Strand Lines and Chronology of the Glacial Great Lakes in Northwestern New York

Author Institution: Department of Geological Sciences, State University of New York at BuffaloRecent restudy of Glacial Great Lake history in northwestern New York tends to confirm a general sequence of nine to ten major lake stands, predicted from others' work in adjacent areas in the Erie and Huron basins. However, some doubt is raised as to the dating and position of the ice margin at the initiation of this sequence. The evidence suggests that glacial lake waters rose to form Lake Whittlesey between 12,700 and 13,800 years B.P., with advance to either the Lake Escarpment, Gowanda, or Hamburg End Moraines. Lake Whittlesey lowered to the Warren I level about 12,700 B.P., after the ice margin had retreated less than one mile from the main portion of the Hamburg Moraine. A second but brief lake stand (Warren II) is weakly suggested by a lower set of beach ridges. However, such a stand must have been very brief, for it gave way to a much lower lake soon after the ice margin had retreated from the next more northerly (Alden) moraine. This much lower lake stage, probably correlating with Lake Wayne, occurred during construction of the gravelly Buffalo Moraine and before waters rose again to form Lake Warren III. Lake Warren III, evidenced by the strongest beaches in this area, ended following ice-margin retreat from the Batavia Moraine, when lake level dropped 40 feet to the Lake Grassmere level. Evidence for lower and later glacial lake stands is sparce, but includes features which may correlate with the short-lived Lakes Lundy and Early Algonquin, and a much smaller local glacial lake, Dana. Lake Dana, the last glacial lake in this portion of the Erie basin, was extinguished as the terminus of the ice sheet retreated north of the Niagara escarpment and into the present area of Lake Ontario and thus opened the Rome outlet to the Mohawk-Hudson River drainage system. The average of several C14 dates from the Lake Ontario basin suggests that this event occured prior to 12,100 years ago. At least 170 feet of isostatic uplift has taken place on the Buffalo isobase since Lake Whittlesey time

Woodfordian Glacial History of the Champlain Lowland, Burlington to Brandon, Vermont

Guidebook for field trips in Vermont: 64th annual meeting October 13, 14, 15, 1972 Burlington, Vermont: Trip G-

Quaternary History of Northwestern Maine

Guidebook for field trips in the Rangeley Lakes - Dead River Basin region, western Maine: 62nd annual meeting October 2, 3, and 4, 1970: Trip E-

Holocene Glaciation of the Arrigetch Peaks, Brooks Range, Alaska

Eleven cirque glaciers and associated deposits within the granitic Arrigetch Peaks of the west-central Brooks Range face north, minimizing insolation. Shading by surrounding mountainous terrain decreases insolation on these landforms even more significantly, favoring the formation of glacier-cored moraines. Comparison of glacier photographs taken in 1911, 1962, and 1979 reveals a record of decelerating recession. Geomorphic and lichenometric mapping suggests at least three to possibly eight phases of Holocene glacial expansion. These date between ~5000 and 300 yr B.P., based on the application of a central Brooks Range Rhizocarpon geographicum growth curve

Quaternary Stratigraphy in Northwestern Maine: A Progress Report

A preliminary Quaternary stratigraphy for northwestern Maine can be assembled from interpretation of ice-flow indicators (dispersal and erosional), exposed sections, and drill-hole logs. Evidence from the ice-flow indicators delineates at least four regions each with different ice-flow histories. The distribution of these regions may result from an eastward invasion of Laurentide source ice during the early portion of the late Wisconsinan and subsequent development of a local ice dome during the closing portion of the Late Wisconsinan substage. Exposed sections contribute the following probable sequence of events to the stratigraphy: 1) deposition of alluvial fans, 2) deposition of a gray compact till beneath eastward flowing (Laurentide) ice, 3) deposition of a brown till beneath northward flowing local ice, 4) deglaciation by a southward retreating ice margin. These events appear continuous and have all been provisionally assigned a Late Wisconsinan age. Drill-hole logs confirm the sequence derived from the exposed sections and allow extension of the Quaternary stratigraphy. The drill-log data show three associated groups of sediments that may in turn result from at least three separate ice margin advances and recessions. The uppermost group of sediments is correlated with those found in exposed sections. The position of the drill-hole logs in an over-deepened basin suggest erosion by at least one even earlier glaciation.À partir de l'interprétation des indicateurs de l'écoulement glaciaire (de dispersion et d'érosion), des coupes naturelles et des résultats des forages, on a tenté d'établir la stratigraphie préliminaire du Quaternaire pour le nord du Maine. Les renseignements tirés des indicateurs de l'écoulement glaciaire ont permis de circonscrire au moins quatre régions, chacune d'elles présentant un processus différent d'écoulement glaciaire. La répartition des régions est probablement le résultat de la progression vers l'est des glaces laurentidiennes au début du Wisconsinien supérieur et de la formation subséquente d'un dôme local à la fin du Wisconsinien supérieur. Les coupes naturelles ont permis de reconstituer la séquence d'événements suivante : 1 ) formation de cônes de déjection; 2) dépôt d'un till gris compact sous une des glaces laurentidiennes s'écoulant vers l'est; 3) dépôt d'un till brun sous les glaces locales s'écoulant vers le nord; 4) déglaciation résultant du retrait de la marge glaciaire vers le sud. Ces événements semblent s'être déroulés de façon continue; on les attribue du moins provisoirement au Wisconsinien supérieur. Les résultats des forages confirment la séquence reconstituée grâce aux coupes naturelles et permettent même de prolonger la stratigraphie du Quaternaire. Les données de forage démontrent la présence de trois groupes associés de sédiments qui, à leur tour, sont le résultat d'au moins trois récurrences et trois récessions de la marge glaciaire. Le groupe supérieur correspond aux sédiments observés dans les coupes. Les résultats de forage dans un bassin surcreusé laissont croire qu'au moins une glaciation antérieure y a laissé des traces d'érosion.Eine vorlàufige Stratigraphie fur Nord-West Maine im Quatemar kann durch Interpretation der Eis-FluB Indikatoren (Dispersion und Erosion), der natùrlichen Schnitte und der Bohrergebnisse erstellt werden. Durch die Eis-RuB Indikatoren ergeben sich mindestens vier Gebiete mit jeweils unterschiedlicher Eis-FluB Vergangenheit. Die Verteilung dieser Gebiete hat wohl ihren Ursprung im Eindringen von Laurentischem Quell-Eis in ôstlicher Richtung wàhrend des Beginns des spàten Wisconsin und der darauf folgenden Entwicklung eines lokalen Eis-Doms wàhrend der AbschluBphase des spâten Wisconsin. Die natùrlichen Schnitte ergeben die folgende môgliche Abfolge der Ereignisse fur die Stratigraphie; 1) Ablagerung von Alluvialkegeln, 2) Ablagerung eines grauen kompakten Tills unter ostwàrts flieBendem (Laurentischem) Eis, 3) Ablagerung eines braunen Tills unter nordwârts flieBendem lokalem Eis, 4) Enteisung durch die sùdwàrts zurùckweichende Eisgrenze. Dièse Ereignisse scheinen kontinuierlich abgelaufen zu sein und sind aile vorlàufig dem spâten Wisconsin zugeschrieben worden. Die Bohrergebnisse bestàtigen die aus den natùrlichen Schnitten gewonnene Abfolge und erlauben eine Ausdehnung der Stratigraphie des Quatemar. Die Bohrdaten zeigen drei Gruppen von Sedimenten, die ihrerseits ihren Ursprung in mindestens drei unterschiedlichen VorstoB- und Rùckzugs-Phasen der Eisgrenze haben. Die oberste Gruppe der Sedimente steht in Wechselbeziehung mit den in den natùrlichen Schnitten gefundenen Sedimenten. Bohrergebnissg in einom ùbGrtieften Becken lassen vermuten, daB zumindest eine frùhre Vereisung Erosionsspuren hinterlassen hat

Geomorphology and glacial geology of the Victoria Valley system, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica /

Report submitted by Richard P. Goldthwait to the National Science Foundation.The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.In southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, the inland ice plateau is bounded by a mountain range. Outlet glaciers from the plateau have carved valleys through the range. Most of these valleys are still ice filled, but an amelioration of climate has caused the glaciers to retreat from some, including the five valleys which constitute the Victoria Valley system. The walls of the Victoria Valley system rise steeply to 2000 m elevation but are broken by cirques, many of them ice free. Small valley glaciers enter the area from ice fields in the east, north, and west. Glacial and solifluction deposits mantle the valley floors. The area is a cold desert. Drainage is largely internal; the meager stream flow is confined to the summer months when saline ponds and larger perennially frozen lakes of the valleys are replenished by meltwater. Constant strong winds produce sand dunes, sand mantles, pebble ridges, and well-formed ventifacts. Two major glaciations are recorded in the Victoria Valley system, but they may have been preceded by others. The first distinguishable glaciation, the Insel Glaciation, was an eastward flow of ice from the inland plateau through the valleys to the coast. The Insel Drift includes very silty till, erratic pebbles and cobbles on mesas 300 to 600 m above the valley floors, and some lake silts. The till lacks morainal topography, and upstanding boulders are rare. During the recessional phase of the Insel Glaciation, deep meltwater channels were cut. Since the end of the glaciation, the shapes of the major valleys have not changed significantly. The second, or Victoria Glaciation, was marked by strong invasions from local ice fields and from the coast, and weaker invasion from the inland ice plateau. This glaciation, which began more than 30,000 years B.P., is subdivided into three episodes. The Bull Drift episode included the most extensive glaciers. At the maximum, the area was invaded by at least six glacier tongues which extended up to 20 km beyond their present positions, nearly filling the valley system. Till of the Bull Drift occupies about half of the valley floor area. Two large end moraines are well preserved, but most of the morainal topography is now subdued. During the following Vida Drift episode, the regimen became more vigorous. The retreat of the glaciers from their maxima of the Bull Drift episode stopped about 10 km from their present positions. Locally the glaciers readvanced. Large outwash fans and kames formed at the borders of proglacial lakes. With continued retreat, thick ground and end moraines were deposited. These moraines are moderately well preserved and hummocky, standing several meters above adjacent deposits of the Bull Drift episode. Upstanding boulders are much more plentiful than on the older drifts, but are cavernously weathered. Vida till is very sandy. During the Packard Drift episode, which continues to the present, the glacier regimen has been less vigorous. Minor readvances have occurred, but most of the deposits represent a slow regular retreat of the glaciers to their present positions. The Packard Drift occurs largely as ground moraine, with areas of kame and kettle topography, and very bouldery ablation moraine still ice-cored. In most areas, there is no sharp break in weathering between the Packard and Vida deposits. The Packard till, however, is more bouldery, and the Packard deposits are sandier and fresher than the Vida deposits. Cavernous weathering and wind erosion is slight. Well-formed contraction polygons cover the Vida and Packard Drifts to within a few meters of the ice fronts.National Science Foundation (Grant Nos. G-13848 and G-17160).Research Foundation, The Ohio State University,Project 125