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Landscape evolution under the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet.
Shawn Naylor1, Andrew D Wickert2, Douglas A Edmonds3
1Center for Geospatial Data Analysis and Indiana Geological and Water Survey, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Subglacial erosion beneath the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet significantly reshaped landscapes over 2.6 million years. This erosion influenced ice sheet dynamics, potentially reducing its extent by lowering it into warmer environments.
Area of Science:
- Geomorphology
- Glaciology
- Quaternary geology
Background:
- Subglacial landscapes offer insights into ice sheet dynamics and subglacial topography interactions.
- Understanding landscape evolution beneath past ice sheets is crucial for predicting future ice behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct landscape evolution under the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet since the Pliocene (2.6 Ma ago).
- To quantify subglacial erosion rates and their spatial variability.
- To assess the impact of erosion on ice sheet dynamics and extent.
Main Methods:
- Reconstruction of preglacial and modern bedrock topography at 250 m resolution.
- Application of flow routing to infer drainage network and river profile reorganization.
- Calculation of mean and spatially variable erosion rates.
Main Results:
- Overall mean Quaternary erosion rate of 27 m/Ma.
- Higher erosion rates (35 m/Ma, locally 400 m/Ma) in ice-streaming corridors.
- Lower erosion rates (22 m/Ma) in non–ice-streaming regions.
Conclusions:
- Subglacial erosion was substantial and spatially variable.
- Erosion likely lowered the ice sheet into warmer climates, promoting ablation.
- This process may have contributed to a reduced ice sheet extent over time.
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