Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard
Ice streams are the fast-flowing zones of ice sheets that can discharge a large flux of ice. The glaciated western Svalbard margin consists of several cross-shelf troughs which are the former ice stream drainage pathways during the Pliocene–Pleistocene glaciations. From an integrated analysis of hig...
Published in: | Quaternary Science Reviews |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2011
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/295589/ |
id |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:295589 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:295589 2023-05-15T16:40:40+02:00 Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard Sarkar, Sudipta Berndt, Christian Chabert, Anne Masson, Douglas G. Minshull, Timothy A. Westbrook, Graham K. 2011-06 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/295589/ unknown Sarkar, Sudipta; Berndt, Christian; Chabert, Anne; Masson, Douglas G.; Minshull, Timothy A.; Westbrook, Graham K. 2011 Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30 (13-14). 1710-1725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2011 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013 2023-02-04T19:35:53Z Ice streams are the fast-flowing zones of ice sheets that can discharge a large flux of ice. The glaciated western Svalbard margin consists of several cross-shelf troughs which are the former ice stream drainage pathways during the Pliocene–Pleistocene glaciations. From an integrated analysis of high-resolution multibeam swath-bathymetric data and several high-resolution two-dimensional reflection seismic profiles across the western and northwestern Svalbard margin we infer the ice stream flow directions and the deposition centres of glacial debris that the ice streams deposited on the outer margin. Our results show that the northwestern margin of Svalbard experienced a switching of a major ice stream. Based on correlation with the regional seismic stratigraphy as well as the results from ODP 911 on Yermak Plateau and ODP 986 farther south on the western margin of Spitsbergen, off Van Mijenfjord, we find that first a northwestward flowing ice stream developed during initial northern hemispheric cooling (starting not, vert, similar2.8–2.6 Ma). A switch in ice stream flow direction to the present-day Kongsfjorden cross-shelf trough took place during a glaciation at not, vert, similar1.5 Ma or probably later during an intensive major glaciation phase known as the ‘Mid-Pleistocene Revolution’ starting at not, vert, similar1.0 Ma. The seismic and bathymetric data suggest that the switch was abrupt rather than gradual and we attribute it to the reaching of a tipping point when growth of the Svalbard ice sheet had reached a critical thickness and the ice sheet could overcome a topographic barrier. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Sheet Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Svalbard Svalbard margin Van Mijenfjord Yermak plateau Spitsbergen Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Svalbard Yermak Plateau ENVELOPE(5.000,5.000,81.250,81.250) Quaternary Science Reviews 30 13-14 1710 1725 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
description |
Ice streams are the fast-flowing zones of ice sheets that can discharge a large flux of ice. The glaciated western Svalbard margin consists of several cross-shelf troughs which are the former ice stream drainage pathways during the Pliocene–Pleistocene glaciations. From an integrated analysis of high-resolution multibeam swath-bathymetric data and several high-resolution two-dimensional reflection seismic profiles across the western and northwestern Svalbard margin we infer the ice stream flow directions and the deposition centres of glacial debris that the ice streams deposited on the outer margin. Our results show that the northwestern margin of Svalbard experienced a switching of a major ice stream. Based on correlation with the regional seismic stratigraphy as well as the results from ODP 911 on Yermak Plateau and ODP 986 farther south on the western margin of Spitsbergen, off Van Mijenfjord, we find that first a northwestward flowing ice stream developed during initial northern hemispheric cooling (starting not, vert, similar2.8–2.6 Ma). A switch in ice stream flow direction to the present-day Kongsfjorden cross-shelf trough took place during a glaciation at not, vert, similar1.5 Ma or probably later during an intensive major glaciation phase known as the ‘Mid-Pleistocene Revolution’ starting at not, vert, similar1.0 Ma. The seismic and bathymetric data suggest that the switch was abrupt rather than gradual and we attribute it to the reaching of a tipping point when growth of the Svalbard ice sheet had reached a critical thickness and the ice sheet could overcome a topographic barrier. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sarkar, Sudipta Berndt, Christian Chabert, Anne Masson, Douglas G. Minshull, Timothy A. Westbrook, Graham K. |
spellingShingle |
Sarkar, Sudipta Berndt, Christian Chabert, Anne Masson, Douglas G. Minshull, Timothy A. Westbrook, Graham K. Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
author_facet |
Sarkar, Sudipta Berndt, Christian Chabert, Anne Masson, Douglas G. Minshull, Timothy A. Westbrook, Graham K. |
author_sort |
Sarkar, Sudipta |
title |
Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
title_short |
Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
title_full |
Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
title_fullStr |
Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
title_full_unstemmed |
Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard |
title_sort |
switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest svalbard |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/295589/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(5.000,5.000,81.250,81.250) |
geographic |
Svalbard Yermak Plateau |
geographic_facet |
Svalbard Yermak Plateau |
genre |
Ice Sheet Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Svalbard Svalbard margin Van Mijenfjord Yermak plateau Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Ice Sheet Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Svalbard Svalbard margin Van Mijenfjord Yermak plateau Spitsbergen |
op_relation |
Sarkar, Sudipta; Berndt, Christian; Chabert, Anne; Masson, Douglas G.; Minshull, Timothy A.; Westbrook, Graham K. 2011 Switching of a paleo-ice stream in northwest Svalbard. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30 (13-14). 1710-1725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.03.013 |
container_title |
Quaternary Science Reviews |
container_volume |
30 |
container_issue |
13-14 |
container_start_page |
1710 |
op_container_end_page |
1725 |
_version_ |
1766031076362289152 |