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Dynamics and retreat of the Late Weichselian Kongsfjorden ice stream, NW Svalbard

Henriksen, Mona ; Alexanderson, Helena LU ; Landvik, Jon Y. ; Linge, Henriette and Peterson, Gustaf (2014) In Quaternary Science Reviews 92. p.235-245
Abstract
Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating in combination with detailed landform mapping in the Kongsf-jordhallet area, NW Svalbard, have provided new insight on configuration, dynamics, and deglaciation of the Late Weichselian Kongsfjorden ice stream. The minimum Late Weichselian ice surface elevation in Kongsfjorden was >449 m a.s.l. indicating considerably thicker ice and a steeper surface gradient than earlier suggested. For the adjacent inter-ice stream area an even steeper surface slope is reconstructed. The glacial landforms, as well as the surface exposure ages of erratic boulders at different elevations, suggest a gradual lowering of the ice surface. Deglaciation of the higher elevations was probably underway by 20.0 ka. At ca 16.6... (More)
Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating in combination with detailed landform mapping in the Kongsf-jordhallet area, NW Svalbard, have provided new insight on configuration, dynamics, and deglaciation of the Late Weichselian Kongsfjorden ice stream. The minimum Late Weichselian ice surface elevation in Kongsfjorden was >449 m a.s.l. indicating considerably thicker ice and a steeper surface gradient than earlier suggested. For the adjacent inter-ice stream area an even steeper surface slope is reconstructed. The glacial landforms, as well as the surface exposure ages of erratic boulders at different elevations, suggest a gradual lowering of the ice surface. Deglaciation of the higher elevations was probably underway by 20.0 ka. At ca 16.6 ka a large moraine complex ('the Kongsfjorden moraine') was deposited close to the fjord mouth. The shape of the moraines, the steep ice surface gradient, as well as the correlation to fine laminated clay lacking ice rafted debris deposited in the trough beyond the moraine suggest that ice dynamics switched from ice-stream behaviour to a slower flowing outlet (tidewater) glacier. A Younger Dryas or Early Holocene advance of local valley glaciers is shown by moraine lobes cross-cutting the Late Weichselian lateral moraines. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Svalbard, Surface exposure dating, Ice stream dynamics, Deglaciation
in
Quaternary Science Reviews
volume
92
pages
235 - 245
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000337198400017
  • scopus:84900442356
ISSN
0277-3791
DOI
10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.10.035
project
Glacial history of Svalbard
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b3cfef67-c4be-4116-a179-255a1e173687 (old id 4545015)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:28:31
date last changed
2022-02-25 02:10:45
@article{b3cfef67-c4be-4116-a179-255a1e173687,
  abstract     = {{Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating in combination with detailed landform mapping in the Kongsf-jordhallet area, NW Svalbard, have provided new insight on configuration, dynamics, and deglaciation of the Late Weichselian Kongsfjorden ice stream. The minimum Late Weichselian ice surface elevation in Kongsfjorden was >449 m a.s.l. indicating considerably thicker ice and a steeper surface gradient than earlier suggested. For the adjacent inter-ice stream area an even steeper surface slope is reconstructed. The glacial landforms, as well as the surface exposure ages of erratic boulders at different elevations, suggest a gradual lowering of the ice surface. Deglaciation of the higher elevations was probably underway by 20.0 ka. At ca 16.6 ka a large moraine complex ('the Kongsfjorden moraine') was deposited close to the fjord mouth. The shape of the moraines, the steep ice surface gradient, as well as the correlation to fine laminated clay lacking ice rafted debris deposited in the trough beyond the moraine suggest that ice dynamics switched from ice-stream behaviour to a slower flowing outlet (tidewater) glacier. A Younger Dryas or Early Holocene advance of local valley glaciers is shown by moraine lobes cross-cutting the Late Weichselian lateral moraines. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Henriksen, Mona and Alexanderson, Helena and Landvik, Jon Y. and Linge, Henriette and Peterson, Gustaf}},
  issn         = {{0277-3791}},
  keywords     = {{Svalbard; Surface exposure dating; Ice stream dynamics; Deglaciation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{235--245}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Quaternary Science Reviews}},
  title        = {{Dynamics and retreat of the Late Weichselian Kongsfjorden ice stream, NW Svalbard}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.10.035}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.10.035}},
  volume       = {{92}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}