Factors controlling sedimentation in the Toruń-Eberswalde ice-marginal valley during the Pomeranian phase of the Weichselian glaciation: an overview

What is it about?

The aims of the present study are (1) to identify the main sediment sources in the part of ice-marginal valley studied; (2) to establish the contribution of extraglacial rivers in sediment supply of ice-marginal valley; (3) to further our understanding of the relationship between the dep-ositional environment of sandur and ice-marginal valley and to show differences between braided fluvial systems on sandur and in ice-marginal valley; (4) to summarise the role of peri-glacial conditions in controlling fluvial transport and deposition in the braided river system of ice-marginal valley; (5) to calculate the main palaeohydrological parameters of the ice-marginal valley river; (6) to characterise specific zones of the braided river system in ice-marginal valley; and (7) to explain the significance of sediments derived from hyperconcentrated flow for depositional conditions in ice-marginal valley.

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Why is it important?

During the Pleistocene the Scandinavian ice sheet drained huge quantities of sediment-laden meltwaters. These meltwaters supplied ice-marginal valleys that formed parallel to the front of the ice sheet. The specific depositional conditions of distribution of sediments in ice-marginal valley allow to distinguish new environment of ice-marginal valley braided river which contains three coexisting zones: (1) deep gravel-bed braided channel zone with extensive scours, (2) deep sand-bed braided channel zone with transverse bars, and (3) marginal sand-bed and gravel-bed braided channel zone with diamicton and breccia deposition, which were characterised in detail.