Rock Weathering Characteristics as Relative-Age Indicators for Glacial and Post-Glacial Landforms on Marion Island

Rock weathering characteristics as relative-age indicators are tested on rock surfaces of generally known chronological sequence on Marion Island in the sub-Antarctic. Relict Late Pleistocene glacial bedrock surfaces and glacial deposit rock surfaces provide both Schmidt hammer rebound values and weathering rind thickness indicative of the longest exposure to weathering. While the weathering characteristics could not establish any chronosequence in the relict glacial rock surfaces the techniques can resolve relative ages in the primarily Holocene post-glacial rock surfaces. An assessment of clast angularity as a relative-age indicator proved less effective but confirmed the general trend portrayed by the other two techniques.