Glaciotectonic origin of the Massachusetts coastal end moraines and a fluctuating late Wisconsinan ice margin

Research Article| January 01, 1984 Glaciotectonic origin of the Massachusetts coastal end moraines and a fluctuating late Wisconsinan ice margin R. N. OLDALE; R. N. OLDALE 1U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C. J. O'HARA C. J. O'HARA 1U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information R. N. OLDALE 1U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 C. J. O'HARA 1U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1984) 95 (1): 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<61:GOOTMC>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation R. N. OLDALE, C. J. O'HARA; Glaciotectonic origin of the Massachusetts coastal end moraines and a fluctuating late Wisconsinan ice margin. GSA Bulletin 1984;; 95 (1): 61–74. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<61:GOOTMC>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Late Wisconsinan end moraines on Cape Cod and islands south and west of Cape Cod are believed to be glaciotectonic features formed by advancing ice fronts. Evidence of a glaciotectonic origin includes the stratified drift composition of the moraines, dislocated preglacial and glaciolacustrine deposits, tilted preglacial and glacial beds, folding and thrust faulting, and morphologic similarity to ancient and modern glaciotectonic moraines. Evidence for major ice readvances during over-all general recession includes the moraines themselves, till atop stratified drift, and the numerous basal tills that are inferred to exist beneath Cape Cod Bay.The Thompson Glacier end moraine in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is considered to be a modern example of how late Wisconsinan end moraines on Cape Cod and the islands were formed. The Thompson Glacier is overriding its outwash plain, displacing outwash deposits forward and upward beyond the ice front. New sheets are added to the base of the moraine, and till is deposited atop the moraine as the ice overrides it.Evidence from Cape Cod and the nearby islands indicates that over-all recession of late Wisconsinan ice was characterized by alternating episodes of ice-front retreat, during which the outwash plains were formed, and of ice-front advance, during which the moraines were built. Retreat of the ice from Cape Cod and the islands may have been similar to the retreat of the Lake Michigan lobe, deposits of which contain evidence of at least 12 moraine-building episodes caused by readvancing ice during the over-all retreat of the late Wisconsinan ice sheet. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.