The relationship between ice sheets and submarine mass movements in the Nordic Seas during the Quaternary

Pope, Ed; Talling, Peter J.; Cofaigh, Colm Ó

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.01.007

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…The Bear Island TMF is by far the largest, and the TMFs along the Svalbard margin the smallest (e.g., Faleide et al, 1996;Vorren and Laberg, 1997;Pope et al, 2018). The TMFs are depocenters accumulated in front of ice streams draining the former large ice sheets, representing an excellent source of information on past glacial fluctuations (e.g., Faleide et al, 1996;Hjelstuen et al, 1996Hjelstuen et al, , 2007Solheim et al, 1996;Vorren and Laberg, 1997;Taylor et al, 2002;Dowdeswell et al, 2008;Montelli et al, 2018;Ó Cofaigh et al, 2018;Pope et al, 2018). More specifically, during glacial maxima, sediments transported by the advancing ice sheet attain the shelf break and are delivered directly to the upper slope producing glacigenic debris flow deposits (e.g., Dowdeswell et al, 2008;Ottesen et al, 2016;Camerlenghi, 2018;Knies et al, 2018).…”

Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Continuous Seismostratigraphic Framework for the Western Svalbard-Barents Sea Margin Over the Last 2.7 Ma: Implications for the Late Cenozoic Glacial History of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet

et al. 2021

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Here we present a high-resolution, continuous seismostratigraphic framework that for the first time, connects the over 1,000 km long western Svalbard-Barents Sea margin and covers the last ∼2.7 million years (Ma). By exploiting recent improvements in chronology, we establish a set of reliable age fix-points from available boreholes along the margin. We then use a large 2-D seismic database to extend this consistent chronology from the Yermak Plateau and offshore western Svalbard, southwards to the Bear Island Trough-Mouth Fan. Based on this new stratigraphic framework we divide the seismic stratigraphy along the continental margin into three seismic units, and 12 regionally correlated seismic reflections, each with an estimated age assignment. We demonstrate one potential application of this framework by reconstructing the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet evolution from the intensification of the northern hemisphere glaciation at ∼2.7 Ma to the Weichselian glaciations. Through seismic facies distribution and sedimentation rate fluctuations along the margin we distinguish three phases of glacial development. The higher temporal resolution provided by this new framework, allows us to document a clear two-step onset to glacial intensification in the region during phase 1, between ∼2.7 and 1.5 Ma. The initial step, between ∼2.7 and 2.58 Ma shows glacial expansion across Svalbard. The first indication of shelf-edge glaciation is on the Sjubrebanken Trough-Mouth Fan, northwestern Barents Sea after ∼2.58 Ma; whilst the second step, between ∼1.95 and 1.78 Ma shows glacial advances beyond Svalbard to the northwestern Barents Sea. Phase 2 is characterized by variations in sedimentation rates and the seismic facies are indicative for a regional glacial intensification for the whole Barents Sea-Svalbard region with widespread shelf-edge glaciations recorded at around ∼1.5 Ma. During Phase 3, the western Barents Sea margin is characterized by a dramatic increase in sedimentation rates, inferring once again a regional glacial intensification. Our new stratigraphic framework allows for the first time differentiation of the sediments deposited on the slope during Early Saalian (∼0.4 and 0.2 Ma), Late Saalian (∼0.2 and 0.13 Ma), and Weichselian (<∼0.123 Ma) periods, providing new insights into the Barents Sea glaciations over the last ∼0.42 Ma.

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Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Continuous Seismostratigraphic Framework for the Western Svalbard-Barents Sea Margin Over the Last 2.7 Ma: Implications for the Late Cenozoic Glacial History of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet

et al. 2021

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“…TMFs are largely built up by (stacked) GDFs that were deposited in periods when ice streams reached the shelf edge (King et al, 1996;Laberg and Vorren, 1996;Elverhøi et al, 1997). There is ample evidence of the occurrence of submarine landslides in these TMFs (King et al, 1996;Vorren et al, 1998;Sejrup et al, 2005;Nygård et al, 2005;Hjelstuen et al, 2007;Rebesco et al, 2013), and TMFs are excellent records to study the relationship between large submarine landslides and ice-sheet changes on different types of margins (Vorren and Laberg, 1997;Pope et al, 2018). The seafloor typically dips less than 3° in TMF areas (Gales et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

NE Atlantic continental slope stability from a numerical modeling perspective

Bellwald

Urlaub

Hjelstuen

et al. 2019

Quaternary Science Reviews

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Trough mouth fans are environments characterized by high sediment supply during glacial stages and the occurrence of large-scale instabilities. The geological record indicates that several of these environments have failed repeatedly resulting in large submarine landslides. The roles of sedimentation rate, weak layers, glacial loading and unloading as well as seismic activity on triggering megaslides in trough-mouth-fan systems is still unclear. A better understanding of the preconditioning factors, triggers and consequences of these landslides is crucial due to the hazard they pose to coastal communities and offshore industries.In this paper, we focus on the North Sea Trough Mouth Fan, which is the result of massive glacial sediment input delivered to the shelf edge through the Norwegian Channel, southeast Nordic Seas margin. The Tampen Slide, one of several large paleo-landslides that have happened within the North Sea Trough Mouth Fan, took place at c. 130 ka (end of MIS 6), and removed an estimated 1800 km 3 of sediment.Here, we use boundary conditions from the Tampen Slide and 2D Finite Element Modeling (Abaqus software from Simulia) to evaluate the effects of variations in sedimentation rates as well as sediment properties on the generation of excess pore pressure, fluid flow, and slope stability along the axis of the trough-mouth-fan system. The model domain, 40 km in length and 2 km in height, is dominated by glacigenic debris flows and glacimarine sediment deposits. We use geotechnical data measured on samples of glacigenic and glacimarine sediment deposits from the nearby Ormen Lange gas field area to constrain the model. We evaluate the stability of the slope under various scenarios, including constant sediment loading, episodic changes in sedimentation rates and abrupt pulses in sediment delivery for a 61 kyr period (MIS 6). The models show that increased sedimentation rates during glacial stages do not generate sufficient excess pore pressure to set off a landslide. Furthermore, the simulated overpressures for the different sedimentation scenarios do not significantly differ at the end of the model runs. The results also highlight the importance of a basal glacimarine sediment layer underneath the rapidlydeposited sediments for the build-up of overpressure. Consequently, this glacimarine sediment layer has the inherited potential to act as a weak layer facilitating instability. However, as overpressure due to 3 sediment deposition alone does not result in slope failure, we couple the preconditioned slope with earthquake ground shaking. Based on attenuation models, an earthquake of approximately M6.9 or larger at a short distance from the Tampen Slide headwall could have triggered the landslide. Therefore, we suggest glacial sedimentation and a glacimarine sediment layer to represent preconditioning factors, and seismic shaking as the final trigger mechanism for the Tampen Slide, i.e. similar to the situation that lead to the development of the Storegga Slide in the same area.

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“…Hatched areas represent the extent of the British‐Irish Ice Sheet and its confluence with the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet at 23 ka BP (after Clark et al, 2012) and the extent of the other pan‐North Atlantic ice sheets and caps during the Last Glacial Maximum (after Ehlers & Gibbard, 2007). Blue arrows indicate their major paleo‐ice streams (after Margold et al, 2015; Pope et al, 2018; Small et al, 2018, and references therein), green areas represent major trough‐mouth fans in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas (after Bourillet et al, 2006; Funder & Larsen, 1989; Harrison et al, 2011; Hemming et al, 2002; Li et al, 2012; Ó Cofaigh et al, 2018; Pope et al, 2018; Roger et al, 2013; Scourse et al, 2009), and red dots show the location of the studied cores (see Table 1 for core labels). Trough‐mouth fans abbreviations: NSF, North Sea Fan; SVALB, Svalbard (Isfjorden and Bellsund Fans); BIS, Bear Island Fan; SSF, Scoresby Sund Fan; LS, mid‐Labrador Sea debris flow depocenter; BB, Baffin Bay depocenter.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An additional type of marine deposit where rock debris eroded and transported by ice streams preferentially accumulates are glacigenic debris flow (GDF) deposits in trough‐mouth fans (see the review by Pope et al, 2018, and references therein). When fast‐flowing ice streams reach the continental shelf edge, they deliver large amounts of glacigenic rock debris forming subglacial tills.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomarker Fingerprint of Debris Flow Deposits as a Paleoproxy for IRD Sources in the Last Glacial North Atlantic

Wary

Kornilova

Russell

et al. 2020

Paleoceanog and Paleoclimatol

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Investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of iceberg discharges during the last glacial period constitutes a major challenge for paleoclimate research. In recent decades, many ice-rafted debris (IRD) provenance studies, mostly based on the comparison of the inorganic signature of IRD-rich layers and surrounding continental bedrock, have differentiated main subareas of individual ice sheets as iceberg sources and gauged their dynamic interplay. Diagnosis of specific source ice streams has nonetheless remained limited. Here we propose a new IRD provenance methodology to refine the identification of iceberg sources. It relies on the organic geochemical characterization of glacigenic debris flow (GDF) deposits to obtain the biomarker fingerprint of IRD sources. To test its potential, we analyze the composition of n-alkanes and chlorophyll-derived pigments in sediments deposited within six major North Atlantic GDF depocenters fed by ice streams draining the surrounding ice sheets. The biomarker fingerprint of GDF deposits appears to (1) be consistent with a common origin of IRD and GDF deposits through erosion of outcrops and transport by ice streams, (2) differ significantly from that of ambient hemipelagic sediments, (3) be specific and unique to each GDF depocenter, making it possible to distinguish the corresponding specific ice streams, (4) be imprinted in IRD-bearing marine sediments, and (5) have remained homogeneous enough through the last glacial to be used as a proxy for IRD sources. The biomarker fingerprint of GDF deposits thus shows strong potential to track the specific source ice streams that delivered IRD to the last glacial North Atlantic.

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The relationship between ice sheets and submarine mass movements in the Nordic Seas during the Quaternary

Abstract: opeD id vF nd llingD eter tF nd ¡ y gofighD golm @PHIVA 9he reltionship etween ie sheets nd sumrine mss movements in the xordi es during the uternryF9D irth siene reviewsFD IUV F ppF PHVEPSTF

Cited by 16 publications

References 463 publications

A Continuous Seismostratigraphic Framework for the Western Svalbard-Barents Sea Margin Over the Last 2.7 Ma: Implications for the Late Cenozoic Glacial History of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet

A Continuous Seismostratigraphic Framework for the Western Svalbard-Barents Sea Margin Over the Last 2.7 Ma: Implications for the Late Cenozoic Glacial History of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet

NE Atlantic continental slope stability from a numerical modeling perspective

Biomarker Fingerprint of Debris Flow Deposits as a Paleoproxy for IRD Sources in the Last Glacial North Atlantic

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