An 800-year long, radiocarbon-dated varve chronology from south-eastern Sweden

More than 50 varve-thickness diagrams, which were established from glacial varved clays in south-eastern Sweden were correlated with each other to form an 800-year long floating varve chronology. AMS |214|0C measurements on terrestrial macrofossils from the varved clays enabled synchronization of the record with other high-resolution archives. The synchronization indicates that the chronology spans between c. 13 150 and c. 12 350 calendar years BP and covers the later part of the Allerørd and the early part of the Younger Dryas. Calibrated radiocarbon dates, which were obtained on varved clays south of the floating chronology, indicate that the ice recession in south-eastern Sweden may have started during late Bølling. Our results indicate a longer time-span in varve years for the deglaciation than has been previously estimated     

Correlation of stadial and interstadial events in the south Swedish glacial varves with the GRIP oxygen isotope record

A number of correlated varve sequences from the local varve chronology in southeastern Sweden have been selected to make a 1040 varve years long mean varve thickness curve. Pollen analyses were carried out over an interval of 373 varve years in the northern part of the study area. The pollen stratigraphical data have been divided into local pollen assemblage zones which have been correlated with the radiocarbon-dated regional pollen assemblage zones. Based on variations in herb and tree pollen content of the analysed varve sequences, it has been possible to identify well-documented lateglacial pollen zones for southern Sweden, i.e. the Bölling interstadial (GI-1e), the Older Dryas cold event (GI-1d) and the early part of the Alleröd interstadial (GI-1c). The event stratigraphy in this study, based on varying varve thicknesses and the composition of the pollen flora in the varves, has been correlated with the oxygen isotope stratigraphy of the GRIP ice-core on Greenland between 13600 and 14400 GRIP ice-core years BP. It is concluded that five decadal warm events and one centennial warm event (15–60 and 100 varve years long, respectively) occur in the clay varve record along with one centennial cold event (150 varve years long), the Older Dryas (GI-1d).     

The deglaciation of southern Sweden 13,500-10,000 B.P.

Because of its well-developed ice-marginal zones, SW Sweden is an important reference area for the study of deglaciation, chronology and palaeoclimate 13,500-10,000 B.P. The ice-marginal zones are described and defined. Earlier research and opinions concerning the deglaciation are summarized. Based on radiocarbon dates from shells, vertebrate bones and limnic sediments, a revised deglaciation chronology is presented. This chronology is supported by biostratigraphic transects of time-space diagrams. The radiocarbon and varve chronologies are compared. Some ice-marginal zones are supposed to be 400 to 900 years older than expected from the varve chronology. The deglaciation chronology is correlated within the southern margin of the Scandinavian inland ice. Various consequences for the interpretation of glacial dynamics, shoreline displacement, and the biological environment are mentioned.     

Revision of the lateglacial Swedish varve chronology

A survey of the revised lateglacial varve chronology is given. Almost all revisions are based on new, independent measurements not yet finished. Compared with the old time scale, the preliminary datings (calendar years ± a margin of error) of the ice margin retreat are 'older', mainly due to the fact that the postglacial varve chronology has been extended by 365 years. This implies that the so-called zero year ( sensu De Geer 1940: limit of late glacial and beginning of postglacial varve sedimentation). earlier estimated at 6,923 B.C. (Nilsson 1964), is now dated 7,288 B.C. According to the new time scale, deglaciation from Stockholm to the area of zero-year formation in Indalsälven's valley lasted about 1,190 ± 40 years, compared with 1,073 years in De Geer's (1940) time scale or 1,092 in Jarnefors' (1963). Preliminary varve graph correlations, which are still very weak concerning the Fennoscandian moraine zone, indicate that the ice receded from Högsby, northwest of Kalmar at approximately 10,700⁺²⁰⁰₋₃₀₀ B.C. At localities just to the north of the Fennoscandian moraines, deglaciation started about 8,750⁺⁵⁰₋₁₅₀ years B.C. according to the new varve measurements, and the ice front receded in southern Stockholm 8,470⁺⁴⁰₋₁₄₀ B.C. Varve dating now gives older ages (calendar years) than ¹⁴C-dating; about 200–400 years older regarding some ice margin positions in south Sweden.     

A new middle Holocene varve diagram from the river Ångermanalven, northern Sweden: indications for a possible error in the Holocene varve chronology

A new varve diagram from the river Ångermanälven could be correlated to the postglacial varve chronology to between 4903 and 4415 varve years BP. An AMS ¹⁴C measurement on terrestrial macrofossils obtained between 4715 and 4706 varve years BP gave a calibrated age of between 5730 and 5040 calendar years BP. The discrepancy between varve and calender-year age indicates that an error or part of an error in the Swedish varve chronology may be situated between 2000 and 5000 varve years BP.     

A magnetostratigraphic comparison between 14C years and varve years during the Late Weichselian,indicating significant differences between the time-scales

A ¹⁴C-dated magnetostratigraphy of absolute declination and inclination between 12500 and 10000 ¹⁴C yr BP was recently developed for southern Sweden. Recently also the Swedish geochronological time-scale, based on c. 11 500 annually deposited clay-varves, was connected with the present. It should therefore be possible to compare the two chronologies with a reliable magnetostratigraphic record in an appropriate clay-varve section. We have found such a site within the Middle Swedish end-moraine zone. Statistical correlations between the two independently dated time-scales suggest that at 10500–10200 ¹⁴Cy r BP the varve chronology exceeds the ¹⁴C chronology by the order of 500-600 varve yr. Other correlations indicate that the difference between the two chronologies was less at 11000 ¹⁴C yr BP, and further correlations between the time-scales at 12000 ¹⁴C yr BP suggest that the difference between the chronologies increased steadily from 12000 to 10000 ¹⁴C yr BP. If these correlations are correct they imply that the ¹⁴C production rate increased steadily during the Late Weichselian.     

Palynological analyses in the laminated sediment of Lake Holzmaar (Eifel, Germany): duration of Lateglacial and Preboreal biozones

The laminated sediment of Lake Holzmaar (Germany) has provided a continuous varve chronology for the last 3500 varve years (vy) and beyond that a floating varve chronology back to more than 22500 vy BP. This chronology in calendar years, in combination with palynology, enables us to determine the timing and the magnitude of Lateglacial and Early Holocene environmental changes on land (from 13838 to 10930 vy BP). The palynological diagram has a mean time resolution of 27 vy between samples. This paper establishes for the first time the biozonation for Lake Holzmaar below the Laacher See Tephra. Fifteen pollen subzones grouped in four biozones are defined by cluster analysis. After a period disturbed by microturbidites, only a part of the Bølling is present. Three cold periods have been evidenced by pollen analyses: the Older Dryas (96-vy-long), the Younger Dryas (654-vy-long) and the Rammelbeek phase (237-vy-long). The Allerød (883-vy-long) is bipartite with a first Betula -dominated period followed by a Pinus -dominated one. The Younger Dryas is also bipartite, with first a decrease of winter temperatures along with a change to a more continental climate. It is followed by a drier phase with a second decrease in temperatures, probably this time also affecting summer temperatures. The Preboreal is 702-yr-long. The duration of most phases corresponds to published records, except for that of the Younger Dryas. Cluster and rate-of-change analyses indicate a sharp change in the terrestrial vegetation assemblages that may be caused by a sedimentary hiatus of erosive origin during this cold and dry period. As a result, the chronology of Holzmaar has to be revised most likely below the middle of the Younger Dryas. Comparison with the varve record of Meerfelder Maar, a neighbour maar lake, suggests adding 320 vy below 12025 vy.     

Evidence of the final drainage of the Baltic Ice Lake and the brackish phase of the Yoldia Sea in glacial varves from the Baltic Sea

A clay-varve chronology based on 14 cross-correlated varve graphs from the Baltic Sea and a mean varve thickness curve has been constructed. This chronology is correlated with the Swedish Time Scale and covers the time span 11530 to 10250 varve years BP. Two cores have been analysed for grain size, chemistry, content of diatoms and changes in colour by digital colour analysis. The final drainage of the Baltic Ice Lake is dated to c . 10800 varve years BP and registered in the cores analysed as a decrease in the content of clay. This event can be correlated with atmospheric Δ14 C content and might have resulted in an increase in these values recorded between 11565 and 11545 years BP. The results of the correlation between the varve chronology from the Baltic Sea, the Greenland GRIP ice core and the atmospheric Δ14 C record indicate that c . 760 years are missing in the Swedish Time Scale in the part younger than c. 10250 varve years BP. A change in colour from a brownish to grey varved glacial clay recorded c . 10770 varve years BP is found to be the result of oxygen deficiency due to an increase in the rate of sedimentation in the early Preboreal. The first brackish influence is recorded c . 10540 varve years BP in the northwestern Baltic Sea and some 90 years later in the eastern Gotland Basin.     

Younger Dryas deglaciation at Mt. Billingen, and clay varve dating of the Younger Dryas/Preboreal transition

A clay varve chronology has been established for the Late Weichselian ice recession east of Mt. Billingen in Västergötland, Sweden. In this area the Middle-Swedish end moraine zone was built up as a consequence of cold climate during the Younger Dryas stadial. A change-over from rapid to slow retreat as a result of climatic deterioration at the Alleröd/Younger Dryas transition cannot be traced with certainty in the varve sequences, but it seems to have taken place just before 11,600 varve years BP. The following deglaciation was very slow for about 700 years — within the Middle-Swedish end moraine zone the annual ice-front retreat was only c . 10 m on average. A considerable time-lag is to be expected between the Younger Dryas climatic event and this period of slow retreat. The 700 years of slow retreat were succeeded by 200 years of more rapid recession, about 50–75 m annually, and then by a mainly rapid and uncomplicated retreat of the ice-front by 100–200 m/year or more, characterizing the next 1500 years of deglaciation in south and central Sweden. The change from about 50–75 m to 100–200 m of annual ice-front retreat may reflect the Younger Dryas/Preboreal transition. Clay-stratigraph-ically defined, the transition is dated at c . 10,740 varve years BP, with an error of +100 to -250 years. In the countings of ice layers in Greenland ice cores (GRIP and GISP-2) the end of the Younger Dryas climatic event is 800–900 years older. However, a climatic amelioration after the cold part of the Younger Dryas and in early Preboreal should rapidly be reflected by for example chemical components and dust in Greenland ice cores, and by increasing δ¹³C content in tree rings. On the other hand, the start of a rapid retreat of the inland ice margin can be delayed by several centuries. This can explain at least a part of the discrepancy between the time-scales.     

Revision of the early Holocene lake sediment based chronology and event stratigraphy on Hochstetter Forland, NE Greenland

The previously established and often debated lake sediment based chronology and event stratigraphy from Hochstetter Forland, NE Greenland, has been re-examined. These new studies show that the last deglaciation of the coastal area is several thousand years younger than previously described. The main reason behind the difference is the fact that the older chronology was based on ¹⁴C datings of bulk sediment samples, which are now shown to contain enough coal fragments to produce erroneous ages. The re-examination was performed on sediments from two lakes located within the Nanok moraine system: one is situated at or slightly above the marine limit around 65 m. the other at 21–22 m a.s.l. The combined stratigraphy from the two lakes shows that the area was deglaciated before 9000 BP, after which followed deposition of glaciomarine sediments, fining upwards. The first vegetation seems to have been dominated by grasses, Lycopodium and Polypodiaceae. At c . 8000 BP the limnic production increased significantly and a pioneer vegetation characterized the area. At this time the 'Artemisia' grains appear. A short but distinct climatic cooling occurs at c . 7500 BP causing a significant drop in lake productivity and possibly also producing coarser sediments in the (glacio)marine environment. About 200 years later the lake productivity again increased, very rapidly, and the marine sediments became finer and more rich in molluscs, as a response to the beginning of the climatic optimum. Because of the time-lag between climate and vegetation response it took another 300 years before Betulci nana immigrated, at the same time as the 'Artemisia' grains disappeared, and another several hundred years before a real dwarf-shrub vegetation developed in these parts of Hochstetter Forland. Before the lower lake was isolated from the sea at c . 6000 BP, coarse wave-washed sediments, followed by a typical isolation sequence, were deposited in it.     

Lake Torfadalsvatn: a high resolution record of the North Atlantic ash zone I and the last glacial-interglacial environmental changes in Iceland

High resolution environmental records with a refined chronology are essential to understand, reconstruct and model the climate dynamics of the last glacial-interglacial transition. Sediments from Lake Torfadalsvatn in northern Iceland contain at least four primary volcanic tephras that belong to ash zone I in the North Atlantic deep-sea cores. We chemically define these basaltic/rhyolitic tephras and the high resolution allows us to date them to about 10,800, 10,600, 9300 and 8900 BP. This detailed tephrostratigraphy will act as a refined dating and correlation tool in the North Atlantic region and enable calibration between different absolute chronologies. The pollen stratigraphy of the sediments suggests that by 10,400 ¹⁴C years BP plant colonization of coastal north Iceland had begun. The pollen stratigraphy shows a succession of pioneer plants, from open tundra vegetation towards birch-juniper woodland, which probably also reflects a transition from a cool climate at 10,400 BP to conditions similar to today's sub-polar oceanic climate around 9200 BP. Diatom data largely concur with the climatic information from pollen, indicating gradually increasing productivity in the lake.     

Holocene shore displacement and chronology in Ångermanland, eastern Sweden, the Scandinavian glacio-isostatic uplift centre

The shore displacement during the Holocene in southeastern Ångermanland, Sweden, has been investigated by means of radiocarbon-dating of isolation intervals in sediment cores from a total of nine new basins. Results from earlier investigations have been used in complement. There is a forced regression in the area from c. 9300 BP ( c . 10500 cal. yr BP) until c . 8000 BP ( c . 9000 cal. yr BP), on average c . 8 m/100 years, after which there is a gradually slowing regression of c . 2.5–1.0 m/100 years up to the present time. The most rapid regression occurs during the later phase of the Ancylus Lake stage, 9500–9000 cal. yr BP. There is no evidence of halts in the regression. Crustal uplift in the area since deglaciation is c . 310 m. The deglaciation of southeastern Ångermanland took place c . 9300 BP ( c . 10500 cal. yr BP); this is c . 900 years earlier than the age given by clay varve dating. The shore displacement curve provides a means of estimating the difference between the clay varve time scale and calibrated radiocarbon dates, by comparison with varve-dated altitudes of alluvial deltas of the River Ångermanalven. From c. 2500 to c. 8000 cal. BP there is a deficit in clay varves of some 300 years; further back in time this discrepancy increases significantly. The main explanation for the discrepancy is most likely lacking varves in the time-span 8500–10200 cal. yr BP, located along the upper reaches of River Ångermanalven below the highest shore level.     

Late quaternary chronology of the Taitao Peninsula,southern Chile

Six new radiocarbon ages and a pollen sequence are provided for Laguna Stibnite, a small lake on the Taitao Peninsula, Chile (latitude 46°25'S, longitude 74°24'W). The sediments record a late-glacial to present sequence, with a basal age of 14 335 ± 145 yr BP (Q-2840). The radiocarbon ages provide the basis for a sound chronology in a region of Chile where few palynological studies have been made and where previous radiocarbon ages are ambiguous. The chronology from Laguna Stibnite supports the acceptance of a radiocarbon chronology based on wood fragments (rather than bulk analysis) at a site near Puerto Edén further south in the Chilean Channels (49°08'S). These data from Laguna Stibnite provide evidence for an early deglaciation (before 14 000 yr BP) in this region of southern Chile. The sequence provides no evidence for a climatic reversal between 11 000 yr BP and 10 000 yr BP, the so-called Younger Dryas chron.     

Late Weichselian environmental change in southern Sweden and Denmark

A synthesis is presented of the envronmental and climatic variations that are inferred to have occurred in southern Sweden (up to latitude 59°N) and Denmark during the Weichselian Late-glacial (14-9 ka BP). The chronology and characteristics of the main phases of deglaciation, sea-level change, periglacial activity, soil development, vegetation cover and climate change are summarised. A curve representing the main changes in temperature, including quantitative estimates based upon beetle data and using the ‘mutual climatic range’ method, is presented.     

The use of varved clay chronology for dating paleoseismic events: the Erstavik record in the Stockholm area, south Sweden

Geological structures suggest that the Fennoscandian Shield was subjected to a higher seismicity at the end of the last glaciation than today. This article demonstrates the use of varved clay chronology for dating paleoseismic events. It is argued that the deposited annually layered glacial varves were sensitive to past ground movements. In the Stockholm area, the Erstavik varved clay chronology suggests four paleoseismic events: a first (I) dating from varve year 10,473 to 10,468 BP; a second (II) 10,451 to 10,445 BP; a third (III) 10,429 to 10,425 BP; and a fourth (IV) 10,409 to 10,404 BP. In De Geer's ‘old' (1940) chronology the first (I) dating corresponds with −1117 to −1112, the second (II) with −1095 to −1089, the third (III) with −1073 to −1069, and the fourth (IV) with −1053 to −1048. The most pronounced event was the one at around varve year 10,429 BP (varve −1073 in De Geer's ‘old' chronology). The recurrence time of about 20 years suggests a totally different seismic regime at the time of deglaciation than what exists today. It coincided with the period of maximum isostatic uplift. The complexity of the varved clay response to seismic events is also discussed.     

A 10Be‐based reconstruction of the last deglaciation in southern Sweden

We present 23 cosmogenic surface exposure ages from 10 localities in southern Sweden. The new ¹⁰Be ages allow a direct correlation between the east and west coasts of southern Sweden, based on the same dating technique, and provide new information about the deglaciation of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet in the circum‐Baltic area. In western Skåne, southernmost Sweden, a single cosmogenic surface exposure sample gave an age of 16.8±1.0 ka, whereas two samples from the central part of Skåne gave ages of 17.0±0.9 and 14.1±0.8 ka. Further northeast, in southern Småland, two localities gave ages ranging from 15.2±0.8 to 16.9±0.9 ka (n=5) indicating a somewhat earlier deglaciation of the area than has previously been suggested. Our third locality, in S Småland, gave ages ranging from 10.2±0.5 to 18.4±1.6 ka (n=3), which are probably not representative of the timing of deglaciation. In central Småland one locality was dated to 14.5±0.8 ka (n=3), whereas our northernmost locality, situated in northern Småland, was dated to 13.8±0.8 ka (n=3). Samples from the island of Gotland suggest deglaciation before 13 ka ago. We combined the new ¹⁰Be ages with previously published deglaciation ages to constrain the deglaciation chronology of southern Sweden. The combined deglaciation chronology suggests a rather steady deglaciation in southern Sweden starting at c. 17.9 cal. ka BP in NW Skåne and reaching northern Småland, ～200 km further north, c. 13.8 ka ago. Overall the new deglaciation ages agree reasonably well with existing deglaciation chronologies, but suggest a somewhat earlier deglaciation in Småland.     

Complexity of the 8 ka climate event in Sweden recorded by varved lake sediments

Mineral magnetic and carbon analyses of a continuous varved lake sediment sequence in west-central Sweden (Lake Mötterudstjärnet) complement similar palaeoclimate proxies obtained from two varved lake sediment sequences in northern Sweden and one in central Finland. The varve chronology is supported by tephrochronology, palaeomagnetic secular variations and ¹⁴C AMS dating of terrestrial macrofossils. We apply a simple model in which the transport and deposition of catchment mineral matter reflect the amount of winter snow accumulation, spring snow-melt and stream discharge. Our data show that winter snow accumulation was generally enhanced in Sweden between 8100 and 7750 cal. yr BP. If dating errors are taken into account, the 350-year period of increased erosion is the geomorphic response to a multi-centennial scale climatic cooling that occurred some time between 8500 and 7500 cal. yr BP. The most significant erosion event in central Sweden was centred at 8050 cal. yr BP. It lasted 150 years (between 8100 and 7950 cal. yr BP) and is equivalent to the most extreme Holocene climate anomaly in the northern hemisphere, known as the 8 ka or 8200 cal. yr BP climate event. Our high-resolution paramagnetic susceptibility and ferrimagnetic grain-size parameters suggest that snowpack accumulation increased most significantly in northern Sweden between 7900 and 7750 cal. yr BP. We suggest that this north–south difference was a response to the re-establishment of moisture-laden westerly air masses, as meridional Atlantic overturning circulation was re-established at the beginning of the Holocene thermal maximum.     

Vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Russia during the Lateglacial and Holocene inferred from the Lake Ladoga pollen record

The new pollen record from the upper 12.75 m of a sediment core obtained in Lake Ladoga documents regional vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Russia over the last 13.9 cal. ka. The Lateglacial chronostratigraphy is based on varve chronology, while the Holocene stratigraphy is based on AMS ¹⁴C and OSL dates, supported by comparison with regional pollen records. During the Lateglacial (c. 13.9–11.2 cal. ka BP), the Lake Ladoga region experienced several climatic fluctuations as reflected in vegetation changes. Shrub and grass communities dominated between c. 13.9 and 13.2 cal. ka BP. The increase in Picea pollen at c. 13.2 cal. ka BP probably reflects the appearance of spruce in the southern Ladoga region at the beginning of the Allerød interstadial. After c. 12.6 cal. ka BP, the Younger Dryas cooling caused a significant decrease in spruce and increase in Artemisia with other herbs, indicative of tundra‐ and steppe‐like vegetation. A sharp transition from tundra‐steppe habitats to sparse birch forests characterizes the onset of Holocene warming c. 11.2 cal. ka BP. Pine forests dominated in the region from c. 9.0 to 8.1 cal. ka BP. The most favourable climatic conditions for deciduous broad‐leaved taxa existed between c. 8.1 and 5.5 cal. ka BP. Alder experiences an abrupt increase in the local vegetation c. 7.8 cal. ka BP. The decrease in tree pollen taxa (especially Picea) and the increase in herbs (mainly Poaceae) probably reflect human activity during the last 2.2 cal. ka. Pine forests have dominated the region since that time. Secale and other Cerealia pollen as well as ruderal herbs are permanently recorded since c. 0.8 cal. ka BP.     

Correlation of Swedish glacial varves with the Greenland (GRIP) oxygen isotope record

A mean varve thickness curve has been constructed for a part of the Swedish varve chronology from the northwestern Baltic proper. The mean varve thickness curve has been correlated with the δ¹⁸O record from the GRIP ice-core using the Younger Dryas–Preboreal climate shift. This climate shift was defined by pollen analyses. The Scandinavian ice-sheet responded to a warming at the end of the Younger Dryas, ca. 10995 to 10700 clay-varve yr BP. Warming is recorded as a sequence of increasing mean varve thickness and ice-rafted debris suggesting intense calving of the ice front. The Younger Dryas–Preboreal climatic shift is dated to ca. 10650 clay-varve yr BP, about 40 yr after the final drainage of the Baltic Ice Lake. Both the pollen spectra and a drastic increase in varve thickness reflect this climatic shift. A climate deterioration, correlated with the Preboreal oscillation, is dated to ca. 10440 to 10320 clay-varve yr BP and coincides with the brackish water phase of the Yoldia Sea stage. The ages of the climatic oscillations at the Younger Dryas–Preboreal transition show an 875 yr discrepancy compared with the GRIP record, suggesting a large error in the Swedish varve chronology in the part younger than ca. 10300 clay-varve yr BP. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Occurrence of varved lake sediment sequences in Varmland, west central Sweden: lake characteristics, varve chronology and AMS radiocarbon dating

Varved lake sediments can be used to set multiple environmental proxies within a calendar year time scale. We undertook a systematic survey of lakes in the Province of Värmland, west central Sweden, with the aim of finding continuous varved lake sediment sequences covering the majority of the Holocene. In Fennoscandia, such sediments have previously only been recorded in northern Sweden and in southern and central Finland. By following a selective process and fieldwork we discovered three new varved sites (i.e. Furskogstjärnet, Mötterudstjärnet and Kälksjön). We found that lakes with varved sediments have several common lake morphometry properties and lake catchment characteristics such as maximum water depth, maximum water depth/lake surface area ratio, catchment soil types, altitude and number of inflows. Varve chronologies, supported by AMS-¹⁴C dating and tephrochronology were established for two of the sediment profiles. These varve chronologies are the longest geological records with an annual resolution known to exist in Sweden. In Furskogstjärnet, the AMS- ¹⁴C dates based on terrestrial plant macrofossils at several levels deviate significantly from the varve based time-depth curve. In Motterudstjarnet, a fully reasonable time-depth model based on the ¹⁴C dates gives older ages in the lower part of the sequence compared to the varve chronology. These results highlight that seemingly acceptable AMS radiocarbon dates may be erroneous. They also point to the fact that varved lake sediments are reliable geological archives with respect to chronological control and accuracy. Thus, these archives should be of prime interest for studies of climate and environmental change undertaken with the aim of providing sub-decadal resolution proxy data sets.