Arctic Ocean glacial history

Differences between the last two glacial maxima and implications for ice-sheet, δ18O, and sea-level reconstructions

“…For example, not only summer insolation and GHG forcing (Table 4), but also ice-albedo feedbacks, vegetation-albedo feedbacks, dust deposition on snow/ice, sea-ice expansion, and sea surface temperature reduction need to be considered (e.g., Oglesby, 1990;Calov et al, 2009;Colleoni et al, 2011;Abe-Ouchi et al, 2013;Liakka et al, 2016). Moreover, ice-sheet accumulation may not be related directly to the commonly used summer insolation at specific latitudes, but may also be affected (more) by insolation in other seasons, particularly spring (Colleoni et al, 2011;Jakobsson et al, 2014a). Ice-sheet nucleation may, in addition, depend on chaotic aspects of the weather/climate system; for example, successive winters with heavy snowfall may e almost randomly e cause some locations to receive an initial snow cover with enough volume and albedo feedback to ensure its survival and subsequent growth potential (e.g., Oglesby, 1990).…”

On the reconstruction of palaeo-ice sheets: Recent advances and future challenges

“…Ottesen et al, 2005;Shaw et al, 2006;Bradwell et al, 2008;England et al, 2009;Ó Cofaigh et al, 2013). In particular, advances in high-latitude seafloor mapping in the 1990s, especially high resolution multibeam mapping, have helped elucidate the glacial history of the Arctic Ocean (reviewed in Jakobsson et al, 2014). A series of investigations have documented evidence for extensive erosion of the Arctic Ocean seafloor caused by ice at modern water depths of up to 1,000 m, as well as glacial landforms on individual ridge crests and plateaus where water depths are shallower (Vogt et al, 1994;Jakobsson, 1999, Polyak et al, 2001.…”

Post-glacial flooding of the Bering Land Bridge dated to 11 cal ka BP based on new geophysical and sediment records

“…Along with increased knowledge of Quaternary glacialinterglacial cycles and the huge effects on sea levels from the waxing and waning of ice sheets came the realization that the shallow Bering Strait region must have formed a land bridge connecting North America and northeastern Asia during glacial sea level lowstands (Hopkins, 1967;Hultén, 1937;McManus and Creager, 1984). In honor of Vitus Bering, who entered the strait in 1728, Swedish botanist Eric Hultén referred to the shallow area between Alaska and Chukotka as Beringia in a study suggesting that this area was once subaerial and formed a tundra plain (Hultén, 1937).…”

“…In honor of Vitus Bering, who entered the strait in 1728, Swedish botanist Eric Hultén referred to the shallow area between Alaska and Chukotka as Beringia in a study suggesting that this area was once subaerial and formed a tundra plain (Hultén, 1937). The term Beringia was later used to include the entire stretch from the MacKenzie River in Canada to the Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia.…”