Late‐glacial to Holocene environmental changes and climate variability: evidence from Voldafjorden, western Norway

• Published in: Journal of Quaternary Science
• Main Authors: Sejrup, H. P., Haflidason, H., Flatebø, T., Kristensen, D. Klitgaard, Grøsfjeld, K., Larsen, E.
• Other Authors: Research Council of Norway, European Union ENAM II Project
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2001
• Subjects: Arctic; Glacial Lake; Norway; Storegga; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jqs.593; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjqs.593; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jqs.593

Abstract Sedimentological, micropalaeontological (benthic foraminifers and dinoflagellate cysts), stable isotope data and AMS 14 C datings on cores and surface samples, in addition to acoustic data, have been obtained from Voldafjorden, western Norway. Based on these data the late glacial and Holocene sedimentological processes and variability in circulation and fjord environments are outlined. Glacial marine sedimentation prevailed in the Voldafjorden between 11.0 kyr and 9.2 kyr BP (radiocarbon years). In the later part of the Allerød period, and for the rest of the Holocene, there was deposition of fine‐grained normal marine sediments in the fjord basin. Turbidite layers, recorded in core material and on acoustic profiles, dated to ca. 2.1, 6.9–7.6, ca. 9.6 and ca. 11.0 kyr BP, interrupted the marine sedimentation. The event dated to between 6.9 and 7.6 kyr BP probably corresponds to a tsunami resulting from large‐scale sliding on the continental margin off Norway (the Storegga Tsunami). During the later part of the Allerød period, Voldafjorden had a strongly stratified water column with cold bottom water and warm surface water, reaching interglacial temperatures during the summer seasons. During the Younger Dryas cold event there was a return to arctic sea‐surface summer temperatures, possibly with year‐round sea‐ice cover, the entire benthic fauna being composed of arctic species. The first strong Holocene warming, observed simultaneously in bottom and sea‐surface temperature proxies, occurred at ca. 10.1 kyr BP. Bottom water proxies indicate two cold periods, possibly with 2°C lowering of temperatures, at ca. 10.0 (PBO 1) and at 9.8 kyr BP (PBO 2). These events may both result from catastrophic outbursts of Baltic glacial lake water. The remainder of the Holocene experienced variability in basin water temperature, indicated by oxygen isotope measurements with an amplitude of ca. 2°C, with cooler periods at ca. 8.4–9.0, 5.6, 5.2, 4.6, 4.2, 3.5, 2.2, 1.2 and 0.4–0.8 kyr BP. Changes in the fjord hydrology ...