Late-Holocene advance of the Collins Ice Cap, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

• Published in: The Holocene
• Main Author: Hall, Brenda L.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2007
• Subjects: Ice cap; King George Island; South Shetland Islands
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683607085132; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683607085132

Radiocarbon dates of incorporated moss indicate advance of the Collins Ice Cap on Fildes Peninsula (King George Island) after ~650 cal. yr BP (~AD 1300), broadly contemporaneous with the `Little Ice Age', as defined in Europe. During that time, the glacier extended less than 400—500 m beyond its present-day margin. Moreover, radiocarbon data indicate that this was the most extensive advance of the last 3500 cal. years. Prior to ~650 cal. yr BP, the ice must have been at or behind its present position. Furthermore, the data indicate that climate conditions prior to the late-Holocene advance may have been similar to (or possibly warmer than) today.