Holocene glacial history and sea-level changes on James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract

A reconstruction of deglaciation and associated sea-level changes on northern James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula, based on lithostratigraphical and geomorphological studies, shows that the initial deglaciation of presently ice-free areas occurred slightly before 7400 14C yr BP. Sea-level in connection with the deglaciation was around 30 m a.s.l. A glacier readvance in Brandy Bay, of at least 7 km, with the initial 3 km over land, reached a position off the present coast at ca. 4600 yr BP. The culmination of the advance was of short duration, and by 4300 yr BP the coastal lowlands again were ice-free. A distinct marine level at 16–18 m a.s.l. was contemporaneous with or slightly post-dates the Brandy Bay advance, thus indicating the relative sea-level around 4600–4500 yr BP. Our results from James Ross Island confirm that over large areas in this part of Antarctica the last deglaciation occurred late. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.