Resedimentation of debris on an ice-cored lateral moraine in the high-Arctic (Kongsvegen, Svalbard)

In ice-cored landform assemblages, the process of resedimentation via sedim ent-flow is important in determining the morphology and sedimentary facies distribution after the ice core has melted. This paper documents the sedime nt-flow processes associated with the resedimentation of an ice-cored later al moraine at Kongsvegen, Svalbard. Decay of the ice-cored lateral moraine is dominated by the development of a sediment-flow fan, which has an 'hour- glass' form in plan. The fan comprises a broad source area on the crest of the lateral moraine separated from the fan surface, composed of tessellated flow lobes, by a narrow ice-floored channel system. The principle sediment ary facies associated with this fan include matrix-supported diamictons, la minated silts and fine sands. The evolution of this fan and the likely end- products after complete deglaciation are discussed, and this paper contribu tes modern analogue data relevant to the interpretation of the Pleistocene landform and sediment record. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.