Glacial history of the Greenland Ice Sheet and a local ice cap in Qaanaaq, northwest Greenland

TY - JOUR

T1 - Glacial history of the Greenland Ice Sheet and a local ice cap in Qaanaaq, northwest Greenland

AU - Sondergaard, Anne Sofie

AU - Larsen, Nicolaj Krog

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Strunk, Astrid

AU - Woodroffe, Sarah

PY - 2019/10/1

Y1 - 2019/10/1

N2 - In this study, we present new information on the glacial history of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and a local ice cap in Qaanaaq, northwest Greenland. We use geomorphological mapping, 10Be exposure dating of boulders, analysis of lake cores, and 14C dating of reworked marine molluscs and subfossil plants to constrain the glacial history. Our 14C ages of reworked marine molluscs reveal that the ice extent in the area was at or behind its present-day position from 42.2 ± 0.4 to 30.6 ± 0.3k cal a BP after which the GrIS expanded to its maximum position during the Last Glacial Maximum. We find evidence of early ice retreat in the deep fjord (Inglefield Bredning) at 11.9 ± 0.6 ka whereas the Taserssuit Valley was deglaciated ~4 ka later at 7.8 ± 0.1k cal a BP. A proglacial lake record suggests that the local ice cap survived the Holocene Thermal Maximum but moss kill-dates reveal that it was smaller than present for a period of time before 3.3 ± 0.1k until 0.9 ± 0.1k cal a BP, following which the ice in the area expanded towards its Little Ice Age extent.

AB - In this study, we present new information on the glacial history of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and a local ice cap in Qaanaaq, northwest Greenland. We use geomorphological mapping, 10Be exposure dating of boulders, analysis of lake cores, and 14C dating of reworked marine molluscs and subfossil plants to constrain the glacial history. Our 14C ages of reworked marine molluscs reveal that the ice extent in the area was at or behind its present-day position from 42.2 ± 0.4 to 30.6 ± 0.3k cal a BP after which the GrIS expanded to its maximum position during the Last Glacial Maximum. We find evidence of early ice retreat in the deep fjord (Inglefield Bredning) at 11.9 ± 0.6 ka whereas the Taserssuit Valley was deglaciated ~4 ka later at 7.8 ± 0.1k cal a BP. A proglacial lake record suggests that the local ice cap survived the Holocene Thermal Maximum but moss kill-dates reveal that it was smaller than present for a period of time before 3.3 ± 0.1k until 0.9 ± 0.1k cal a BP, following which the ice in the area expanded towards its Little Ice Age extent.

U2 - 10.1002/jqs.3139

DO - 10.1002/jqs.3139

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0267-8179

VL - 34

SP - 536

EP - 547

JO - Journal of Quaternary Science

JF - Journal of Quaternary Science

IS - 7

ER -