Document generated on 09/24/2021 11:50 a.m. Géographie physique et Quaternaire Glacial-Marine Sedimentation, Canadian Polar Margin, North of Axel Heiberg Island Sédimentation glaciomarine au nord de l’île Axel-Heiberg, à la marge polaire du Canada Glazial-marine Sedimentierung an der kanadischen Polargrenze nördlich der Axel Heiberg-lnsel Frances J. Hein and Peta J. Mudie Volume 45, Number 2, 1991 Article abstract Sediment cores, taken at depths of 140 to 300 m across the northwestern shelf URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/032861ar of Axel Heiberg Island (82° N), record the deposition of sediments under DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/032861ar perennial sea ice. Five sedimentary fades are recognized: (A) soft pebbly-sandy-mud with dropstone structures; (B) bioturbated silty muds; (C) See table of contents wispy-laminated silty clay/clay; (D) laminated sands/silts and mud; (E) firm pebbly-sandy-mud with chaotic pebble fabrics. Other sediments include terrestrial bedrock of Paleogene Eureka Sound Group, and a younger Tertiary Publisher(s) deposit, possibly the Beaufort Formation. Ages range from 1530 ± 60 BP (Fades A) to 9950 ± 80 BP (Fades D). Sedimentation rates vary as follows: - 0.8 cm ka-1, Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal Fades B; 4 cm ka"\ Fades A; 90 cm ka-1, Fades C; 134 cm ka~', Fades D. The sedimentation history, as interpreted from the sedimentology, palynology and ISSN foraminiferal results, suggests intervals of more continuous ice cover, with a reduced influx of coarse ice-rafted detritus, alternating with more open water 0705-7199 (print) conditions, and high sediment input from meltwater and/or floating icebergs. 1492-143X (digital) Only marine sediments overlie Neogene bedrock in the cores. The absence of diamictons at the core sites suggests that grounded ice perhaps never occupied Explore this journal this part of the Axel Heiberg Island shelf. The interpreted history of sedimentation generally corresponds to the land-based record from Ellesmere Island, but differs significantly from marine-based studies in more southern Cite this article latitudes. Hein, F. J. & Mudie, P. J. (1991). Glacial-Marine Sedimentation, Canadian Polar Margin, North of Axel Heiberg Island. Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 45(2), 213–227. https://doi.org/10.7202/032861ar Tous droits réservés © Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 1991 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 1991, vol. 45, n° 2, p. 213-227, 6 fig., 3 tabl. GLACIAL-MARINE SEDIMENTATION, CANADIAN POLAR MARGIN, NORTH OF AXEL HEIBERG ISLAND* Frances J. HEIN and Peta J. MUDIE, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1 N4and Geological Survey of Canada, Atlantic Geoscience Centre, P.O. Box 1006, Darthmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y4A2.12 ABSTRACT Sediment cores, taken at RÉSUMÉ Sédimentation glaciomarine au ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Glazial-marine Sed- depths of 140 to 300 m across the north­ nord de l'île Axel-Heiberg, a la marge polaire imentierung an der kanadischen Polargrenze western shelf of Axel Heiberg Island (82° N), du Canada. L'étude des carottes de sédi­ nôrdlich der Axel Heiberg-lnsel. Sediment- record the deposition of sediments under ments recueillies à des profondeurs de 140 kerne, die in Tiefen von 140 bis 300 m quer perennial sea ice. Five sedimentary fades are à 300 m sur la plate-forme de l'île Axel- durch den nordwestlichen Schelf der Axel recognized: (A) soft pebbly-sandy-mud with Heiberg (82° N) renseigne sur la mise en Heiberg-lnsel gewonnen wurden (82° N)1 dropstone structures; (B) bioturbated silty place des sédiments sous une glace de mer bezeugen die Ablagerung von Sedimenten muds; (C) wispy-laminated silty clay/clay; pérenne. Elle révèle cinq faciès sédimen- unter dem ganzjâhrigen Meereseis. Man (D) laminated sands/silts and mud; (E) firm taires: (A) boue sablo-caillouteuse avec kann fùnf Sediment-Fazies erkennen: pebbly-sandy-mud with chaotic pebble fab­ structures de cailloux de délestage; (A) weicher, kiesig-sandiger Schlamm mit rics. Other sediments include terrestrial bed­ (B) boues silteuses bioturbées; (C) lamines Treibeisstrukturen; (B) Bioturbationstruk- rock of Paleogene Eureka Sound Group, and en mèches d'argile et d'argile silteuse; turen schlickiger Schlamm; (C) dùnnblàttriger a younger Tertiary deposit, possibly the (D) sables et silts laminés et boue; (E) boue schlickiger Ton und Ton; (D) blàttriger Beaufort Formation. Ages range from sablo-caillouteuse compacte. Les carottes Sand/Schlick und Schlamm; (E) kiesig- 1530 ± 60 BP (Fades A) to 9950 ± 80 BP renferment aussi des sédiments du substra­ sandiger Schlamm mit chaotischer Kiesstruk- (Fades D). Sedimentation rates vary as fol­ tum du Groupe de Eureka Sound du Paléo­ tur. Andere Sedimente enthalten Erdfels der lows: - 0.8 cm ka-1, Fades B; 4 cm ka"\ Fa­ gène et un dépôt tertiaire plus jeune, palàogenen Eureka-Sound-Gruppe sowie des A; 90 cm ka-1, Fades C; 134 cm ka~', probablement de la Formation de Beaufort. eine jungere tertiàre Ablagerung, môglicher- Fades D. The sedimentation history, as in­ Les âges se répartissent entre 1530 ± 60 BP weise von der Beaufort Formation. Die Alter terpreted from the sedimentology, palynology (fades A) à 9950 ± 80 BP (fades D). Les taux liegen zwischen 1530 ± 60 v. u.Z. (A-Fazies) and foraminiferal results, suggests intervals de sédimentation varient selon les fades: bis 9950 ± 80 v.u.Z. (D-Fazies). Die Sedimen- -1 -1 of more continuous ice cover, with a reduced ~ 0,8 cm ka (fades B)14 cm ka (faciès A), tierungsraten variieren folgendermaften: -1 influx of coarse ice-rafted detritus, alternating 90 cm ka_1 (faciès C), 134 cm ka_1 (faciès D). 0,8 cm ka B-fazies; 4 cm ka~\ A-Fazies; -1 _1 with more open water conditions, and high Le processus de sédimentation, interprété à 90 cm ka , C-Fazies; 134 cm ka , D-Fazies. sediment input from meltwater and/or floating partir de la sédimentologie, la palynologie et Die Sedimentierungsgeschichte wie sie mit- icebergs. Only marine sediments overlie les foraminifères, comprend des intervalles tels Sédimentologie, Palynologie und den Neogene bedrock in the cores. The absence durant lesquels la couverture de glace était Foraminifera-Ergebnissen interpretiert wird, of diamictons at the core sites suggests that continue avec apport réduit de débris gros­ IaRt an Intervalle einer mehr kontinuierlichen grounded ice perhaps never occupied this siers alternant avec des périodes de mer Eisdecke denken, mit einem verringerten Ein- part of the Axel Heiberg Island shelf. The dégagée avec apport sédimentaire élevé à strômen groben vom Eis befôrderten Steine, interpreted history of sedimentation generally partir des eaux de fonte ou des icebergs. alternierend mit Bedingungen mehr offenen corresponds to the land-based record from Dans les carottes, le substratum du Néogène Wassers und einem hohen Sedimentzutrag Ellesmere Island, but differs significantly from n'est recouvert que de sédiments marins. durch Schmelzwasser und/oder treibende marine-based studies in more southern lati­ L'absence de diamicton laisse présumer que Eisberge. Nur marine Sedimente ûberlagern tudes. la glace continentale n'a jamais occupé cette den FeIs aus dem Jungtertiàr in den Kernen. partie de la plate-forme. L'interprétation qu'on Das Fehlen von Diamiktons an den Bohr- fait du processus de sédimentation corres­ plàtzen legt nahe, daft Kontinentaleis viel- pond de façon générale aux données tirées leicht niemals diesen Teil des Schelfs der de l'île d'Ellesmere, mais diffère beaucoup Axel-Heiberg-lnsel bedeckte. Die so inter- des études sur le milieu marin de latitudes pretierte Geschichte der Sedimentierung plus méridionales. stimmt im allgemeinen mit dem landbezo- genen Beleg von der Ellesmere-lnsel ùberein, unterscheidet sich aber deutlich von den meeresbezogenen Studien in sud- licheren Breiten. * Geological Survey of Canada Contribution 89078, Ice Island Publication 21 Manuscrit reçu le 26 avril 1990; manuscrit révisé accepté le 2 novembre 1990 214 F.J. HEIN and P. J. MUDIE INTRODUCTION The present study describes cores collected in 1985 and 1986 from the Canadian Ice Island as it drifted from Nansen Today, multi-year sea ice permanently occupies the conti­ Sound westward to the northwestern part of Axel Heiberg nental margin of the Queen Elizabeth Islands (Fig. 1). This Shelf (Figs. 1 and 2). The area sampled on the shelf is about region of continuous ice cover grades southwards to a sea­ 100 km2, with water depths of 100 to 300 m (Mudie et al., sonal ice zone, with summer open water, on the continental 1985,1986). This study area is among the coldest and driest margins of Alaska, Siberia and Svalbard (Fig. 1). In the deep parts of the Canadian arctic islands, with a mean annual air basins of the western Arctic Ocean, many studies have been temperature of -19° C and a mean July temperature of about made of the sediments (Clark et al., 1980; Clark and Hanson, 1°C. The mean annual runoff is only 25 mm (Hare and 1983; Mudie and Blasco, 1985; Aksu and Mudie, 1985a). Thomas, 1979). Spring thaw is therefore slow and open water Sedimentological studies have also been made along the leads rapidly refreeze in the absence of strong winds. margin of the Arctic Ocean where it is accessible by ships in summer, e.g. Alaskan Shelf (Barnes and Reimnitz, 1974), The sedimentary faciès and mineralogy found in these Siberian margin (Naugler et al., 1974), and the Barents Sea cores is discussed in detail elsewhere (Hein et al., 1990).