Abstract
We report here the results of new micropalaeontological studies of sediments collected from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf at RISP site J9 (82°22′S, 168°38′W). RISP sediments hold the key to understanding the history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, dynamics of marine-based ice sheets, sedimentation processes that operate beneath ice shelves and perhaps the early glacial history of Antarctica. RISP sediments were formerly assigned an age of late middle Miocene on the basis of their diatom flora. Our diatom analyses do not support this age assignment: diatoms in RISP cores are of mixed ages ranging from Miocene to late Quaternary, thus indicating that the sediments record a history of reworking, the most recent of which could have occurred no earlier than late Pleistocene. These results support our previous work with Ross Sea sediments but throw considerable doubt on a recent hypothesis concerning Miocene palaeogeographical evolution of the Ross Sea region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kellogg, T. B., Osterman, L. E. & Stuiver, M. J. Foram. Res. 9, 322–335 (1979).
Kellogg, T. B. & Truesdale, R. S. Mar. Micropalaeont. 4, 137–158 (1979).
Kellogg, T. B., Truesdale, R. S. & Osterman, L. E. Geology 7, 249–253 (1979).
Opdyke, N. D. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 10, 213–249 (1972).
McCollum, D. W. Init. Rep. DSDP 28, 515–571 (1975).
Brady, H. T. & Martin, H. Science 203, 437–438 (1979).
Webb, P. N., Ronan, T. E. Jr, Lipps, J. H. & DeLaca, T. E. Science 203, 435–437 (1979).
Webb, P. N. RISP tech. Rep. 78–1 (University of Nebraska, 1978); RISP tech. Rep. 79–1 (University of Nebraska, 1979).
Brady, H. T. Antarct. J. U.S. 13, 123–124 (1978); 14, 130 (1979).
Truesdale, R. S. & Kellogg, T. B. Mar. Micropalaeont. 4, 13–31 (1979).
Ling, H. Y. & White, R. J. Antarct. J. U.S. 14, 126–127 (1979).
Lipps, J. H., Ronan, T. E. Jr & DeLaca, T. E. Science 203, 447–449 (1979).
Schrader, H. J. Nova Hedwigia 45, Suppl. 403–409 (1974).
Schrader, H. J. Int. Rep. DSDP 18, 673–797 (1973); 35, 605–671 (1976).
Fenner, J. Init. Rep. DSDP 39, 491–623 (1977).
Webb, P. N. Mem. natn. Inst. Polar Res. 13, 148–149 (1979).
Jacobs, S. S., Gordon, A. L. & Ardai, J. L. Jr Science 203, 439–443 (1979).
Stuiver, M., Denton, G. H., Hughes, T. J. & Fastook, J. L. in The Last Great Ice Sheets (eds Denton, G. H. & Hughes, T. J.) 319–436 (Wiley, New York, 1981).
Kellogg, D. E., Stuiver, M., Kellogg, T. B. & Denton, G. H. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 30, 157–189 (1980).
Boulton, G. S. J. Glaciol. 24, 244 (1979).
Webb, P. N. & Brady, H. T. EOS 59, 309 (1978).
Webb, P. N. Mem. natn. Inst. Polar Res. 13, 206–212 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kellogg, T., Kellogg, D. Pleistocene sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf. Nature 293, 130–133 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/293130a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/293130a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Diagenesis of sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf and their sedimentary history
Nature (1985)
-
Interpretation of sediment cores from the Ross Ice Shelf Site J-9, Antarctica
Nature (1983)
-
Interpretation of sediment cores from the Ross Ice Shelf Site J-9, Antarctica: Reply by Thomas B. Kellogg & Davida E. Kellogg
Nature (1983)