Exposure ages from relict lateral moraines overridden by the Fennoscandian ice sheet

Lateral moraines constructed along west to east sloping outlet glaciers from mountain centred, pre-last glacial maximum (LGM) ice fields of limited extent remain largely preserved in the northern Swedish landscape despite overriding by continental ice sheets, most recently during the last glacial. From field evidence, including geomorphological relationships and a detailed weathering profile including a buried soil, we have identified seven such lateral moraines that were overridden by the expansion and growth of the Fennoscandian ice sheet. Cosmogenic ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al exposure ages of 19 boulders from the crests of these moraines, combined with the field evidence, are correlated to episodes of moraine stabilisation, Pleistocene surface weathering, and glacial overriding. The last deglaciation event dominates the exposure ages, with ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al data derived from 15 moraine boulders indicating regional deglaciation 9600 ± 200 yr ago. This is the most robust numerical age for the final deglaciation of the Fennoscandian ice sheet. The older apparent exposure ages of the remaining boulders (14,600-26,400 yr) can be explained by cosmogenic nuclide inheritance from previous exposure of the moraine crests during the last glacial cycle. Their potential exposure history, based on local glacial chronologies, indicates that the current moraine morphologies formed at the latest during marine oxygen isotope stage 5. Although numerous deglaciation ages were obtained, this study demonstrates that numerical ages need to be treated with caution and assessed in light of the geomorphological evidence indicating moraines are not necessarily formed by the event that dominates the cosmogenic nuclide data.     

Distribution and effectiveness of nivation in Mediterranean mountains: Peñalara (Spain)

Snow accumulation is responsible for geomorphic and biogeographic processes taking place in the southern sector of the Peñalara massif in central Spain (40°51′N, 3°57′W; max. altitude 2428 m at Pico de Peñalara). This work compares the intensity of nivation on the eastern slope, leeward of the prevailing westerly winds and heavily eroded by glacial activity during the Pleistocene, to that of the western slope on the windward side, unaffected by glacial erosion and completely covered by a thick weathering mantle. On the eastern slope, nivation is effective only where the weathering mantle is exposed or on morainic formations. It does not occur on the landforms derived from glacial erosion. In contrast, the western side shows almost no evidence of snow action except where catastrophic mass movements have altered the regularity of the slope. During the post-glacial epoch, nivation cirques formed in the scars left by mass wasting. In the last 30 years, spring temperatures have increased and this activity has diminished. The pattern of evolution observed at Peñalara can be extrapolated to other Mediterranean mountains with similar characteristics such as marginal glacial activity during the Pleistocene, unconsolidated formations on the summits caused by chemical weathering, and dry, hot summers that can increase the effectiveness of nivation.     

Active faults and paleoseismicity in Fennoscandia, especially Sweden. Primary structures and secondary effects

Fennoscandia, today a region of low to moderately low seismicity, was, at the time of deglaciation, with rates of uplift on the order of tens of centimetres per year, a region of very high seismicity and active tectonics. This is evident both from primary fault structures and from secondary sedimentary and hard rock effects in the region around the epicentral areas. The map of active faults in Fennoscandia includes numerous structures previously not recognised. Despite this, the recording of active faults and paleoseismic events is still in its initial phase. Much more data will surely accumulate in the near future.     

An interpretation and catalogue of paleoseismicity in Sweden

Paleoseismic data provide a long-term record of seismic activity to predict hazards for periods longer than one to a few centuries. In Sweden, the analysis reveals there was a drastic change in dominant seismic mode from a high to super-high deglacial mode to a low to moderately low mode in present and Late Holocene time. Paleoseismic criteria and characteristics include numerous different sources of information; viz. primary faults, bedrock deformation, sedimentary deformation, rock and sediment slides, liquefaction, sorting by shaking, tsunamis, differing geomorphic expressions, disordering and ordering of magnetic particles. By applying multiple criteria, it was possible to identify 44 paleoseismic events, including 23 events of estimated M 6–7, 12 events of M 7–8 and 6 events of M > 8. Varve-dating often allows a precision as to a single year, in one case even to the season of a year. The key for paleoseismic reconstruction and testing is the application of multiple criteria.     

Rapid deglaciation as an initiator of volcanic activity: An hypothesis

Volcanic activity on sub-Antarctic Marion Island is found to have occurred only during the interglacials. The present volcano distribution is associated with a radial and peripheral fault system, the location of which appears to be related to the former glacier distribution. An hypothesis is presented suggesting that the faulting is a result of deglaciation and that the specific location of the faults is due to the differential stresses occurring between ice-covered and ice-free areas during isostatic uplift. The faulting initiates volcanism due to the location of the island within a volcanic region.     

Deciphering the Holocene evolution of the St. Lawrence River drainage system using luminescence and radiocarbon dating

The St. Lawrence River is an important drainage route for eastern North American fresh waters. Following Late Pleistocene deglaciation, several fluctuations in base level have fine-tuned the evolution of the ancestral St. Lawrence. These fluctuations are hereby dated using K-feldspar infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and radiocarbon. The accuracy of the individual IRSL dates was achieved by properly correcting for thermal transfer and anomalous fading. For each site investigated, widely used statistical approaches in equivalent dose data have been used to establish which age model, the central or the minimum model, would be appropriate to define the “true” depositional age. The chronology of the succession of regional lake levels is based on careful mapping and dating of the regional dunes, beaches and deltaic sediments. A relative time-space evolution history could be drawn, from ca. 8000 years BP to the present time period. Three major fluctuations are documented for the middle to late Holocene. An unexpected finding, from the ages cluster diagram, is that there have been times in the recent past (ca. 1000–4000 years BP) when the river level was lower or at the same elevation as today. The potential for K-feldspar IRSL to accurately date the Holocene lacustrine evolution is critical in the St. Lawrence River modern drainage basin, an environment that might be negatively impacted over the next century.     

Abrupt climate changes: from the past to the future – a review

 A review of climatic variability is given with a focus on abrupt changes during the last glacial. Evidence from palaeoclimatic archives suggests that these were most likley due to reorganisations of the atmosphere–ocean system. The mechanisms responsible for these changes are presented. Their implication for future climate changes is discussed in light of recent climate model simulations. Received: 24 June 1998 / Accepted: 27 November 1998     

末次冰消期以来东海内陆架古环境演化

通过对位于浙—闽沿岸泥质带的EC2005孔岩性、粒度以及AMS14C年代分析,探讨了研究区自末次冰消期以来的古沉积环境演化,认为是湖水或海水深度、气候变化等综合影响的结果。岩芯底部60.20～41.00 m（17.3～13.1 ka BP）为湖泊三角洲沉积序列,可划分为前三角洲—三角洲前缘—三角洲平原三个沉积亚相,物质来源主要是湖盆流域物质的输入。随着海平面的逐渐上升,海水自13.1 ka BP开始侵入研究区,形成了41.00 m的海相沉积地层,可划分为前滨—近滨—浅海三个沉积亚相,与海平面变化曲线具有良好的对应。自12.3 ka BP开始,研究区受到沿岸流影响,长江物质开始影响研究区,7.3 ka BP以来主要是来自长江的悬浮体在沿岸流作用下输送沉积而形成,稳定的泥质沉积物开始形成。全球性重要气候事件如新仙女木事件、8.2 ka冷事件在东海内陆架沉积物中也得到了良好揭示。     

Seismic stratigraphy of Lago Puyehue (Chilean Lake District): new views on its deglacial and Holocene evolution

Prior to the collection of a series of sediment cores, a high- and very-high-resolution reflection seismic survey was carried out on Lago Puyehue, Lake District, South-Central Chile. The data reveal a complex bathymetry and basin structure, with three sub-basins separated by bathymetric ridges, bedrock islands and interconnected channels. The sedimentary infill reaches a thickness of >200 m. It can be sub-divided into five seismic-stratigraphic units, which are interpreted as: moraine, ice-contact or outwash deposits (Unit I), glacio-lacustrine sediments rapidly deposited in a proglacial or subglacial lake at the onset of deglaciation (Unit II), lacustrine fan deposits fed by sediment-laden meltwater streams in a proglacial lake (Unit III), distal deposits of fluvially derived sediment in an open, post-glacial lake (Unit IV) and authigenic lacustrine sediments, predominantly of biogenic origin, that accumulated in an open, post-glacial lake (Unit V). This facies succession is very similar to that observed in other glacial lakes, and minor differences are attributed to an overall higher depositional energy and higher terrigenous input caused by the strong seismic and volcanic activity in the region combined with heavy precipitation. A long sediment core (PU-II core) penetrates part of Unit V and its base is dated as 17,915 cal. yr. BP. Extrapolation of average sedimentation rates yields an age of ca. 24,750 cal. yr. BP for the base of Unit V, and of ca. 28,000 cal. yr. BP for the base of Unit IV or for the onset of open-water conditions. This is in contrast with previous glacial-history reconstructions based on terrestrial records, which date the complete deglaciation of the basin as ca. 14,600 cal. yr. BP. This discrepancy cannot be easily explained and highlights the need for more lacustrine records from this region. This is the second in a series of eight papers published in this special issue dedicated to the 17,900 year multi-proxy lacustrine record of Lago Puyehue, Chilean Lake District. The papers in this special issue were collected by M. De Batist, N. Fagel, M.-F. Loutre and E. Chapron.     

From outwash to coastal systems in the Portneuf–Forestville deltaic complex (Québec North Shore): Anatomy of a forced regressive deglacial sequence

Deglacial sequences typically include backstepping grounding zone wedges and prevailing glaciomarine depositional facies. However, in coastal domains, deglacial sequences are dominated by depositional systems ranging from turbiditic to fluvial facies. Such deglacial sequences are strongly impacted by glacio‐isostatic rebound, the rate and amplitude of which commonly outpaces those of post‐glacial eustatic sea‐level rise. This results in a sustained relative sea‐level fall covering the entire depositional time interval. This paper examines a Late Quaternary, forced regressive, deglacial sequence located on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary (Portneuf Peninsula, Québec, Canada) and aims to decipher the main controls that governed its stratigraphic architecture. The forced regressive deglacial sequence forms a thick (>100 m) and extensive (>100 km²) multiphased deltaic complex emplaced after the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet margin from the study area ca 12 500 years ago. The sedimentary succession is composed of ice‐contact, glaciomarine, turbiditic, deltaic, fluvial and coastal depositional units. A four‐stage development is recognized: (i) an early ice‐contact stage (esker, glaciomarine mud and outwash fan); (ii) an in‐valley progradational stage (fjord head or moraine‐dammed lacustrine deltas) fed by glacigenics; (iii) an open‐coast deltaic progradation, when proglacial depositional systems expanded beyond the valley outlets and merged together; and (iv) a final stage of river entrenchment and shallow marine reworking that affected the previously emplaced deltaic complex. Most of the sedimentary volume (10 to 15 km³) was emplaced during the three‐first stages over a ca 2 kyr interval. In spite of sustained high rates of relative sea‐level fall (50 to 30 mm·year^?1), delta plain accretion occurred up to the end of the proglacial open‐coast progradational stage. River entrenchment only occurred later, after a significant decrease in the relative sea‐level fall rates (<30 mm·year^?1), and was concurrent with the formation and preservation of extensive coastal deposits (raised beaches, spit platform and barrier sands). The turnaround from delta plain accretion to river entrenchment and coastal erosion is interpreted to be a consequence of the retreat of the ice margin from the river drainage basins that led to the drastic drop of sediment supply and the abrupt decrease in progradation rates. The main internal stratigraphic discontinuity within the forced regressive deglacial sequence does not reflect changes in relative sea‐level variations.