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Reassessing classic evidence for warm-based Cryogenian ice on the western Laurentian margin: The “striated pavement” of the Mineral Fork Formation, USA

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Bethan DaviesORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2021 The Author(s)Determining the extent and nature of ancient glacial deposits is fundamental to understanding Earth's climate in the Cryogenian Period. Although the detailed study of sedimentary facies has allowed significant insights, it typically fails to produce high confidence interpretations for the past position of grounded ice, its thermal regime and flow direction, which are of fundamental importance to any glaciological reconstruction. When correctly identified, Cryogenian subglacially striated surfaces (pavements) unequivocally indicate grounded ice, a warm-based thermal regime and flow direction. However, they are globally rare and open to misinterpretation. Despite a discontinuous belt of Cryogenian strata, stretching thousands of kilometres from Alaska to California, the only purported Cryogenian pavements from the North American continent or the western margin of the Laurentian palaeocontinent occur in the Big Cottonwood Canyon area, Utah. We critically reappraise the only uncontested pavement from this area, presenting a detailed description derived from new high resolution photogrammetry and traditional field observations. These suggest that the purported pavement is unlikely to be a Cryogenian feature, but is instead a recent erosional phenomenon consistent with other structurally controlled features within the surrounding modern landscape. Our reinterpretation questions whether grounded Cryogenian ice reached the Utah – Idaho region and whether the lower reaches of the Mineral Fork Formation record glacially influenced deposition or non-glacial, rift-related sedimentation that transitions upwards into glacial conditions.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Vandyk TM, Kettler C, Davies BJ, Shields GA, Candy I, Le Heron DP

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Precambrian Research

Year: 2021

Volume: 363

Print publication date: 01/09/2021

Online publication date: 17/08/2021

Acceptance date: 01/08/2021

Date deposited: 18/10/2023

ISSN (print): 0301-9268

ISSN (electronic): 1872-7433

Publisher: Elsevier B.V.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2021.106345

DOI: 10.1016/j.precamres.2021.106345

Data Access Statement: All data are available either in this manuscript or its supplementary materials: https://doi.org/10.17632/ysjtv99rwk.1. https://doi.org/10.17632/ysjtv99rwk.1 is the DOI of the Mendeley data set.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Natural Environment Research Council
NE/L002485/1

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