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Glacial Landforms as Geodiversity Resources for Geotourism in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Andrea Coronato
Andrea Coronato
, 
Soledad Schwarz
Soledad Schwarz
 e 
Flavia Flores Barrera
Flavia Flores Barrera
   | 07 nov 2021
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Pubblicato online: 07 nov 2021
Pagine: 5 - 24
Ricevuto: 29 apr 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2022-0001
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© 2022 Andrea Coronato et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego map. A – points indicate the cities’ location; B – view of a sector of central Tierra del Fuego, where several described landforms are present; C – view of a sector of southern Tierra del Fuego, where most of the landforms are present. The three maps are based on Google Earth™ images. National Route Number 3 (NR3), the main paved road, communicates the territory mainly in the N–S direction. The others are dirty and provincial routes “H”, (RPH), “F” (RPF) and “J” (RPJ).
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego map. A – points indicate the cities’ location; B – view of a sector of central Tierra del Fuego, where several described landforms are present; C – view of a sector of southern Tierra del Fuego, where most of the landforms are present. The three maps are based on Google Earth™ images. National Route Number 3 (NR3), the main paved road, communicates the territory mainly in the N–S direction. The others are dirty and provincial routes “H”, (RPH), “F” (RPF) and “J” (RPJ).

Fig. 2

The main glacial axis dispersed from the Darwin Cordillera ice-mountain sheet flowing in Tierra del Fuego and glacial limits along the main glacial valleys (modified from Coronato and Rabassa 2011). The map is based on Shuttle Radar Terrain Model (90 m resolution).
The main glacial axis dispersed from the Darwin Cordillera ice-mountain sheet flowing in Tierra del Fuego and glacial limits along the main glacial valleys (modified from Coronato and Rabassa 2011). The map is based on Shuttle Radar Terrain Model (90 m resolution).

Fig. 3

Location of the 16 glacial landforms herein presented.
Location of the 16 glacial landforms herein presented.

Fig. 4

View of Pampa de Beta moraine smooth relief and ice-wedges casts indicating that the region was a tundra desert during the following Pleistocene glaciations.
View of Pampa de Beta moraine smooth relief and ice-wedges casts indicating that the region was a tundra desert during the following Pleistocene glaciations.

Fig. 5

Punta Sinaí moraine and erratic boulders field. A – the moraine developing a cliff due to wave erosion and boulders scattered in the beach; B – hummocky moraine surface with boulders; C – till exposure eroded by wave-action showing endoglacial boulders; D – San Sebastián moraine: view of the hummocky relief of the lateral moraine complex; E – till exposure showing stratified and deformed strata.
Punta Sinaí moraine and erratic boulders field. A – the moraine developing a cliff due to wave erosion and boulders scattered in the beach; B – hummocky moraine surface with boulders; C – till exposure eroded by wave-action showing endoglacial boulders; D – San Sebastián moraine: view of the hummocky relief of the lateral moraine complex; E – till exposure showing stratified and deformed strata.

Fig. 6

Paleo-delta kame and basal moraine on Fagnano lake shore. A – general view of the paleo-delta kame deposits (to the west); the basal grey lacustrine sediments of the bottom set, the foreset gravel strata and the top set sandy-gravelly strata can be distinguished along with the exposure; B – section showing the three components of the paleo-delta kame sedimentary sequence and columnar basal till on the top. While the delta deposits belong to the last middle Pleistocene glaciations, the basal till is from the LGM.
Paleo-delta kame and basal moraine on Fagnano lake shore. A – general view of the paleo-delta kame deposits (to the west); the basal grey lacustrine sediments of the bottom set, the foreset gravel strata and the top set sandy-gravelly strata can be distinguished along with the exposure; B – section showing the three components of the paleo-delta kame sedimentary sequence and columnar basal till on the top. While the delta deposits belong to the last middle Pleistocene glaciations, the basal till is from the LGM.

Fig. 7

Landforms belonging to the LGM in central Tierra del Fuego. A – Río Fuego terminal morainic complex facing the N along with RPF in the western side of the valley; B – Yehuin moraine and paleo-lake view to the SW; in front, the flat relief of the paleolake at the foot of the moraine; C – Tolhuin kettle and mound topography seen besides NR3; the kettle was flooded by meltwater forming shallow ponds.
Landforms belonging to the LGM in central Tierra del Fuego. A – Río Fuego terminal morainic complex facing the N along with RPF in the western side of the valley; B – Yehuin moraine and paleo-lake view to the SW; in front, the flat relief of the paleolake at the foot of the moraine; C – Tolhuin kettle and mound topography seen besides NR3; the kettle was flooded by meltwater forming shallow ponds.

Fig. 8

Erosional features in the Fuegian Andes. View from the col of the lateral glacial valleys developed to the N; A – Escondido lake valley and to the S, B – Rancho Hambre valley. C – Carbajal trough showing aretes, horns, cirques, cirque glaciers and neves, hanging valleys, truncated spurs sculptured on Alvear range, on the northern side of the valley; the wide bottom of the trough is covered by Sphagnum magellanicum peat bogs and ponds. The tree-line is at 650 m a.s.l.
Erosional features in the Fuegian Andes. View from the col of the lateral glacial valleys developed to the N; A – Escondido lake valley and to the S, B – Rancho Hambre valley. C – Carbajal trough showing aretes, horns, cirques, cirque glaciers and neves, hanging valleys, truncated spurs sculptured on Alvear range, on the northern side of the valley; the wide bottom of the trough is covered by Sphagnum magellanicum peat bogs and ponds. The tree-line is at 650 m a.s.l.

Fig. 9

Glacial features around Ushuaia city. A – Olivia paleo-nunatak and cirques developed in its eastern slope; B – Le Martial cirque glacier and valley; in the small picture a detail of the Late Glacial and LIA moraines are pointed out.
Glacial features around Ushuaia city. A – Olivia paleo-nunatak and cirques developed in its eastern slope; B – Le Martial cirque glacier and valley; in the small picture a detail of the Late Glacial and LIA moraines are pointed out.

Fig. 10

A – Ushuaia Peninsula basal moraines in Ushuaia city surroundings and rocky stream-lined islands in the Beagle Channel; B – basal moraine flattened by the airport construction, the visible building; C – basal moraine topography forming part of the peninsula; D – basal till exposure showing few boulders into a silty-clay matrix; E – glacial abrasion on the rocks of the island where marine mammals live in colonies.
A – Ushuaia Peninsula basal moraines in Ushuaia city surroundings and rocky stream-lined islands in the Beagle Channel; B – basal moraine flattened by the airport construction, the visible building; C – basal moraine topography forming part of the peninsula; D – basal till exposure showing few boulders into a silty-clay matrix; E – glacial abrasion on the rocks of the island where marine mammals live in colonies.

Fig. 11

Erosional landforms westwards Ushuaia city. A – Susana Mt. and Río Pipo trough (view to the W). Its rounded summit and stream-lined shape (500 m a.s.l.) show it was totally covered by ice while the other mountain summits were not, at its foot, basal moraines developed; B – Cañadón de la Oveja U-shaped, hanging valley joining the Río Pipo trough by a threshold, truncated spurs are visible in the right; C – view of the Lapataia trough to the E; at the back, its narrow entrance from the Beagle channel.
Erosional landforms westwards Ushuaia city. A – Susana Mt. and Río Pipo trough (view to the W). Its rounded summit and stream-lined shape (500 m a.s.l.) show it was totally covered by ice while the other mountain summits were not, at its foot, basal moraines developed; B – Cañadón de la Oveja U-shaped, hanging valley joining the Río Pipo trough by a threshold, truncated spurs are visible in the right; C – view of the Lapataia trough to the E; at the back, its narrow entrance from the Beagle channel.

Fig. 12

Drumlins in the Beagle channel coasts. A and B – stream-lined depositional landforms in W–E direction; C – the Gable island wall formed by wave and runoff erosion at the western slope of drumlins, their internal composition can be seen by sailing or by binoculars from the coast. The name of the island refers to the architectural triangular shape, a very singular feature in the region.
Drumlins in the Beagle channel coasts. A and B – stream-lined depositional landforms in W–E direction; C – the Gable island wall formed by wave and runoff erosion at the western slope of drumlins, their internal composition can be seen by sailing or by binoculars from the coast. The name of the island refers to the architectural triangular shape, a very singular feature in the region.

Datasheet designed to collect information about each glacial landform.

LANDFORM:
Picture
LOCATION
Coordinates  Access:
TYPE OF GLACIAL LANDFORMErosionalAbrasion  DepositionalStratified drift  
Till  
Frontal  
Plucking  Marginal  
Subglacial  
CHRONOLOGY  
GEODESCRIPTION  
GEODIDACTIC FUNCTIONS  
OTHERS  
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Geodidactic functions of landforms regarding processes type and glacial chronology.

Geodidactic functionsRegarding processesRegarding geological times
LandformsErosionTransportDepositionAncient glaciationLast Glacial MaximumYoungest glaciations
L1××
L2××××
L3××
L4×××
L5××
L6××
L7×××
L8××
L9×××
L10××
L11×××××
L12×××
L13××
L14×××
L15××
L16×××
eISSN:
2081-6383
Lingua:
Inglese
Frequenza di pubblicazione:
4 volte all'anno
Argomenti della rivista:
Geosciences, Geography
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