Glacial Stress Field Orientation Reconstructed through Micromorphology and µX-Ray Computed Tomography of Till

Detailed laboratory analyses largely support field studies on the petrology of glacial materials. In particular, detailed structural analysis of glacial sediments helps reconstruct the presence, orientation and intensity of glacial stress fields. This pilot study compares thin-section micromorphology (two-dimensional observation under a microscope) and µX-ray computed tomography (µXR-CT, three-dimensional observation involving data collection and subsequent processing) to evaluate the potential of the latter technique to yield reliable data. The location and stratigraphy of sampling sites are reported for a complete presentation. Results are encouraging: compared with thin-section micromorphology, µX-ray computed tomography yielded results that are more detailed, reproducible and unaffected by cutting orientation. Moreover, µXR-CT is easily applied to incoherent materials, brittle samples and unique specimens.