The Marine Geophysical Signature of Past Ice Sheets

areas. Landforms, including subglacially formed channel systems in inner- and mid-shelf areas, and the lack of them on sedimentary outer shelves, allow inferences to be made about subglacial hydrology. The distribution of grounding-zone wedges and other transverse moraine ridges also provides evidence on the nature of ice-sheet retreat – whether by rapid collapse, episodic retreat or by the slow retreat of grounded ice. Such information can be used to test the predictive capability of ice-sheet numerical models. These marine geophysical and geological observations of submarine glacial landforms enhance our understanding of the form and flow of past ice masses at scales ranging from ice sheets (1000s of km in flow-line and margin length), through ice streams (100s of km long), to surge-type glaciers (10s of km long).