Stratigraphic Interpretation of an Antarctic Shelf Edge

A stratigraphic interpretation was carried out on the processed single-channel data. Four major sequence boundaries were interpreted; two are sub-horizontal erosional surfaces while the other two show permanent onlap. Four major sedimentary units were interpreted on the single-channel data within a time range of 730 ms. Shelf break exists at a water depth of 640±17 m on profile Fig. 2, 480±16 m on profile Fig. 3. The profiles were interpreted to show sequences of glacially prograded sediments lying underneath the outer continental shelf. These sediments were deposited by grounded ice during times of glacial maximum which caused deposition in an overall progradational style and the grounded ice must have reached the continental shelf edge many times on most parts of the Bellingshausen Sea margin. The continental shelf across the area where these lines are located is relatively horizontal and the movement of ice front was across the whole area.