The last British Ice Sheet: growth, maximum extent and deglaciation

• DOI: 10.3402/polar.v21i2.6484
• Publication Date: 2012-12-19T03:18:05Z
• Authors: Lindsay J. Wilson; William E. N. Austin; Eystein Jansen
• Keywords: Deglaciation; Stadial; Marine isotope stage; Last Glacial Maximum; Antarctic ice sheet

The growth, maximum lateral extent and deglaciation of the last British Ice Sheet (BIS) has been reconstructed using sediment, faunal stable isotope methods from a sedimentary record recovered Barra Fan, north-west Scotland. During phase ice sheet expansion postdating early "warmth" Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3), rafting events, operating with cyclicity approximately 1500 years, are interspersed between warm, carbonate-rich interstadials strong Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) cyclicity. data suggest that BIS expanded westwards to outer continental shelf break shortly after 30 Ky BP (before present) remained there until about 15 BP. Within MIS 2, as grew its extent, pronounced periodicities which characterize lost record. exact timing Last Glacial Maximum is difficult define in this record; but maxima Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) Ø18O observed 21-17 A massive discharge ice-rafted detritus, coincident Heinrich event 1, at 16 Deglaciation margin complete by surface waters warm rapidly date.