Timing of the Last Deglaciation in Belarus

• Published in: Boreas
• Main Authors: Rinterknecht, Vincent, Pavlovskaya, IE, Clark, PU, Raisbeck, GM, Yiou, F, Brook, EJ
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: ICE-SHEET; BE-10; CALIBRATION; BP; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/timing-of-the-last-deglaciation-in-belarus(bc539a94-9bdd-47d6-a0a7-1773069192d6).html; https://doi.org/10.1080/03009480601134694; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34347256158&partnerID=8YFLogxK

We measured Be-10 concentrations in boulders collected from the Orsha and Braslav moraines, associated with the Last Glacial Maximum extent and a recessional stage of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS), respectively, providing a direct dating of the southeastern sector of the ice-sheet margin in Belarus. By combining these data with selected existing radiocarbon ages, we developed a chronology for the last deglaciation of Belarus. The northeastern part of the country remained ice free until at least 19.29 +/- 0.2 cal. kyr BP, whereas the northwestern part of the country was ice free until 22.39 +/- 1.5 cal. kyr BP. A lobate ice margin subsequently advanced to its maximum extent and deposited the Orsha Moraine. The ice margin retreated from this moraine at 17.79 +/- 2.0 Be-10 kyr to a position in the northern part of the country, where it deposited the Braslav Moraine. Subsequent ice-margin retreat from that moraine at 13.19 +/- 0.5 Be-10 kyr represented the final deglaciation of Belarus. Direct dating of these moraines better constrains the relation of ice-margin positions in Belarus to those in adjacent countries as well as the SIS response to climate change.