| The Müller Ice Shelf is situated in Lallemand Fjord on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula. It has an area of about 80 km2 but is currently retreating and has reached its minimum recorded extent. The disintegration of this ice shelf and other ice shelves in the area has been attributed to the 2.5°C warming trend recorded in the area over the past 50 years. This research seeks to understand the sedimentary record in proximity to the Müller Ice Shelf. Such records relate to the historical fluctuations of ice shelves in general, and the significance of the present changes in relation to natural variations.; As part of the sedimentological studies in Lallemand Fjord, sediment traps were deployed for more than a year in front of the Müller Ice Shelf. The purpose of the study was to determine: (1) the origin of the sediment, (2) how the sediment sources change with climate, (3) how sediment is distributed throughout the fjord, (4) the relationship between trapped sediment and the depositional processes as inferred from sediment cores. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
