Tectonic, Climatic, and Cryospheric Evolution of the Antarctic Peninsula

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of theSpecial Publications Series.Tectonic, Climatic, and Cryospheric Evolution of the AntarcticPeninsula presents the analysis of data collected during theSHALDRIL program, which sampled the most complete Cenozoicstratigraphic section in the Antarctic Peninsula. The stratigraphicintervals sampled fill major gaps in the existing stratigraphicrecord in the region, which is believed to have been the last placein Antarctica to become fully glaciated and, as such, the lastrefugium for plants and animals living on the continent. Providingpreviously unpublished results from studies aimed at improving ourunderstanding of the changes in climate, glacial setting, and faunaand flora that took place over the past 30 million years, thevolume highlights include discussions of marine seismic and drillcore records documenting the initial growth and expansion of an icesheet across the northernmost Antarctic Peninsula continental shelfin the northwestern Weddell Sea. The book features: * Detailed vegetation and phytoplankton evolution from greenhousethrough icehouse conditions in Antarctica's last refugium * Sand grain texture and micromorphology indicating ice sheetcontrol of weathering style * Exhumational history around the Drake Passage margins fromthermochronology and sediment provenance * Comprehensive review of the opening of the ocean passagewaybetween Antarctica and South America and the associated regionaltectonics. Tectonic, Climatic, and Cryospheric Evolution of theAntarctic Peninsula will be of interest to geologists,climatologists, and glaciologists interested in climate andcryosphere evolution and those factors that regulate it.