Nolocene Deglacial and Sea Level History of Dobbin Bay, Eastern Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada
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University of Alberta NOLOCENE DEGLACIAL AND SEA LEVEL HISTORY OF DOBBIN BAY, EASTERN ELLESMERE ISLAND, ARCTIC CANADA SCOTT M. ROBERTSON 0 A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Edmonton, Alberta Spnng 1999 National Library Bibliotheque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 WeIAngton Street 395, nie Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 WwaON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your f~ieVotre refënmar Our füe Notre reldrenu, The author bas granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seil reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfichelfh, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This thesis presents the Holocene deglacial and sea level history at the head of Dobbin Bay, east Ellesmere Island. An ice-contact delta at the fiord head contains two tills separated by deltaic foreset beds dated 23.3 ka BP. This provides a maximum age for the onset of late Wisconsinan glaciation. Marine lirnit at the fiord head is 71 rn ad, and likely dates ~7.3ka BP. Since the mid Holocene, two lateral moraines (upto 10 km in length) were deposited dong the south margin of Eugenie Glacier, draining from Agassiz Ice Cap. The outer moraine was formed below sea level via fce-push' of glaciomarine sediments whereas the inner moraine is currently forming via ?ce-thrust' of frozen sediment in a subareal setting. The Eugenie Glacier was in contact with the outer moraine on the 1959 airphoto, however; formation predates the amival of driftwood dated 4.6 ka BP. Although, the inner moraine contains shells dated 3.4 ka BP its formation postdates the 1959 airphoto. Three advances of Eugenie Glacier are documented between mid to late Holocene. Well preserved marine shorelines on the distal slope of the outer moraine extend from 33 to 4 m asl. The highest shoreline was surveyed and has a tilt of 0.52 mlkm indicating greater uplift towards Eureka Sound (western Ellesmere Island). This direct rneasurement of differential tilting is in agreement with regional postglacial isobases. Financial support for this research was provided by the Canadian Circumpolar Institute (C/Bar and NSTP grants ), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Grant #A6608 to Dr. J. England). The completion of fieldwork in Dobbin Bay would not have been possible if not for the additional logistical support provided by the Polar Continental Shelf Project at both Resolute Bay and Eureka. For me, this thesis has been a long journey, which at times seemed unending. Throughout this time, my supervisor Dr. John England has been there, providing much needed support and encouragement. 1cant thank you enough for your thorough editing and countless discussions which always kept me moving forward. The expenence I gained wandering around Dobbin Bay will never truly be equalled. Thank you for this opportunity. As well, thank you to my cornmittee (Dr. Nat Rutter and Dr. Michael Hickman) for their time and concise edit of this thesis. I would like to thank Bonnie Robinson for her dedicated field assistance and conversations during Our stay at Dobbin Bay. I would also like to thmk Dr. Dave Evans for his contribution @oh through conversation and comedic relief) to my understanding the dynamics of my field area. 1cani imagine a stranger bunch of misfits than the ones who shared the early years of my Master's. Ln particular, thanks to Mark Barling, John Woodward, Mark Skidmore. A special thanks to Craig Cobum for dl of his help and encouragement both at U of A and SN. As well, thanks to Vince Miller, you definitely made those early years something to remember. More recently, 1 would like to thank Stefan and Chelsea, Kirby and Chelsea, and Peter (truly the best man) for their support and encouragement. Of course, this thesis would not have been possible if not for the support of my family. Thanks to my parents (Brian and Jeanette Robertson) for their love, support, encouragement, and unending faith in my ability to complete this endeavour. Thanks to my brother John, for his understanding and fiendship. Most of dl, 1 would like to thank my partner, Lora. You have been a pillar of strength for me throughout this journey. Without your constant support, encouragement and love, I cannot imagine ever making it through. I am grateful for dl of the support through both the highs and lows I've experienced while completing my thesis. It is truly because of your day to day encouragement and faith that 1 am able to finally thank you for this thesis. 1only hope that one day 1can give back to you the unbridled love and support youke shown me over the past years. Thank You, Lora. TABLE OF CONTENTS cm1 1.0 StudyArea ................................................... 1 1.1 Regional Context .............................................. 1 1.2 Research Objectives ............................................5 1.3 Research Methods .............................................8 1.3.1 Field Methods .........................................8 1.3.2 Laboratory Methods ................................... -9 1.4 Conclusions ................................................. 10 CHARTER 2 2.0 Introduction ................................................. 11 2.1 Zower' Dobbin Valley ......................................... 11 2.1.1 Terrestrial Landfoms .................................. 14 2.1.2 Marine Landforms ..................................... 17 2.2 Description of Ice-Contact Delta (Hanging Valley) ................... 21 2.2.1 Description of Site S-1 ................................. -23 2.2.2 Description of Site S-2 ..................................25 2.2.3 Description of Site S-3 .................................-28 2.3 Interpretation of Sedimentology .................................. 32 2.3.1 Interpretation of Site S-1 ................................ 32 2.3.2 Interpretation of Site S-2 ................................ 33 2.3.3 Interpretation of Site S-3 ...............................-35 2.4 Discussion of Sedimentology ...................................-37 2.5 'Upper' Dobbin Valley .........................................-41 2.5.1 Tenestria1 Landforms .................................-44 2.5.2 Marine Landforrns .....................................46 2.6 Conclusions ..................................................49 cm3 3.0 Introduction .................................................. 52 3.1 Dobbin Bay Moraines .......................................... 52 3.1.1 Inner Eugenie Moraine .................................. 53 3.1.2 Outer Eugenie Moraine ................................ -55 3.2 Description of Moraine Complex Geornorphology .................. -59 3.3 Mode of Deposition and Age of Eugenie Laterd Moraines .............65 3.4 Mid-Holocene to Modem Ice Margins' ............................ -72 3-5 Upper' Valley Piedmont Terminal Moraine ........................ -75 3.6 Dobbin Bay Lowland - Regressive Shorelines ....................... 76 3.6.1 Description of the Shorelines .............................78 3.6.2 Formation of the Regressive Shorelines and Source of 4.6 ka BP Driftwood ......................... -78 3.7 Shoreline Survey ..............................................80 3.8 Comparison of Dobbin Bay Shoreline Tilting ....................... 82 3.9 Cornparison to Other Mid-Holocene Shorelines: Eastern EIlesmere Island ........................................85 3.10 Comparison to Other Mid-Holocene Shorelines: Western Ellesmere Island .....................................-87 3.11 Cornparison to Regional Isobases ................................88 3.12 Conclusions .................................................90 CHAF'TER 4 4.0 Conclusions .................................................. 93 4.1 Future Research ..............................................-96 REFERENCES ........................................................98 APPENDIX A: Upper Eugenie Shoreline Database ...........................107 APPENDIX B: Upper Piedmont Shoreline Database ..........................109 APPEM)IX C: Lower Eugenie Shoreline Database ........................... 110 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1.1 Location map. Ellesmere Island ....................................... 2 1.2 Location map. Dobbin Bay ..........................................3 Lower Dobbin valley. landform locations .............................-13 Photo of granite erratic. lower Dobbin valley ........................... 16 Photo of Eugenie Glacier lateral moraines .............................16 Photo of ice-pushed ridge .......................................... 20 Photo of shorelines trimming outer Eugenie moraine .....................20 Photo of exposure in the ice-contact delta. lower valley ...................22 Photo of Section S.1. ice-contact delta ..............................