Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Weddell Sea embayment: Constraints on past Ice volume change

Michael J. Bentley; Christopher J. Fogwill; Anne M. Le Brocq; Alun L. Hubbard; David E. Sugden; Tibor J. Dunai; Stewart P.H.T. Freeman

doi:10.1130/G30754.1

Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Weddell Sea embayment: Constraints on past Ice volume change

Michael J. Bentley^*, Christopher J. Fogwill, Anne M. Le Brocq, Alun L. Hubbard, David E. Sugden, Tibor J. Dunai, Stewart P.H.T. Freeman

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The retreat history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) since the Last Glacial Maximum is important for understanding the process of rapid deglaciation, constraining models that seek to predict the future trajectory of the ice sheet, and for estimating rates of sea-level change. Here we report new glacial geologic data from the southwestern Weddell Sea embayment that demonstrate that this part of the WAIS was thinner than previously suggested, and that there was progressive thinning of the ice sheet by 230-480 m since ca. 15 ka. We use geomorphological data and a numerical ice sheet model to reconstruct the ice sheet in the Weddell Sea at the Last Glacial Maximum. The volume of this ice would have added between 1.4 and 2.0 m to postglacial sea-level rise and would not have been sufficient to contribute significantly to meltwater pulse 1A, a rapid rise in sea level ~14,200 yr ago.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	411-414
Number of pages	4
Journal	Geology
Volume	38
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/G30754.1
Publication status	Published - May 2010
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geology

Access to Document

10.1130/G30754.1

Cite this

@article{def6f1a886b44406bd2a28f9b3a3b6d8,

title = "Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Weddell Sea embayment: Constraints on past Ice volume change",

abstract = "The retreat history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) since the Last Glacial Maximum is important for understanding the process of rapid deglaciation, constraining models that seek to predict the future trajectory of the ice sheet, and for estimating rates of sea-level change. Here we report new glacial geologic data from the southwestern Weddell Sea embayment that demonstrate that this part of the WAIS was thinner than previously suggested, and that there was progressive thinning of the ice sheet by 230-480 m since ca. 15 ka. We use geomorphological data and a numerical ice sheet model to reconstruct the ice sheet in the Weddell Sea at the Last Glacial Maximum. The volume of this ice would have added between 1.4 and 2.0 m to postglacial sea-level rise and would not have been sufficient to contribute significantly to meltwater pulse 1A, a rapid rise in sea level ~14,200 yr ago.",

author = "Bentley, {Michael J.} and Fogwill, {Christopher J.} and {Le Brocq}, {Anne M.} and Hubbard, {Alun L.} and Sugden, {David E.} and Dunai, {Tibor J.} and Freeman, {Stewart P.H.T.}",

year = "2010",

month = may,

doi = "10.1130/G30754.1",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

pages = "411--414",

journal = "Geology",

issn = "0091-7613",

publisher = "Geological Society of America",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Weddell Sea embayment

T2 - Constraints on past Ice volume change

AU - Bentley, Michael J.

AU - Fogwill, Christopher J.

AU - Le Brocq, Anne M.

AU - Hubbard, Alun L.

AU - Sugden, David E.

AU - Dunai, Tibor J.

AU - Freeman, Stewart P.H.T.

PY - 2010/5

Y1 - 2010/5

N2 - The retreat history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) since the Last Glacial Maximum is important for understanding the process of rapid deglaciation, constraining models that seek to predict the future trajectory of the ice sheet, and for estimating rates of sea-level change. Here we report new glacial geologic data from the southwestern Weddell Sea embayment that demonstrate that this part of the WAIS was thinner than previously suggested, and that there was progressive thinning of the ice sheet by 230-480 m since ca. 15 ka. We use geomorphological data and a numerical ice sheet model to reconstruct the ice sheet in the Weddell Sea at the Last Glacial Maximum. The volume of this ice would have added between 1.4 and 2.0 m to postglacial sea-level rise and would not have been sufficient to contribute significantly to meltwater pulse 1A, a rapid rise in sea level ~14,200 yr ago.

AB - The retreat history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) since the Last Glacial Maximum is important for understanding the process of rapid deglaciation, constraining models that seek to predict the future trajectory of the ice sheet, and for estimating rates of sea-level change. Here we report new glacial geologic data from the southwestern Weddell Sea embayment that demonstrate that this part of the WAIS was thinner than previously suggested, and that there was progressive thinning of the ice sheet by 230-480 m since ca. 15 ka. We use geomorphological data and a numerical ice sheet model to reconstruct the ice sheet in the Weddell Sea at the Last Glacial Maximum. The volume of this ice would have added between 1.4 and 2.0 m to postglacial sea-level rise and would not have been sufficient to contribute significantly to meltwater pulse 1A, a rapid rise in sea level ~14,200 yr ago.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953931942&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1130/G30754.1

DO - 10.1130/G30754.1

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:77953931942

SN - 0091-7613

VL - 38

SP - 411

EP - 414

JO - Geology

JF - Geology

IS - 5

ER -

Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Weddell Sea embayment: Constraints on past Ice volume change

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this