Abstract:

Aquantitatively statistical analysis about the shapes and surface textures of quartz grains from 13 level samples of a core (NP951) collected from a continental slope in the Antarctic Prydz Bay were made in this study.The quartz grains show surface textures resulted from a strong glacial movement and a weaker chemical erosion precipitation,indicating the sediments are mainly glacial drifts under a lower energy marine environment.The obtainted quantitatively statistical results of the assemblages of the quartz grain surface textures formed by the chemical erosion precipitation are well correlated to the analytical results of mineral X ray diffraction and micropaleontology and can better explain the changes of sedimentary environment and paleoclimate which the marine zone concerned underwent.