度的升高。     

新疆库鲁克塔格地区特瑞爱肯冰期下限及沉积物源分析

本文通过对新疆库鲁克塔格地区特瑞爱肯组底部含冰碛砾砂质泥岩的碎屑锆石进行U-Pb年龄测定,获得100组U-Pb年龄有效数据,最年轻碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄652.5±12.0 Ma,该年龄代表了特瑞爱肯组的最大沉积年龄,也表示特瑞爱肯冰期的下限。本文获得的特瑞爱肯冰期下限与南沱冰期、Marinoan冰期下限较为一致,认为三者的发生具有等时性。对其余较老年龄分析,U-Pb年龄峰值为800 Ma和1911 Ma的碎屑锆石具有显著优势,特瑞爱肯冰期的沉积物源主要为来自715～887 Ma、1700～2300 Ma及2400～2800 M的岩石。     

Late Devensian ice sheet characteristics: a palaeohydraulic approach

Glacial meltwater channels are incised into bedrock and diamicton along much of the length of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge. Detailed mapping of one such system near the town of Helsby reveals a dendritic channel network developed in the opposite direction to the regional ice flow during the last (Late Devensian) glaciation. The channels formed subglacially, under atmospheric and not hydrostatic pressure, presumably as the ice sheet downwasted during deglaciation. Morphological and palaeohydraulic evidence suggests that not all of the network was necessarily active contemporaneously. Former water levels in the channels can be estimated due to the presence of bar surfaces, giving a calculated palaeodischarge of at least 111 m³ s⁻¹. The ablation rates required to account for this large discharge are an order of magnitude greater than those obtained from theoretical calculations and those observed in modern glacial environments. This implies that some form of high-magnitude discharge, such as a seasonal flood event, must have taken place in this area during deglaciation. This picture of the Late Devensian ice sheet suggests that during recession the ice sheet was static, crevassed and relatively thin (<50 m). This study also shows that there is no simple relationship between meltwater channel direction and ice dynamics, and that care is required when using the former to make inferences about the latter. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Late Devensian glaciation of the eastern Lleyn Peninsula,North Wales: evidence for terrestrial depositional environments

The glacial deposits of the eastern Lleyn Peninsula record the advance, coalescence and subsequent retreat and uncoupling of Welsh and Irish Sea ice-sheets during the Late Devensian cold stage. During advance a thick sheet of basal diamict was deposited over much of the area, and during retreat and uncoupling, which occurred after 14.5 ka, the eastern part of the area was dominated by the formation of a large sandur system draining from the retreating margin of the Irish Sea ice-sheet. Subsequent stages of retreat are marked by a series of arcuate cross-valley moraines formed either by ice-contact deposition during stillstand or by structural deformation during minor snout oscillation. In the western part of the area sedimentation was controlled by a series of dead-ice ridges running parallel to the retreating ice-margin and this led to the development of a complex assemblage of localised depositional environments including ice-front alluvial fans, marginal sandur troughs and pro-glacial lake basins, all formed under supraglacial ice-marginal conditions. No evidence of glaciomarine deposition is recorded. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

现代长江口的形成及末次冰消期以来沉积环境演变

利用在长江口崇明岛获得的一个第四纪钻孔,对中更新世末以来的沉积物进行了OSL、14C测年,在此基础上进行岩性、微体古生物和孢粉分析,以探讨现代长江口形成的基础以及末次冰消期以来在气候-海平面波动控制下河口沉积环境的演变。研究结果显示,本孔所在地中更新世末处于湖沼环境,但晚更新世一直以河流环境为主,且主要发育末次冰期的河道滞留相沉积。在此基础上,随着末次冰消期海平面的上升,先后发育了河口湾和三角洲沉积体系。末次冰消期的海平面快速上升在本孔沉积物记录中体现为微体古生物化石较丰富,潮流作用显著。全新世早期长江口堆积速率明显高于全新世中晚期,应当反映了温暖湿润的季风气候条件下入海泥沙非常丰富。