Abstract:The deposits of the Toruń Basin are dominated by a few-metre thick sand series which fill up buried valley-like depressions. In many cases they underlie the Weichselian till which builds up the ice marginal streamway (pradolina) terraces or they are exposed at the basin slopes. As the results of the geological and sedimentological studies, as well as of the dating of the deposits at the sites in the Toruń Basin indicate, the deposits include two fluvial series accumulated before the advancement of the Leszno Phase ice sheet, i.e. in Middle Weichselian and at the beginning of Late Weichselian. The oldest fluvial series connected with the Saalian Glaciation was found at the mouth section of the Drwęca Valley. The fluvial system of the Toruń Basin during Middle Weichselian and at the beginning of Late Weichselian developed in two phases of the sand-bed braided river. During the first one the river channel were dominated by large mid-riverbed sandbars, while during the second phase the water flow was smaller and, as a result, low transverse sandbars and two-dimensional dunes developed. Other active river channel also showed low-energy flows, more intensive meandering than in the case of the braided rivers, as well as sandy side-bars. Analysis of the rounding and frosting of the quartz grains indicate that the studied series of the Weichselian sandy deposits represent alluvia of a river which were fed from two diverse sources. The first one might have represented the alluvia of a warm river which transformed its load, while the other one might have mainly carried the underlying Quaternary deposits.
This study investigated the surge dynamics of Aavatsmarkbreen, a glacier in Svalbard and its geomorphological impact based on remote sensing data and field observations. The main objective was to analyse and classify subglacial and supraglacial landforms in the context of glacial deformation and basal sliding over a thin layer of thawed, water‐saturated deposits. The study also focused on the geomorphological evidence of surge‐related sub‐ and supraglacial crevassing and glacier front fracturing. From 2006 to 2013, the average recession of Aavatsmarkbreen was 363 m (52 m a−1). A subsequent surge during 2013–2015 resulted in a substantial advance of the glacier front of over 1 km and an increase in its surface area of more than 2 km2. The surface of Aavatsmarkbreen was severely fractured. Significant ice‐flow acceleration was noted whereby the highest surface velocity reached 4.9 m day−1. The ephemeral water‐escape structures and mini‐flutings on the fine‐grained till surface that formed during the surge are indicative of high subglacial pore‐water pressure and enhanced basal sliding. Two genetic types of clast pavements occur in the marginal zone of Aavatsmarkbreen. The results of this study will help to constrain glaciological and geomorphological processes involved in surge phenomena. Understanding the scale and effects of these processes provides insight into the behaviour of fast‐flowing glaciers and ice streams and reveals their relationships with external factors.
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