Glacial and climate history of the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum

Summary, in English

During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ice thickened considerably and expanded toward the outer continental shelf around the Antarctic Peninsula. Deglaciation occurred between >14 ka BP and ca. 6 ka BP, when interglacial climate was established in the region. Deglaciation of some local sites was as recent as 4-3 ka BP. After a climate optimum, peaking ca. 4-3 ka BP, a distinct climate cooling occurred. It is characterized at a number of sites by expanding glaciers and ice shelves. Rapid warming during the past 50 yr may be causing instability of some Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves. Detailed reconstructions of the glacial and climatic history of the Antarctic Peninsula since LGM are hampered by scarcity of available archives, low resolution of many datasets, and problems in dating samples. Consequently, the configuration of LGM ice sheets, pattern of subsequent deglaciation, and environmental changes are poorly constrained both temporally and spatially.

• Author: O Ingolfsson; Christian Hjort; O Humlum
• Department/s: Quaternary Sciences
• Publishing year: 2003
• Language: English
• Pages: 175-186
• Publication/Series: Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 2
• Links: http://instaar.colorado.edu/AAAR/browse_abstracts/abstract.php?id=2159
• Document type: Journal article review
• Publisher: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
• Topic: Geology
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1938-4246