Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-g4j75 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-26T06:25:08.542Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Last Glacial Maximum on Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jan Mangerud ,
Magne Bolstad ,
Anne Elgersma ,
Dag Helliksen ,
Jon Y. Landvik ,
Ida Lønne ,
Anne Katrine Lycke ,
Otto Salvigsen ,
Tom Sandahl  and
John Inge Svendsen
Jan Mangerud
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Magne Bolstad
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Anne Elgersma
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Dag Helliksen
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Jon Y. Landvik
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Ida Lønne
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Anne Katrine Lycke
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Otto Salvigsen
Affiliation:
Norwegian Polar Research Institute, P.O. Box 158, N-1330 Oslo Lufthavn, Norway
Tom Sandahl
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
John Inge Svendsen
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Section B, Allégt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Most scientists have concluded previously that the west coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard, remained ice-free during the late Weichselian, between 25,000 and 10,000 yr B.P. We conclude that the glaciation was more extensive. Terraces that were postulated to have been ice-free are covered by a thin, late Weichselian till. Sudden drop in the marine limit and basal radiocarbon dates of raised glaciomarine sediments demonstrates that the glaciers in the main fjords, Isfjorden and Van Mijenfjorden, terminated west (outside) of the fjord mouths. Basal radiocarbon dates from glaciomarine clay above till in cores from the continental shelf west of Spitsbergen yielded ages of about 12,500 yr B.P., from which we conclude that the ice extended to the shelf edge. Based on the extent of amino acid diagenesis in radiocarbon-dated molluscs, the duration of the maximum extension of the late Weichselian glaciation was short, certainly less than 10,000 years. During the ice-free period preceding that glaciation, at least back to 40,000 yr B.P., the glaciers on Svalbard were not significantly larger than at present, as shown by marine deposits close to the glacier snouts. Many radiocarbon dates place deglaciation of the outer coast at about 12,500 yr B.P. At about 10,000 yr B.P., the rest of the archipelago rapidly became ice-free.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , July 1992 , pp. 1 - 31
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andersen, B.G. Mangerud, J. The last interglacial-glacial cycle in Fennoscandia Quaternary International 3/4 1990 21 29 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anundsen, K. Changes in shore-level and ice-front position in Late Weichsel and Holocenee, southern Norway Norsm geografisk tidsskrift 39 1985 205 225 Google Scholar
Blake, W. Glacial history of Svalbard and the problems of the Barents Shelf ice sheet: Comments Boreas 10 1981 125 128 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blake, W. Geological Survey of Canada radiocarbon dates XXVI 1987 Geological Survey of Canada 86 87 Google Scholar
Bolstad, M. Kvartær amino—og biostratigrafi, og glasiasjonshistorie i området Skilvika, Bell-sund og Linnédalen, Isfjorden, vestlege spitsbergen, Svalbard Unpublished Cand. Scient. thesis 1987 University of Bergen Google Scholar
Boulton, G.S. Boulder shapes and grain size distribution of debris as indicators of transport paths through a glacier and till genesis Sedimentology 25 1978 773 799 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G.S. Glacial history of the Spitsbergen archipelago and the problem of a Barents Shelf ice sheet Boreas 8 1979 31 57 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G.S. Sedimentary and sea level changes during glacial cycles and their control on glacimarine facies architecture Dowdeswell, J.A. Scourse, J.D. Glacimarine Environments: Processes and Sediments The Geological Society London Special Publication No. 53 1990 15 23 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G.S. Baldwin, C.T. Peacock, J.D. McCabe, A.M. Miller, G.H. Jarvis, J. Horsefield, B. Worsley, P. Eyles, N. Chroston, P.N. Day, T.E. Gibbard, P. Hare, P.E. Von Brunn, V. A glacio-isostatic facies model and amino acid stratigraphy for late Quaternary events in Spitsbergen and the Arctic Nature 298 1982 437 441 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, G.S. Rhodes, M. Isostatic uplift and glacial history in northern Spitsbergen Geological Magazine 111 1974 481 500 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Büdel, J. Die Junge Landhebung Spitzbergens im Umkreis des Freeman-Sundes und der Olga-Strasse Würzburger Geographische Arbeiten 22 1 1968 1 21 Google Scholar
COHMAP, Members Climatic changes of the last 18,000 years: Observations and model simulations Science 241 1988 1043 1052 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denton, G.H. Hughes, T.J. The Last Great Ice Sheets 1981 Wiley New York Google Scholar
Elgersma, A. Helliksen, D. Kvartærgeologiske undersøkelser i Van Mijenfjordområdet, Spitsbergen, Svalbard Unpublished Cand. Scient. thesis 1986 University of Bergen Google Scholar
Elverhøi, A. Lønne, Ø. Seland, R. Glaciomarine sedimentation in a modern fjord environment, Spitsbergen Polar Research 1 1983 127 149 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elverhøi, E. Nyland-Berg, M. Russwurm, L. Solheim, A. Late Weichselian ice recession in the central Barents Sea Bleil, U. Thiede, J. Geological History of the Polar Oceans: Arctic versus Antarctic 1990 Kluwer Academic Press Norwell, MA 289 307 Google Scholar
Elverhøi, A. Solheim, A. The Barents Sea ice sheet—A sedimentological discussion Polar Research 1 1983 23 42 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feyling-Hanssen, R.W. Olsson, I.U. Five radiocarbon datings of Post Glacial shorelines in central Spitsbergen Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift 17 1960 122 131 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fjeldskaar, W. Kanestrøm, R. Younger Dryas geoid deformation caused by deglaciation in Fennoscandia Mörner, N.-A. Earth Rheology, Isostasy and Eusostasy 1979 Wiley New York 569 574 Google Scholar
Forman, S.L. Late Weichselian glaciation and deglaciation of Forlandsundet area, western Spitsbergen, Svalbard Boreas 18 1989 51 60 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forman, S.L. Post-glacial relative sea-level history of northwestern Spitsbergen, Svalbard Geological Society of America Bulletin 102 1990 1580 1590 2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forman, S.L. Mann, D.H. Miller, G.H. Late Weichselian and Holocene relative sea level history of Brøggerhalvøya, Spitsbergen Quaternary Research 27 1987 41 50 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forman, S. Miller, G. Time-dependent soil morphologies and pedogenic processes on raised beaches, Brøggerhalvøya, Spitsbergen, Svalbard archipelago Arctic and Alpine Research 16 1984 381 394 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grosswald, M.G. Late Weichselian ice sheet in northern Eurasia Quaternary Research 13 1980 1 32 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoppe, G. Om israndrännor och strandlinjer på Wargentinflya Ymer 80 1987 113 117 Google Scholar
Jonsson, S. On the geomorphology and past glaciation of Storøya, Svalbard Geografiska Annaler 65A 1983 1 17 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. Geomorfologi, glaciologi och istidsförlopp påöstra Svalbard Ymer 80 1987 88 92 Google Scholar
Landvik, J.Y. Mangerud, J. Salvigsen, O. The Late Weichselian and Holocene shoreline displacement on the west coast of Svalbard Polar Research 5 1987 29 44 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Landvik, J.Y. Salvigsen, O. Glaciation development and interstadial sea-level on central Spitsbergen, Svalbard Polar Research 3 1985 1 10 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lavrushin, J.A. Pleistocene of Vestspitsbergen Doklady Akademii NAUKA SSSR 176 1 1967 167 170 [in Russian, internal English translation, Norwegian Polar research Institute] Google Scholar
Lavrushin, J.A. Quaternary Deposits of Spitsbergen 1969 Nauka Moscow [in Russian, internal English translation, Norwegian Polar Research Institute] Google Scholar
Lehman, S.J. Forman, S.L. Late Weichselian glacier retreat in Kongsfjorden, west Spitsbergen, Svalbard Quaternary Research 1991 in press Google Scholar
Liestøl, O. Submarine moraines off the west coast of Spitsbergen Norsk Polarinstitutt Årbok 1970 1972 165 168 Google Scholar
Lønne, I. Weichsel stratigrafi, sedimentologi og glasitektonikk i snittene langs Linnéelva, ytre Isfjorden, Svalbard Unpublished Cand. Scient. thesis 1986 University of Bergen Google Scholar
Lønne, I. Mangerud, J. An Early or Middle Weichselian sequence of proglacial shallowmarine sediments on western Svalbard Boreas 20 1991 85 104 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lycke, A.K. Weichsel Foraminifer—og Litostratigrafi ved Skilvika, Linnéelva og Solovyetski-bukta, vestkysten av Svalbard Unpublished Cand. Scient. thesis 1987 University of Bergen Google Scholar
Mangerud, J. The Scandinavian Ice Sheet through the last interglacial/glacial cycle Frenzel, B. Klimageschichtliche Probleme des Holozäns und des Letzten Interglacials Paläeoklimaforschung 1 1991 Gustav Fisher Stuttgart 307 330 Google Scholar
Mangerud, J. Bolstad, M. Elgersma, A. Helliksen, D. Landvik, J.Y. Lycke, A.K. Lønne, I. Salvigsen, O. Sandahl, T. Sejrup, H.P. The Late Weichselian glacial maximum in western Svalbard Polar Research 5 1987 275 278 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mangerud, J. Elgersma, A. Helliksen, D. Landvik, J. Salvigsen, O. The Late Weichselian (25-10 ka B.P.) Glacial Maximum in Isfjorden and van Mijenfjorden, Spitsbergen, Svalbard 1984 INSTAAR, University of Colorado 67 68 Abstracts, 13th Annual Arctic Workshop Google Scholar
Mangerud, J. Gulliksen, S. Apparent radiocarbon ages of Recent marine shell from Norway, Spitsbergen and Arctic Canada Quaternary Research 5 1975 263 273 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mangerud, J. Landvik, J. Salvigsen, O. Miller, G. 14th Arctic Workshop Lake Linnévatnet, Svalbard, a possible 40,000 years continuous record of lacustrine and marine sedimentation 1985 Bedford Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth, Canada 82 85 Abstract Google Scholar
Mangerud, J. Salvigsen, O. The Kapp Ekholm section, Billefjorden, Spitsbergen: A discussion Boreas 13 1984 155 158 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mangerud, J. Svendsen, J.I. The last interglacial/glacial cycle on Svalbard, as seen from the Kapp Ekholm section Kotlyakov, V.M. Sokolov, V.E. Arctic Research: Advances and prospects 1990 Nauka Moscov 63 66 Part 2 Google Scholar
Mangerud, J. Svendsen, J.I. Deglaciation chronology inferred from marine sediments in a proglacial lake basin, western Spitsbergen, Svalbard Boreas 19 1990 249 272 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, G.H. Quaternary depositional episodes, western Spitsbergen, Norway: Amino-stratigraphy and glacial history Arctic and Alpine Research 14 1982 321 340 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, G.H. Aminostratigraphy of Baffin Island shell-bearing deposits Andrews, J.T. Quaternary Environments 1985 Allen and Unwin Boston, MA 394 427 Google Scholar
Miller, G.H. Brigham-Grette, J. Amino acid geochronology: Resolution and precision in carbonate fossils Quaternary International 1 1989 111 128 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, G.H. Mangerud, J. Aminostratigraphy of European marine interglacial deposits Quaternary Science Reviews 4 1986 215 278 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, G.H. Sejrup, H.P. Lehman, S.J. Forman, S.L. Glacial history and marine environmental change during the last interglacial-glacial cycle, western Spitsbergen, Svalbard Boreas 18 1989 273 296 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Musial, A. Traces of the glaciations in the northwest part of Nordenskiöld Land (West Spitsbergen) Polish Polar Research 6 1985 479 513 Google Scholar
Nagy, J. Quaternary glaciomarine deposits and foraminifera from Edgeøya, Svalbard Boreas 13 1984 319 332 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Otha, Y. Morpho-tectonic studies around Svalbard and the northwestern Atlantic Embry, A.F. Balkwill, H.R. Arctic Geology and Geophysics Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Memor 8 1982 Google Scholar
Østerholm, H. Studies of lake sediments and deglaciation on Prins Oscars Land, Svalbard Geografiska Annaler 68A 1986 329 344 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Péwé, T.L. Rowan, D.E. Péwé, R.H. Stuckenrath, R. Glacial and periglacial geology of northwest Blomesletta peninsula, Spitsbergen, Svalbard Norsk Polarinstitutt Skrifter 177 1982 1 32 Google Scholar
Punning, J.M. Troitsky, L. Rajamäe, R. The genesis and age of the Quaternary deposits in the eastern part of Van Mijenfjorden, West Spitsbergen Geologiska Föreningens i Stockholm Förhandlingar 98 1976 343 347 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Punning, J.M. Troitsky, L. Comments (To paper by Mangerud and Salvigsen) Boreas 13 1984 158 Google Scholar
Punning, J.M. Rajamäe, R. Joers, K. Putnik, H. Tallinn Radiocarbon Dates VI Radiocarbon 22 1980 91 98 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Radiocarbon datings and the extension of the Weichselian ice-sheet in Svalbard Norsk Polarinstitutt Årbok 1976 1977 209 224 Google Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Holocene emergence and finds of pumice, whalebones, and driftwood at Svartknausflya, Nordaustlandet Norsk Polarinstitutt Årbok 1977 1978 217 228 Google Scholar
Salvigsen, O. The last deglaciation of Svalbard Boreas 8 1979 229 231 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Radiocarbon dated raised beaches in Kong Karls Land, Svalbard, and their consequences for the glacial history of the Barents Sea area Geografiska Annaler 63A 3–4 1981 283 291 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Occurrence of pumice on raised beaches and Holocene shoreline displacements in the inner Isfjorden area, Svalbard Polar Research 2 1984 107 113 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Elgersma, A. Hjort, C. Lagerlund, E. Liestøl, O. Svensson, N.O. Glacial history and shoreline displacement on Erdtmanflya and Bohemanflya, Spitsbergen, Svalbard Polar Research 8 1990 261 273 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Mangerud, J. Holocene shoreline displacement at Agardhbukta, eastern Spitsbergen, Svalbard Polar Research 9 1991 1 7 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Nydal, R. The Weichselian glaciation in Svalbard before 15,000 B.P. Boreas 10 1981 433 446 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvigsen, O. Østerholm, H. Radiocarbon dated raised beaches and glacial history of the northern coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard Polar Research 1 1982 97 115 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sandahl, T.J. Kvartærgeologiske under-søkelser i området Lewinodden-Kapp Starostin-Linnévannet ytre Isfjorden, Svalbard Unpublished Cand. Scient. thesis 1986 University of Bergen Google Scholar
Schytt, V. Hoppe, G. Blake, J.R.W. Grosswald, M.G. The extent of the Würm Glaciation in the European Arctic Ward, W. Commission of Snow and Ice Reports and Discussions International Association of Scientific Hydrology Publication 79 1968 207 216 Google Scholar
Semevskij, D.V. Pleistocene deposits of Spitsbergen Materialy po stratigrafii Shpitsbergena 1967 Niiga Leningrad 205 215 [In Russian. Internal English translation, Norwegian Polar Research Institute] Google Scholar
Stankowski, W. Kasprzak, L. Kostrzewski, A. Rygielski, W. An outline of morphogenesis of the region between Hörbyedalen and Ebbadalen, Petuniabukta, Billefjorden, central spitsbergen Polish Polar Research 10 1989 267 276 Google Scholar
Steffensen, E.L. The climate at Norwegian Arctic stations Klima 5 1982 3 44 Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. Pearson, G.W. Braziunas, T. Radiocarbon age calibration of marine samples back to 9000 cal yr B.P. Radiocarbon 28 1986 980 1021 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuiver, M. Polach, H.A. Reporting of 14C data Radiocarbon 19 1977 355 363 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Svendsen, J.I. Mangerud, J. Late Weichselian and Holocene sea-level history for a cross-section of western Norway Journal of Quaternary Science 2 1987 113 132 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Svendsen, J.I. Mangerud, J. Elverhøi, A. Solheim, A. Schüttenhelm, T.E. The Late Weichselian glacial maximum on western Spitsbergen inferred from offshore sediment cores Marine Geology 104 1992 in press CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Troitsky, L.S. The history of the glaciation of Svalbard Polar Geography and Geology 5 1981 57 81 [This is an English translation of a paper originally published in Russian in 1975] CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Troitsky, L.S. Punning, J.M. Hütt, G. Rajamäe, R. Pleistocene glaciation chronology of Spitsbergen Boreas 8 1979 401 407 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vorren, T.O. Hald, M. Lebesbye, E. Late Cenozoic environments in the Barents Sea Paleoceanography 3 1988 601 612 CrossRefGoogle Scholar