Sedimentation and aspects of glacial dynamics from physical properties, mineralogy and magnetic properties at ODP Sites 1166 and 1167, Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Abstract

Trough mouth fans are formed by aggradation of glacial debris flows from sediment deposited by fast flowing ice streams extending to the shelf edge. We here present investigations at two sites, ODP Site 1166 on the shelf and ODP Site 1167 drilled on the Prydz Channel Fan in order to contribute to the understanding of Neogene ice flow patterns in Prydz Bay. The mineralogy, wt.% > 63 μm, physical and magnetic properties were analyzed. The mineralogy of Neogene strata at Site 1166 can be correlated to nearby ODP Site 742 drilled during Leg 119. Moreover an increase in the shear strength of the sediments (Leg 119 load event 3) is found both at Site 1166 and Site 742. This load event probably indicates that the oldest glacial configuration involved thicker glaciers than the later ones. The results from Site 1167 show that there has been a significant change in the provenance of the sediments during the past 2 million years. The greatest change occurred at about 1.13 Ma and implies a shift in the glacial configuration in Prydz Bay with a greater contribution of material from western parts of the drainage basin during the deposition of Unit II (> 1.13 Ma; 217–435 mbsf) at Site 1167 on the Prydz Channel Fan.