Atlantic Water advection vs. glacier dynamics in northern Spitsbergen since early deglaciation


Contact
mbartels [ at ] marum.de

Abstract

AtlanticWater (AW) advection plays an important role in climatic, oceanographic and environmental conditions in the eastern Arctic. Situated along the only deep connection between the Atlantic and the Arctic oceans, the Svalbard Archipelago is an ideal location to reconstruct the past AW advection history and document its linkage with local glacier dynamics, as illustrated in the present study of a 275 cm long sedimentary record from Woodfjorden (northern Spitsbergen; water depth: 171 m) spanning the last �15 500 years. Sedimentological, micropalaeontological and geochemical analyses were used to reconstruct changes in marine environmental conditions, sea ice cover and glacier activity. Data illustrate a partial break-up of the Svalbard–Barents Sea Ice Sheet from Heinrich Stadial 1 onwards (until �14.6 ka). During the Bølling–Allerød (�14.6–12.7 ka), AW penetrated as a bottom water mass into the fjord system and contributed significantly to the destabilization of local glaciers. During the Younger Dryas (�12.7–11.7 ka), it intruded into intermediate waters while evidence for a glacier advance is lacking. A short-term deepening of the halocline occurred at the very end of this interval. During the early Holocene (�11.7–7.8 ka), mild conditions led to glacier retreat, a reduced sea ice cover and increasing sea surface temperatures, with a brief interruption during the Preboreal Oscillation (�11.1–10.8 ka). Due to a �6000-year gap, the mid- Holocene is not recorded in this sediment core. During the late Holocene (�1.8–0.4 ka), a slightly reduced AW inflow and lower sea surface temperatures compared to the early Holocene are reconstructed. Glaciers, which previously retreated to the shallower inner parts of the Woodfjorden system, likely advanced during the late Holocene. In particular, topographic control in concert with the reduced summer insolation partly decoupled glacier dynamics from AW advection during this recent interval.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Primary Division
Programs
Primary Topic
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
46006
DOI 10.5194/cp-13-1717-2017

Cite as
Bartels, M. , Titschack, J. , Fahl, K. , Stein, R. , Seidenkrantz, M. S. , Hillaire-Marcel, C. and Hebbeln, D. (2017): Atlantic Water advection vs. glacier dynamics in northern Spitsbergen since early deglaciation , Climate of the Past, 13 , pp. 1717-1749 . doi: 10.5194/cp-13-1717-2017


Share
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email


Citation

Geographical region

Research Platforms
N/A

Campaigns
N/A


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item