Holocene Relative Sea-Level History of Novaya Zemlya, Russia, and Implications for Late Weichselian Ice-Sheet Loading
Abstract
We present six new radiocarbon-dated emergence curves that provide a detailed record of postglacial emergence of northern Novaya Zemlya and ages which constrain the emergence of Vaygach Island in the southern archipelago. Radiocarbon ages on Hiatella sp. from a lateral moraine in Russkaya Gavan' and abundances of foraminifea in a marine core from Nordenskiold Bay, 300 km south of our study area, indicate that coastal deglaciation occurred prior to ∼10,000 cal yr B.P. However, postglacial emergence commenced ∼7000 cal yr B.P., with stabilization of global sea level. The total emergence is 13-11 m above sea level (asl) with apparent uplift rates of 1-2 mm/yr for the past 2000 yr, indicating modest glacier loads (<1 km), early (>11,000 cal yr B.P.) deglaciation, or both. The isobase pattern, showing no east-west tilt across Novaya Zemlya, and offshore moraines suggest a separate ice-dispersal center over Novaya Zemlya for the later stages of the Late Weichselian glacial cycle and possibly earlier.
- Publication:
-
Quaternary Research
- Pub Date:
- September 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1006/qres.2001.2256
- Bibcode:
- 2001QuRes..56..218Z