BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Unveiling the glacial and landscape evolution of West Antarctica: 
 subglacial insights from ice-penetrating radar and satellite imagery - Dr 
 Neil Ross\, Newcastle University
DTSTART:20130424T153000Z
DTEND:20130424T163000Z
UID:TALK40736@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Steven Palmer
DESCRIPTION:Antarctic subglacial highlands are where the Antarctic ice she
 ets first developed and the 'pinning points' where retreat phases of the m
 arine-based sectors of the ice sheet are impeded. Due to low ice velocitie
 s and limited present-day change in the ice sheet interior\, West Antarcti
 c subglacial highlands have been overlooked for detailed study. These regi
 ons have considerable potential\, however\, for establishing from where th
 e West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) originated and grew\, and its likely con
 figuration and glaciology in a warmer climate. Here\, we characterise the 
 subglacial morphology of the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands (ESH)\, West A
 ntarctica\, using radio-echo sounding (RES) surveys and satellite-derived 
 ice surface imagery. We document numerous\, well-preserved classic glaciat
 ed valley landforms (e.g. large overdeepened troughs\, hanging tributary v
 alleys\, and fjord-mouth threshold bars) indicative of warm-based marine-p
 roximal alpine glaciation. The landscape predates the present ice sheet\, 
 and was formed by a small dynamic ice-field(s) with tidewater-terminating 
 margins\, at times when the marine sections of the WAIS were absent and th
 e deep former marine basins of the WAIS (e.g. Bentley Subglacial Trench) w
 ere inundated. ESH represents a major seeding centre of the palaeo-WAIS\, 
 and its margins represent the pinning point at which future retreat of the
  marine-based WAIS would be arrested.
LOCATION:Scott Polar Research Institute\, main lecture theatre
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR