The key role of global solid‐Earth processes in preconditioning Greenland's glaciation since the Pliocene

Abstract After >500 Ma of absence, major Northern Hemisphere glaciations appeared during the Plio‐Pleistocene, with Greenland leading other northern areas. Here, we propose that three major solid‐Earth processes underpinned build‐up of the Greenland ice‐sheet. First, a mantle‐plume pulse, res...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Terra Nova
Main Authors: Steinberger, Bernhard, Spakman, Wim, Japsen, Peter, Torsvik, Trond H.
Other Authors: European Research Council, Research Council of Norway
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015
Subjects:
Geology
Greenland
East Greenland
Ice Sheet
Iceland
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ter.12133
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fter.12133
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ter.12133
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Summary:Abstract After >500 Ma of absence, major Northern Hemisphere glaciations appeared during the Plio‐Pleistocene, with Greenland leading other northern areas. Here, we propose that three major solid‐Earth processes underpinned build‐up of the Greenland ice‐sheet. First, a mantle‐plume pulse, responsible for the North Atlantic Igneous Province at ~60 Ma, regionally thinned the lithosphere. Younger plume pulses led to uplift, which accelerated at ~5 Ma, lifting the parts of the East Greenland margin closest to Iceland to elevations of more than 3 km above sea level. Second, plate‐tectonic reconstruction shows a ~6° northward component of Greenland motion relative to the mantle since ~60 Ma. Third, a concurrent northward rotation of the entire mantle and crust towards the pole, dubbed True Polar Wander ( TPW ), contributed an additional ~12° change in latitude. These global geodynamic processes preconditioned Greenland to sustain long‐term glaciation, emphasizing the role of solid‐Earth processes in driving long‐term global climatic transitions.

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