An exhumed Paleozoic glacial landscape in Chad

A newly discovered late Paleozoic glacial landscape, dating back to the Visean age, has been identified within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape in northern Chad. Satellite imagery analysis revealed at least five paleo-ice stream pathways, each 5–12 km wide, characterized by mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs) and occasional drumlins. These features, confined to low-lying areas representing ancient valley networks, exhibit sinuous geometries and occur on multiple stratigraphic levels, confirming their geological antiquity through dissection by late Neogene rivers and fault offsets. The pathways suggest the presence of a previously unknown paleo-ice sheet that flowed northward toward present-day Libya, with an estimated ice margin thickness of less than 250 meters. This discovery significantly expands the known extent of late Paleozoic ice sheets and has implications for understanding sea-level changes during this period.

Le Heron, D. P. (2017). An exhumed Paleozoic glacial landscape in Chad. Geology, 46(1), 91–94. https://doi.org/10.1130/g39510.1