Paleoclimate of Antarctica reconstructed from clast weathering rind analysis

• Published in: Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology Vol. 446; pp. 205 - 212
• Main Authors: Mahaney, W.C., Schwartz, Stephane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.03.2016
• Subjects: Antarctic paleosols; Antarctic temperate/polar ice transition; XRF/SEM/EDS sediment analysis; PS, Antarctica; XRF/SEM/EDS sediment analysis; Antarctic temperate/polar ice transition; Antarctic paleosols
• ISSN: 0031-0182; 1872-616X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.01.026

Previous analysis of extractable Fe/Al in paleosols near New Mountain, Antarctica, suggests a pre-Middle Miocene, possibly Late Oligocene–Early Miocene age for paleosol 831 emplaced during the alpine event prior to the growth of the Inland Ice Sheet. Recent analysis of weathering zones in clasts with encrusted Fe/salts from the pebble pavement overlying the 831 paleosol reveals a succession of three weathering zones in a sandstone clast that record a paleoclimate transitioning from warm/wet (temperate) to cold/dry (polar). The first zone corresponds to an association of quartz cemented with berthierine (smectite–serpentine) and illite clay minerals. The second zone transitional from weathered clast to Na-encrusted rind contains smaller amounts of berthierine and illite formed in grains of partially dissolved quartz with minor salt content. Zone three corresponds to an ~3mm (3×106nm) thick mass of porous nitrate and gypsum. The contact between zones 2 and 3 appears to be correlative with the transition from temperate to polar ice which is considered to have occurred prior to or coincident with the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum. •Clast rind analysis•Mineralogy of clast weathered zones (CWZ)•Correlation of CWZ to Paleosol horizons•Record of Antarctic temperate/polar ice transition