Eolian deposits of the ice-free Victoria Valley, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica

Autor: R. W. P. Palmer, M. J. Selby, R. B. Rains
Rok vydání: 1974
Předmět:
Zdroj: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 17:543-562
ISSN: 1175-8791
0028-8306
DOI: 10.1080/00288306.1973.10421580
Popis: The most widespread eolian deposits of the Victoria Land dry valleys, Antarctica, are pebble ripples which appear to b" of larger size than those r,eported from other continents. The crests of the ripples are composed of grains with a greater diameter than the grains of the flanks. The mean ripple index of 23 is higher than that of large ripples reported from outside Antarctica, and there does not seem to be a simple relationship between index and grain size. The high winds and high-density cold air of Antarctica appear capable of moving the largest pebbles which have a diameter of 19 mm. Sand forming transverse and whaleback dunes in the Victoria Valley is derived from the outwash from the Victoria Lower Glacier. The sand in the dunes is interbedded with snow, and moisture from this allows the dunes to be permafrosted except for a thin surface layer of dry mobile sand. The mobile sands of the transverse dunes are seasonally reversing. The sands of the dunes are well sorted and there is no select...
Databáze: OpenAIRE