ABSTRACT
The arctic proglacial sandur is one member in the global variation of aeolian processes and forms for which a general model is not yet available, although idealized models applicable to subtropical and temperate environments have been developed by a number of workers. The environmental control which clearly distinguishes the proglacial setting from others relates to the seasonal influence of moisture as water, ice and snow. Large quantities of glacial meltwater effectively submerge much of the sandur surface during the summer, while throughout the remainder of the year, snow cover and interstitial ice can effectively stop aeolian erosion and transport. However, violent sand storms do occur on the sandurs of Baffin Island during particularly dry, cold winters. The source of sediment for winter transport may be provided by (a) sandur sediments which are progressively dried by evaporation and sublimation and (b) the abrasion of the frozen sandur surface by the impact of other saltating grains. As typical of other sandurs on Baffin Island, extensive aeolian deposits flank the Weasel River sandur in Pangnirtung Pass and the Maktak sandur on eastern Cumberland Peninsula. These include sand sheets, climbing dunes, sand drifts and vegetated accumulations. Topography, surface roughness and vegetation are strong controls over the form of these deposits and as a result, they clearly resemble many of the aeolian deposits described from other warmer environments. Unlike the deflation of the sandur itself which is strongly influenced by seasonal adjustments in moisture, the adjacent aeolian deposits are relatively dry throughout the summer and bare of snow in the winter, and therefore, are subject to reworking year round.
