Summary Review of the Geology of Greenland as Related to Geological and Engineering Aspects of Sampling Beneath the Inland Ice

One hundred forty-one papers, representing a selected portion of the enormous extant technical literature dealing with various aspects of the geology of Greenland were reviewed to provide background information for speculating on the character of geological materials beneath the Inland Ice in central interior Greenland.

An attempt was made to evaluate "likelihoods" of the potential sub-Ice materials within the general environs including a defined study area. In terms of decreasing likelihood, a "hierarchy'' is suggested-with appreciable reservations. Estimated as  most likely are "crystalline" metamorphic, and/or igneous, rocks-essentially the gamut of Archaean and younger such terranes as have been recognized in exposures elsewhere in Greenland. Principal lithologies include quartzo-feldspathic gneisses, with subordinate granitoids, amphibolites, mafic ultramafic rocks, metavolcanic/meta-sedimentary "supracrustals" and metamorphosed doleritic (or variants) dikes/sills. Metamorphic grades range from granulite-greenschist facies, with amphibolite facies being most common, in the known terranes.

Five other groupings are presented and considered, similarly, in the text of the report, in terms of likelihood of occurrence.

A brief summary is presented, including discussion of physical characteristics of rocks and minerals, with particular regard to engineering properties and concerns.