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Observations on the ice‐marginal, periglacial geomorphology of Terra Nova Bay, Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica

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  • H. M. French
  • M. Guglielmin

Abstract

The ice‐free areas of the Northern Foothills, Antarctica, represent an ice‐marginal, high‐latitude periglacial environment. In addition to extreme cold and aridity, they are characterized by exceptionally strong winds. The effectiveness of traditional freeze–thaw and mass‐wasting (solifluction) processes are limited because of the lack of moisture and the shallow active layer. Mass wasting mainly occurs through in situ rock disintegration and associated gravity processes. Bare rectilinear bedrock slopes are the result and reflect a balance between debris production and debris removal. The most active landscape‐modifying processes appear to be (1) wind erosion and (2) taffoni and honeycomb weathering. Ventifacts are used to suggest a very tentative rate of wind abrasion of approximately 0.10–0.30 cm per 1000 years. Rates of taffoni and honeycomb weathering appear to be an order of magnitude greater, estimated to be between 2–3 and 8–10 cm per 1000 years. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Les régions libres de glace des Northern Foothills, dans l'Antarctique, représentent un environment périglaciaire de haute latitude et de marge glaciaire. En plus d'un froid et d'une aridité extrêmes, cette région est caractérisée par des vents exceptionnellement violents. Les processus traditionnels de gel‐dégel et de mouvements de masse (solifluxion) sont limités à cause de l'absence d'humidité et du peu d'épaisseur de la couche active. Des mouvements de masse se produisent principalement à l'occasion de la désagrégation de la roche en place et des processus de gravité associés. Des pentes rectilinéaires de roche en place reflètent un équilibre entre la production de débris et leur transport. Les processus les plus actifs modifiant le paysage semblent être (1) l'érosion éolienne et (2) l'altération créant des taffonis et des nids d'abeilles. Les cailloux éolisés suggérent une vitesse d'abrasion éolienne d'approximativement 0.10–0.30 cm par 1000 ans. Les vitesses de formation des taffonis et des nids d'abeille semblent être un ordre de grandeur plus grand, et sont estimées entre 2–3 et 8–10 cm par 1000 ans. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • H. M. French & M. Guglielmin, 1999. "Observations on the ice‐marginal, periglacial geomorphology of Terra Nova Bay, Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(4), pages 331-347, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:perpro:v:10:y:1999:i:4:p:331-347
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1530(199910/12)10:43.0.CO;2-A
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicoletta Cannone & Stefano Ponti & Francesco Malfasi, 2021. "A Pilot Project to Limit the Human Impacts on the Fragile Antarctic Biota: Mitigation of a Runway through Vegetation Transplantation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Mauro Guglielmin & Nicoletta Cannone, 2012. "A permafrost warming in a cooling Antarctica?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 177-195, March.
    3. Mauro Guglielmin & Julian Murton & Antoni G. Lewkowicz, 2021. "Hugh French memorial for Permafrost and Periglacial Processes," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 181-185, April.

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