RECONSTRUCTING THE BEHAVIOR OF THE LAND-TERMINATING WALCOTT GLACIER SINCE THE LAST GLACIAL MAXIMUM IN THE ROYAL SOCIETY RANGE, ANTARCTICA

The behavior of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is still under debate. Whether the AIS is prone to rapid collapse or maintains its stability during periods of climatic warming is key to predicting the future response of the AIS to increasing temperatures. The purpose of this study is to examine the past extent and interactions of the land-terminating Walcott Glacier and the marine Ross Sea ice sheet in the Royal Society Range of the Transantarctic Mountains. Past research on marine-terminating glaciers along the Ross Embayment points to thickening and grounding at the foot of glaciers during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), while the head of the glaciers showed little change. Whether land-terminating glaciers expanded at the LGM remains uncertain. Here, we map the deposits of land-terminating Walcott Glacier, which show cross-cutting relationships with Ross Sea drift deposited by a lobe of grounded marine ice from the Ross Sea. We combine this map with radiocarbon ages to reconstruct a chronology of the past extent of both Walcott Glacier and Ross Sea ice in the Royal Society Range of the Transantarctic Mountains. By reconstructing the past behavior of Walcott Glacier, we hope to predict how this system will respond to future warming.