Terrestrial and submarine evidence for the extent and timing of the Last Glacial Maximum and the onset of deglaciation on the maritime-Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands

This paper is the maritime and sub–Antarctic contribution to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics (PAIS) community Antarctic Ice Sheet reconstruction. The overarching aim for all sectors of Antarctica was to reconstruct the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice sheet extent and thickness, and map the subsequent deglaciation in a series of 5000 year time slices. However, our review of the literature found surprisingly few high quality chronological constraints on changing glacier extents on these timescales in the maritime and sub–Antarctic sector. Therefore, in this paper we focus on an assessment of the terrestrial and offshore evidence for the LGM ice extent, establishing minimum ages for the onset of deglaciation, and separating evidence of deglaciation from LGM limits from those associated with later Holocene glacier fluctuations. Evidence included geomorphological descriptions of glacial landscapes, radiocarbon dated basal peat and lake sediment deposits, cosmogenic isotope ages of glacial features and molecular biological data. We propose a classification of the glacial history of the maritime and sub–Antarctic islands based on this assembled evidence. These include: (Type I) islands which accumulated little or no LGM ice; (Type II) islands with a limited LGM ice extent but evidence of extensive earlier continental shelf glaciations; (Type III) seamounts and volcanoes unlikely to have accumulated significant LGM ice cover; (Type IV) islands on shallow shelves with both terrestrial and submarine evidence of LGM (and/or earlier) ice expansion; (Type V) Islands north of the Antarctic Polar Front with terrestrial evidence of LGM ice expansion; and (Type VI) islands with no data. Finally, we review the climatological and geomorphological settings that separate the glaciological history of the islands within this classification scheme

A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum

A robust understanding of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglacial history since the Last Glacial Maximum is important in order to constrain ice sheet and glacial-isostatic adjustment models, and to explore the forcing mechanisms responsible for ice sheet retreat. Such understanding can be derived from a broad range of geological and glaciological datasets and recent decades have seen an upsurge in such data gathering around the continent and Sub-Antarctic islands. Here, we report a new synthesis of those datasets, based on an accompanying series of reviews of the geological data, organised by sector. We present a series of timeslice maps for 20 ka, 15 ka, 10 ka and 5 ka, including grounding line position and ice sheet thickness changes, along with a clear assessment of levels of confidence. The reconstruction shows that the Antarctic Ice sheet did not everywhere reach the continental shelf edge at its maximum, that initial retreat was asynchronous, and that the spatial pattern of deglaciation was highly variable, particularly on the inner shelf. The deglacial reconstruction is consistent with a moderate overall excess ice volume and with a relatively small Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse 1a. We discuss key areas of uncertainty both around the continent and by time interval, and we highlight potential priorities for future work. The synthesis is intended to be a resource for the modelling and glacial geological community

Interglacial pollen and plant macrofossils from Langdon River, western Tasmania

Pollen and plant macrofossils from Langdon liner give an interglacial floral record for western Tasmania. The location of the site between the ice limits of the Last or Margaret Glaciation and the Penultimate or Henty Glaciation indicate that it cannot be younger than the Last Interglacial. The sequence of vegetation changes shows the succession Casuarina Phyllocladus-Nothofagus with Casuarina as pioneer and Nothofagus as representing Maximum wet forest development. After the maximum the presence of Phyllocladus-Nothofagus-Eucalyptus-Microstrobos suggests deterioration to subalpine woodland/shrubland, and Compositae, Gramineae-Microstrobos to alpine shrubland and herbland. The sequence represents most of a glacial-interglacial-glacial cycle Of environmental changes that occurred before 43 000 14C yr B.P. Very high Casuarina values occur in the early part at the interglacial sequence which contrasts with the Holocene where Eucalyptus is more important than Casuarina. Otherwise the sequence of Phyllocladus, Nothofagus, Eucryphia-Anodopetalum is the same as for Holocene forest development. The interglaeial ‘optimum’ is marked by the occurrence of Pomaderris apetala type and Dicksonia antarctica. There is some similarity with the Casuarina curves in the Lake George interglacials before the Last Interglacial. But, on the whole, there is more similarity with interglacial rainforest development in western South Island, New Zealand Only one cycle of vegetation change is recognized at Langdon River which is unlike New Zealand and central Chilean records from 40-42° S which in different ways record a mid Last Interglacial climatic deterioration.Eric A. Colhoun, Guus van de Geer, Robert S. Hill and Trevor Bir

Exposure Dating and Glacial Reconstruction at Mt. Field, Tasmania, Australia, Identifies MIS 3 and MIS 2 Glacial Advances and Climatic Variability

Tasmania is important for understanding Quaternary climatic change because it is one of only three areas that experienced extensive mid-latitude Southern Hemisphere glaciation and it lies in a dominantly oceanic environment at a great distance from Northern Hemisphere ice sheet feedbacks. We applied exposure dating using 36Cl to an extensive sequence of moraines from the last glacial at Mt. Field, Tasmania. Glaciers advanced at 41-44 ka during Marine oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and at 18 ka during MIS 2. Both advances occurred in response to an ELA lowering greater than 1100m below the present-day mean summer freezing level, and a possible temperature reduction of 7-8°C. Deglaciation was rapid and complete by ca. 16 ka. The overall story emerging from studies of former Tasmanian glaciers is that the MIS 2 glaciation was of limited extent and that some glaciers were more extensive during earlier parts of the last glacial cycle