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Subglacial deformation and water-pressure cycles as a key for understanding ice stream dynamics: evidence from the Late Ordovician succession of the Djado Basin (Niger)

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Abstract

Subglacial deformation is crucial to reconstructing glacier dynamics. Sediments associated with the Late Ordovician ice sheet in the Djado Basin, Niger, exhibit detailed structures of the subglacial shear zone. Three main types of subglacial shear zones (SSZ) are discriminated. The lowermost SSZ, developed on sandstones, displays Riedel macrostructures and cataclastic microstructures. These resulted from brittle deformation associated with strong glacier/bed coupling and low pore-water pressure. Where they developed on a clay-rich bed, the overlying SSZ display S–C to S–C′ fabrics, sheath folds, and dewatering structures. These features indicate high ductile shear strain and water overpressure. On fine-grained sand beds, the SSZ exhibit homogenized sand units with sand stringers, interpreted as fluidized sliding beds. The succession of subglacial deformation processes depends on fluid-pressure behavior in relation to subglacial sediment permeability. Fluid overpressure allows subglacial sediment shear strength and ice/bed coupling to be lowered, leading to ice streaming.

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Acknowledgments

The manuscript benefited from constructive reviews by Nick Eyles and Jean-François Ghienne, as well as Jan Piotrowski and John Menzies. JFG is also particularly thanked for having shared his experience concerning Late Ordovician glacial deposits during field missions. Part of this work was made possible through research grants provided by the TOTAL “Projets Nouveaux Afrique” and research allocation from the Ministère de l’Education Nationale, de la Recherche et de la Technologie,. The authors thank TOTAL for authorizing the submission of this paper and Hugh Rice for his constructive remarks. We are also very grateful to Zibo Garba and Moussa Yahaya of the University of Niamey. This work is a contribution of the UMR-CNRS 5561 Biogéosciences, Equipe SEDS.

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  1. Michael Denis

    Present address: TOTAL CST-JF, 18, avenue Larribau, 64018, Pau Cedex, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR CNRS 5561 Biogéosciences, UFR Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement, Université de Bourgogne, 6, boulevard Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France

    Michael Denis, M. Guiraud & J.-F. Buoncristiani

  2. Département de Géologie, Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, BP 10662, Niamey, Niger

    M. Konaté

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  1. Michael Denis
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  2. M. Guiraud
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  3. M. Konaté
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  4. J.-F. Buoncristiani
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Correspondence to Michael Denis.

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Denis, M., Guiraud, M., Konaté, M. et al. Subglacial deformation and water-pressure cycles as a key for understanding ice stream dynamics: evidence from the Late Ordovician succession of the Djado Basin (Niger). Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 99, 1399–1425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-009-0455-z

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