Morphology and sedimentology of a high-arctic esker system: Vegbreen, Svalbard

Although eskers are frequently described glaciofluvial landforms, they are poorly understood. To assist with the interpretation of Pleistocene example s, modern analogue data are required. This paper documents the morphology, sedimentology and formation of a 650 m long esker system in front of the hi gh-arctic glacier Vegbreen in Svalbard. The esker is located between the Ne oglacial maximum and the present ice front and appears to have formed both as a supraglacial trough-fill and as a channel/conduit-fill along the sutur e formed by two confluent glacier lobes. A range of sedimentary facies is p reserved within this ridge system providing evidence for braided rivers, ep hemeral lakes, episodic flow regimes and sediment gravity hows. This case s tudy provides an important analogue for glaciofluvial sedimentation between retreating ice lobes.