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Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge

Nature Geoscience volume 1, pages 793–799 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Active orogens are thought to behave as internally deforming critical-taper wedges that are in rough long-term equilibrium with tectonic influx and erosional outflux. Spatial and temporal variations in climate are therefore hypothesized to have a significant influence on denudation, topography and deformation of orogens, thereby affecting wedge taper. However, the impact of the most severe transition in Northern Hemisphere climate during the Cenozoic era—the onset of glaciation—has hitherto not been empirically documented. Here we analyse the spatial patterns of denudation and deformation, and their temporal variations, in the heavily glaciated St Elias orogen in southern Alaska. Low-temperature thermochronometry, thermokinematic modelling and offshore seismic reflection and borehole data suggest that the global-scale intensification of glaciation in the middle Pleistocene epoch enhanced glacier growth and caused ice streams to advance to the edge of the continental shelf. This led to focused denudation across the subaerial reaches of the orogen and burial of the actively deforming wedge toe by the eroded sediment. We propose that this climatically driven mass redistribution forced a structural reorganization of the orogen to maintain critical taper. Our empirical results thus support decades of numerical model predictions of orogenesis and provide compelling field evidence for the significant impact of climate change on tectonics.

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Figure 1: Thermochronometry and tectonics of the St Elias orogen.
Figure 2: History of glaciation, bedrock cooling and sedimentation.
Figure 3: Variation in bedrock cooling rate, topography and climate.
Figure 4: Two-dimensional thermokinematic model.
Figure 5: Seismic reflection profiles.
Figure 6: Proposed model of climate-related influences on orogen kinematics.

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Acknowledgements

We thank collaborators in studying the St Elias orogen and other colleagues for many helpful discussions and ideas, including E. Berger, R. Law, J. Buscher and particularly all STEEP (St. Elias Erosion-Tectonics Project) participants. Reviews by S. Brocklehurst and E. Kirby contributed significantly to the manuscript. Support was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF-EAR 0409224, NSF-EAR 0408584, NSF-EAR 0735402, NSF-ODP 0351620).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA

    Aaron L. Berger, James A. Spotila & Ryan J. McAleer

  2. Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, J. J. Pickle Research Campus, Austin, Texas 78758, USA

    Sean P. S. Gulick & Lindsay A. Worthington

  3. Department of Geological Sciences, 5790 Edward T. Bryand Global Sciences Center, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA

    Phaedra Upton

  4. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA

    John M. Jaeger

  5. Department of Geological Sciences, U. Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, USA

    James B. Chapman & Terry L. Pavlis

  6. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA

    Kenneth D. Ridgway

  7. Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinois University, 312 Davis Hall, Normal Road, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA

    Bryce A. Willems

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  1. Aaron L. Berger
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the interpretations and hypotheses presented. Writing was done by A.L.B., with contributions by J.A.S. and S.P.S.G. Low-temperature thermochronometry was carried out by A.L.B. and J.A.S. ArcGIS analyses were carried out by A.L.B. Thermokinematic modelling was carried out by P.U., with contributions by A.L.B. HeFTy age calculations were done by A.L.B. Figures were created by A.L.B (Figs 1–3 and 6), S.P.S.G. (Fig. 5) and P.U. (Fig. 4). Structural analysis and models were done by A.L.B., J.B.C. and T.L.P. Seismic reflection gathering, processing and interpretation were carried out by S.P.S.G., L.A.W., J.M.J. and B.A.W. Project planning was done by T.L.P., J.A.S. and S.P.S.G.

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Correspondence to Aaron L. Berger or James A. Spotila.

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Berger, A., Gulick, S., Spotila, J. et al. Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge. Nature Geosci 1, 793–799 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo334

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