The deglacial history of NW Alexander Island, Antarctica, from surface exposure dating

Johnson, Joanne S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4537-4447; Everest, Jeremy; Leat, Philip T.; Golledge, Nicholas; Rood, Dylan H.; Stuart, Finlay M.. 2012 The deglacial history of NW Alexander Island, Antarctica, from surface exposure dating. Quaternary Research, 77 (2). 273-280. 10.1016/j.yqres.2011.11.012

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Official URL: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/yqres

Abstract/Summary

Recent changes along the margins of the Antarctic Peninsula, such as the collapse of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, have highlighted the effects of climatic warming on the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS). However, such changes must be viewed in a long-term (millennial-scale) context if we are to understand their significance for future stability of the Antarctic ice sheets. To address this, we present nine new cosmogenic Be-10 exposure ages from sites on NW Alexander Island and Rothschild Island (adjacent to the Wilkins Ice Shelf) that provide constraints on the timing of thinning of the Alexander Island ice cap since the last glacial maximum. All but one of the Be-10 ages are in the range 10.2-21.7 ka, showing a general trend of progressive ice-sheet thinning since at least 22 ka until 10 ka. The data also provide a minimum estimate (490 m) for ice-cap thickness on NW Alexander Island at the last glacial maximum. Cosmogenic He-3 ages from a rare occurrence of mantle xenoliths on Rothschild Island yield variable ages up to 46 ka, probably reflecting exhumation by periglacial processes.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.yqres.2011.11.012
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Environmental Change and Evolution BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ice Sheets BGS Programmes 2010 > Climate Change Science
ISSN:	0033-5894
Additional Keywords:	Cosmogenic nuclides, Erratics, Ice sheet, Refugia; Wilkins Ice Shelf, Last glacial maximum
Date made live:	01 May 2012 16:30 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/17942

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.yqres.2011.11.012

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Environmental Change and Evolution
BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ice Sheets
BGS Programmes 2010 > Climate Change Science

ISSN:

0033-5894

Additional Keywords:

Cosmogenic nuclides, Erratics, Ice sheet, Refugia; Wilkins Ice Shelf, Last glacial maximum

Date made live:

01 May 2012 16:30 +0 (UTC)