Award Abstract # 0838842
Determining Middle Miocene through Pliocene Changes in Paleo Ice-flow and Basal Ice Conditions in East Antarctica through Sedimentological Analyses of Core Samples

NSF Org: OPP
Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
Recipient: MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: June 12, 2009
Latest Amendment Date: June 12, 2009
Award Number: 0838842
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Alexandra Isern
OPP
 Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: July 1, 2009
End Date: August 31, 2011 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $75,817.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $75,817.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2009 = $75,817.00
ARRA Amount: $75,817.00
History of Investigator:
  • Sandra Passchier (Principal Investigator)
    passchiers@mail.montclair.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Montclair State University
1 NORMAL AVE
MONTCLAIR
NJ  US  07043-1624
(973)655-6923
Sponsor Congressional District: 11
Primary Place of Performance: Montclair State University
1 NORMAL AVE
MONTCLAIR
NJ  US  07043-1624
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
11
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): CM4TTRKFCLF9
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): ANT Earth Sciences
Primary Program Source: 01R00910DB RRA RECOVERY ACT
Program Reference Code(s): 6890, 0000, OTHR
Program Element Code(s): 511200
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.078

ABSTRACT

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The project aims on studying sediment cores collected from Prydz Bay and the Ross Sea to unravel the Neogene paleoclimatic history of the East Antarctic ice sheet. In the light of current measurements and predictions of a substantial rise in global temperature, investigations into the sensitivity of the East Antarctic ice sheet to climate change and its role in the climate system are essential. Geological records of former periods of climate change provide an opportunity to ground truth model predictions. The scientific objective of this project is to identify a previously proposed middle Miocene transition from a more dynamic wet-based East Antarctic ice sheet to the present semi-permanent ice sheet that is partially frozen to its bed. The timing and significance of this transition is controversial due to a lack of quantitative studies on well-dated ice-proximal sedimentary sequences. This project partially fills that gap using the composition and physical properties of diamictites and sandstones to establish shifts in ice-sheet drainage pathways, paleoenvironments and basal ice conditions. The results from the two key areas around the Antarctic continental margin will provide insight into the behavior of the East Antarctic ice sheet across the middle Miocene transition and through known times of warming in the late Miocene and Pliocene.

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