Sedimentology, structural characteristics and morphology of a high-Arctic moraine-mound complex: Midre Lovénbreen, Svalbard

Detailed analyses of the sediments, structural characteristics and morphology of a Neoglacial moraine-mound complex at a high-Arctic, polythermal, land-based glacier – midre Lovénbreen, Svalbard – have been undertaken in order to evaluate their mode of formation and subsequent modification. Ten moraine mound lithofacies were identified: four types of diamicton, four types of gravel, sand and mud. A buried debris-bearing basal ice facies was also identified following excavation of a single moraine mound. The moraine mound lithofacies and buried basal ice reflect subglacial, glaciofluvial and basal ice layer processes. Structural attributes of the moraine mounds include faulting, folding and shearing. Three broad moraine mound morphological types are identified and characterised using Digital Elevation Models. Moraine mound formation is linked to elevation of sediment within the ice, associated with englacial thrusting. The recognition of buried ice in a moraine mound implies that on melting, the landform will become degraded. Hence the preservation potential of thrust-related features within these moraine mounds is low, unless the debris content of the ice is high.