Climate Change

Development and dynamics of fossil marine deltas

Principal Investigator: Paul Augustinus
Organisation: University of Auckland 

This project investigates the timing and structure of Gilbert-type prograding fossil marine deltas that are well preserved at the mouth of Wales and Commonwealth Streams, New Harbor and elsewhere along the Scott Coast. A pilot investigation of the Wales Stream delta during season 1999/2000 using GPR hinted that the structure and history of the deltas are more complex than envisaged from the surface morphology and radiocarbon dating of associated marine shell. The combination of GPR imaging of the structure of the deltas with careful OSL dating will allow non-invasive assessment of their origin as well as their time of formation and rates of change with consequences for understanding the nature of Holocene paleoclimates.

Recent Publications

Augustinus, P.C. Duller, G. A. T. Luminescence and radiocarbon dating of raised beach sediments, Bunger Hills, east Antarctica. Royal Society of New Zealand Bulletin 35: 419-429, 2002.

Augustinus, P.C. Weathering characteristics of glacial drifts, Bunger Hills, Antarctica. Arctic, Alpine and Antarctic research 34(1): 65-75, 2002. View Abstract.