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Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum

This paper compiles and reviews marine and terrestrial data constraining the dimensions and configuration of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) through deglaciation to the present day. These data are used to reconstruct grounding-line retreat in 5ka time-ste...

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Main Authors: Colm O Cofaigh, Bethan J. Davies, Stephen J. Livingstone, James A. Smith, Joanne S. Johnson, Emma P. Hocking, Dominic A. Hodgson, John B. Anderson, Michael J. Bentley, Miquel Canals, Eugene Domack, Julian A. Dowdeswell, Jeffrey Evans, Neil F. Glasser, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Robert D. Larter, Stephen J. Roberts, Alexander R. Simms
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Published: 2014
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2134/17835
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author Colm O Cofaigh
Bethan J. Davies
Stephen J. Livingstone
James A. Smith
Joanne S. Johnson
Emma P. Hocking
Dominic A. Hodgson
John B. Anderson
Michael J. Bentley
Miquel Canals
Eugene Domack
Julian A. Dowdeswell
Jeffrey Evans
Neil F. Glasser
Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Robert D. Larter
Stephen J. Roberts
Alexander R. Simms
author_facet Colm O Cofaigh
Bethan J. Davies
Stephen J. Livingstone
James A. Smith
Joanne S. Johnson
Emma P. Hocking
Dominic A. Hodgson
John B. Anderson
Michael J. Bentley
Miquel Canals
Eugene Domack
Julian A. Dowdeswell
Jeffrey Evans
Neil F. Glasser
Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Robert D. Larter
Stephen J. Roberts
Alexander R. Simms
author_sort Colm O Cofaigh (7190984)
collection Figshare
description This paper compiles and reviews marine and terrestrial data constraining the dimensions and configuration of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) through deglaciation to the present day. These data are used to reconstruct grounding-line retreat in 5ka time-steps from 25kaBP to present. Glacial landforms and subglacial tills on the eastern and western Antarctic Peninsula (AP) shelf indicate that the APIS was grounded to the outer shelf/shelf edge at the LGM and contained a series of fast-flowing ice streams that drained along cross-shelf bathymetric troughs. The ice sheet was grounded at the shelf edge until ~20calkaBP. Chronological control on retreat is provided by radiocarbon dates on glacimarine sediments from the shelf troughs and on lacustrine and terrestrial organic remains, as well as cosmogenic nuclide dates on erratics and ice moulded bedrock. Retreat in the east was underway by about 18calkaBP. The earliest dates on recession in the west are from Bransfield Basin where recession was underway by 17.5calkaBP. Ice streams were active during deglaciation at least until the ice sheet had pulled back to the mid-shelf. The timing of initial retreat decreased progressively southwards along the western AP shelf; the large ice stream in Marguerite Trough may have remained grounded at the shelf edge until about 14calkaBP, although terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ages indicate that thinning had commenced by 18kaBP. Between 15 and 10calkaBP the APIS underwent significant recession along the western AP margin, although retreat between individual troughs was asynchronous. Ice in Marguerite Trough may have still been grounded on the mid-shelf at 10calkaBP. In the Larsen-A region the transition from grounded to floating ice was established by 10.7-10.6calkaBP. The APIS had retreated towards its present configuration in the western AP by the mid-Holocene but on the eastern peninsula may have approached its present configuration several thousand years earlier, by the start of the Holocene. Mid to late-Holocene retreat was diachronous with stillstands, re-advances and changes in ice-shelf configuration being recorded in most places. Subglacial topography exerted a major control on grounding-line retreat with grounding-zone wedges, and thus by inference slow-downs or stillstands in the retreat of the grounding line, occurring in some cases on reverse bed slopes.
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spelling rr-article-94820332014-08-07T00:00:00Z Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum Colm O Cofaigh (7190984) Bethan J. Davies (2843855) Stephen J. Livingstone (3691018) James A. Smith (1496818) Joanne S. Johnson (7190987) Emma P. Hocking (7190990) Dominic A. Hodgson (2043412) John B. Anderson (7190993) Michael J. Bentley (7190996) Miquel Canals (186525) Eugene Domack (6507515) Julian A. Dowdeswell (7190999) Jeffrey Evans (1254507) Neil F. Glasser (7191002) Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand (4276453) Robert D. Larter (7191005) Stephen J. Roberts (7191008) Alexander R. Simms (7191011) Other earth sciences not elsewhere classified Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet Antarctica Deglaciation Glacial geology Last Glacial Maximum Earth Sciences not elsewhere classified This paper compiles and reviews marine and terrestrial data constraining the dimensions and configuration of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) through deglaciation to the present day. These data are used to reconstruct grounding-line retreat in 5ka time-steps from 25kaBP to present. Glacial landforms and subglacial tills on the eastern and western Antarctic Peninsula (AP) shelf indicate that the APIS was grounded to the outer shelf/shelf edge at the LGM and contained a series of fast-flowing ice streams that drained along cross-shelf bathymetric troughs. The ice sheet was grounded at the shelf edge until ~20calkaBP. Chronological control on retreat is provided by radiocarbon dates on glacimarine sediments from the shelf troughs and on lacustrine and terrestrial organic remains, as well as cosmogenic nuclide dates on erratics and ice moulded bedrock. Retreat in the east was underway by about 18calkaBP. The earliest dates on recession in the west are from Bransfield Basin where recession was underway by 17.5calkaBP. Ice streams were active during deglaciation at least until the ice sheet had pulled back to the mid-shelf. The timing of initial retreat decreased progressively southwards along the western AP shelf; the large ice stream in Marguerite Trough may have remained grounded at the shelf edge until about 14calkaBP, although terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ages indicate that thinning had commenced by 18kaBP. Between 15 and 10calkaBP the APIS underwent significant recession along the western AP margin, although retreat between individual troughs was asynchronous. Ice in Marguerite Trough may have still been grounded on the mid-shelf at 10calkaBP. In the Larsen-A region the transition from grounded to floating ice was established by 10.7-10.6calkaBP. The APIS had retreated towards its present configuration in the western AP by the mid-Holocene but on the eastern peninsula may have approached its present configuration several thousand years earlier, by the start of the Holocene. Mid to late-Holocene retreat was diachronous with stillstands, re-advances and changes in ice-shelf configuration being recorded in most places. Subglacial topography exerted a major control on grounding-line retreat with grounding-zone wedges, and thus by inference slow-downs or stillstands in the retreat of the grounding line, occurring in some cases on reverse bed slopes. 2014-08-07T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 2134/17835 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Reconstruction_of_ice-sheet_changes_in_the_Antarctic_Peninsula_since_the_Last_Glacial_Maximum/9482033 CC BY 3.0
spellingShingle Other earth sciences not elsewhere classified
Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet
Antarctica
Deglaciation
Glacial geology
Last Glacial Maximum
Earth Sciences not elsewhere classified
Colm O Cofaigh
Bethan J. Davies
Stephen J. Livingstone
James A. Smith
Joanne S. Johnson
Emma P. Hocking
Dominic A. Hodgson
John B. Anderson
Michael J. Bentley
Miquel Canals
Eugene Domack
Julian A. Dowdeswell
Jeffrey Evans
Neil F. Glasser
Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Robert D. Larter
Stephen J. Roberts
Alexander R. Simms
Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title_full Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title_fullStr Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title_full_unstemmed Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title_short Reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum
title_sort reconstruction of ice-sheet changes in the antarctic peninsula since the last glacial maximum
topic Other earth sciences not elsewhere classified
Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet
Antarctica
Deglaciation
Glacial geology
Last Glacial Maximum
Earth Sciences not elsewhere classified
url https://hdl.handle.net/2134/17835