Cenozoic stratigraphy in Lower Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Abstract

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Quaternary stratigraphy and glacial history of the Lower Taylor Valley, Antarctica

“…The two moraine loops described by Murrell (1973) are particularly prominent, extending from the narrow gorge at the base of Nussbaum Riegel along the south side of lake Fryxell (Fig. 3).…”

“…Large moraine ridges are also found in front of the Crescent and Howard Glaciers (Murrell 1973), and a further ridge disappears under the western margin of the Commonwealth Glacier (Fig. 4).…”

“…(1969) had proposed a stratigraphy for the moraines, and Webb & Neall (1972) and Murrell (1973) had stratigraphically placed the recent surficial and horizontally bedded glacial deposits of the Lower Taylor Valley. All these studies were limited by meagre outcrops and an inability to extend the outcrops by trenching frozen ground.…”

“…The sediments are identified as lithofacies and assigned to informal chronozones (in order of younging). This defines a more detailed glacial history for upper Quaternary deposits of the Lower Taylor Valley, and enables the stratigraphy to be revised, based on the criteria established by Murrell (1973) . Webb & Neall (1972;Fig. 3) considered the New Harbour Stream sequence to be glaciomarine and glaciofluvial in origin.…”

“…They assigned the recent raised beaches to the postglacial Taylor Formation of Speden (1962) and the reworked glaciofluvial deposits to the Quaternary glaciations. Murrell (1973) pieced together a formal stratigraphic sequence for Lower Taylor Valley using topographic features, moraines, and horizontally bedded glacioaqueous sediments. He related the most recent deposits (deltas, ice-cored moraines, and "Kukri Drift" ) to the Koettlitz Glaciation (Pewe 1960) , whife his Late Cenozoic Canada Formation (containing eight members) was assigned to Pewe's Taylor and Fryxell Glacials and the long interglacial period after the McMurdo Glaciation.…”