Holocene history of the Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland

Anders Anker Bjørk; Nicolaj K. Larsen; Jesper Olsen; A. E. Goldsack; Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen; M. Morlighem; C. S.  Andresen; P. Rasmussen; G. Oxfeldt; Kurt H. Kjær

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.06.018

Holocene history of the Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland

Anders Anker Bjørk, Nicolaj K. Larsen, Jesper Olsen, A. E. Goldsack, Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen, M. Morlighem, C. S. Andresen, P. Rasmussen, G. Oxfeldt, Kurt H. Kjær

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Helheim Glacier ranks among the fastest flowing and most ice discharging outlets of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). After undergoing rapid speed-up in the early 2000s, understanding its long-term mass balance and dynamic has become increasingly important. Here, we present the first record of direct Holocene ice-marginal changes of the Helheim Glacier following the initial deglaciation. By analysing cores from lakes adjacent to the present ice margin, we pinpoint periods of advance and retreat. We target threshold lakes, which receive glacial meltwater only when the margin is at an advanced position, similar to the present. We show that, during the period from 10.5 to 9.6 cal ka BP, the extent of Helheim Glacier was similar to that of todays, after which it remained retracted for most of the Holocene until a re-advance caused it to reach its present extent at c. 0.3 cal ka BP, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Thus, Helheim Glacier's present extent is the largest since the last deglaciation, and its Holocene history shows that it is capable of recovering after several millennia of warming and retreat. Furthermore, the absence of advances beyond the present-day position during for example the 9.3 and 8.2 ka cold events as well as the early-Neoglacial suggest a substantial retreat during most of the Holocene.

Original language	English
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	193
Pages (from-to)	145-158
Number of pages	14
ISSN	0277-3791
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.06.018
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2018

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@article{c4d618204a0548a4b92e837f31df9174,

title = "Holocene history of the Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland",

abstract = "Helheim Glacier ranks among the fastest flowing and most ice discharging outlets of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). After undergoing rapid speed-up in the early 2000s, understanding its long-term mass balance and dynamic has become increasingly important. Here, we present the first record of direct Holocene ice-marginal changes of the Helheim Glacier following the initial deglaciation. By analysing cores from lakes adjacent to the present ice margin, we pinpoint periods of advance and retreat. We target threshold lakes, which receive glacial meltwater only when the margin is at an advanced position, similar to the present. We show that, during the period from 10.5 to 9.6 cal ka BP, the extent of Helheim Glacier was similar to that of todays, after which it remained retracted for most of the Holocene until a re-advance caused it to reach its present extent at c. 0.3 cal ka BP, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Thus, Helheim Glacier's present extent is the largest since the last deglaciation, and its Holocene history shows that it is capable of recovering after several millennia of warming and retreat. Furthermore, the absence of advances beyond the present-day position during for example the 9.3 and 8.2 ka cold events as well as the early-Neoglacial suggest a substantial retreat during most of the Holocene.",

author = "Bj{\o}rk, {Anders Anker} and Larsen, {Nicolaj K.} and Jesper Olsen and Goldsack, {A. E.} and Kjeldsen, {Kristian Kjellerup} and M. Morlighem and Andresen, {C. S.} and P. Rasmussen and G. Oxfeldt and Kj{\ae}r, {Kurt H.}",

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T1 - Holocene history of the Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland

AU - Bjørk, Anders Anker

AU - Larsen, Nicolaj K.

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Goldsack, A. E.

AU - Kjeldsen, Kristian Kjellerup

AU - Morlighem, M.

AU - Andresen, C. S.

AU - Rasmussen, P.

AU - Oxfeldt, G.

AU - Kjær, Kurt H.

PY - 2018/8/1

Y1 - 2018/8/1

N2 - Helheim Glacier ranks among the fastest flowing and most ice discharging outlets of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). After undergoing rapid speed-up in the early 2000s, understanding its long-term mass balance and dynamic has become increasingly important. Here, we present the first record of direct Holocene ice-marginal changes of the Helheim Glacier following the initial deglaciation. By analysing cores from lakes adjacent to the present ice margin, we pinpoint periods of advance and retreat. We target threshold lakes, which receive glacial meltwater only when the margin is at an advanced position, similar to the present. We show that, during the period from 10.5 to 9.6 cal ka BP, the extent of Helheim Glacier was similar to that of todays, after which it remained retracted for most of the Holocene until a re-advance caused it to reach its present extent at c. 0.3 cal ka BP, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Thus, Helheim Glacier's present extent is the largest since the last deglaciation, and its Holocene history shows that it is capable of recovering after several millennia of warming and retreat. Furthermore, the absence of advances beyond the present-day position during for example the 9.3 and 8.2 ka cold events as well as the early-Neoglacial suggest a substantial retreat during most of the Holocene.

AB - Helheim Glacier ranks among the fastest flowing and most ice discharging outlets of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). After undergoing rapid speed-up in the early 2000s, understanding its long-term mass balance and dynamic has become increasingly important. Here, we present the first record of direct Holocene ice-marginal changes of the Helheim Glacier following the initial deglaciation. By analysing cores from lakes adjacent to the present ice margin, we pinpoint periods of advance and retreat. We target threshold lakes, which receive glacial meltwater only when the margin is at an advanced position, similar to the present. We show that, during the period from 10.5 to 9.6 cal ka BP, the extent of Helheim Glacier was similar to that of todays, after which it remained retracted for most of the Holocene until a re-advance caused it to reach its present extent at c. 0.3 cal ka BP, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Thus, Helheim Glacier's present extent is the largest since the last deglaciation, and its Holocene history shows that it is capable of recovering after several millennia of warming and retreat. Furthermore, the absence of advances beyond the present-day position during for example the 9.3 and 8.2 ka cold events as well as the early-Neoglacial suggest a substantial retreat during most of the Holocene.

U2 - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.06.018

DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.06.018

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 193

SP - 145

EP - 158

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

ER -

Holocene history of the Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland

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