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The presence of a grounded Greenland Ice Sheet on the northeastern part of the Greenland continental shelf during the Last Glacial Maximum is supported by new swath bathymetry and high-resolution seismic data, supplemented with multi-proxy analyses of sediment gravity cores from Store Koldewey Trough. Subglacial till fills the trough, with an overlying drape of maximum 2.5 m thick glacier-proximal and glacier-distal sediment. The presence of mega-scale glacial lineations and a grounding zone wedge in the outer part of the trough, comprising subglacial till, provides evidence of the expansion of fast-flowing, grounded ice, probably originating from the area presently covered with the Storstrømmen ice stream and thereby previously flowing across Store Koldewey Island and Germania Land. Grounding zone wedges and recessional moraines provide evidence that multiple halts and/or readvances interrupted the deglaciation. The formation of the grounding zone wedges is estimated to be at least 130 years, while distances between the recessional moraines indicate that the grounding line locally retreated between 80 and 400 m yr -1 during the deglaciation, assuming that the moraines formed annually. The complex geomorphology in Store Koldewey Trough is attributed to the trough shallowing and narrowing towards the coast. At a late stage of the deglaciation, the ice stream flowed around the topography on Store Koldewey Island and Germania Land, terminating the sediment input from this sector of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Store Koldewey Trough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of trough mouth fans (TMFs), important paleoclimatic archives on mid- and high-latitude continental margins, has so far mainly been based on the integration of various types of acoustic data supplemented with short sediments cores. In consequence, sedimentological and chronological data about parts of TMFs deposited prior to the Last Glacial Maximum remains sparse. Here, we re-evaluate the upper part of ODP Site 987 drilled on the distal part of the Scoresby Sund TMF on the east Greenland continental margin, which records the former dynamics of the Scoresby Sund sector of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Based on a more detailed sedimentological description than previously available we find that lithological unit I, deposited over the last ~ 2.14 Ma, can be divided into two parts, a lower part dominated by glacimarine and marine deposits including some scattered, sandy turbidites and an upper part of debris flow deposits interbedded with sandy turbidites. The transition between these parts occurred at about 0.99 Ma, i.e. at the same time when the mode of ice-sheet variation changed globally, the average ice sheet size increased significantly and the periodicity of ice-volume variation increased from around 41 ka to approximately 100 ka (the “Mid-Pleistocene Transition”). On the distal Scoresby Sund TMF, this change appears to be reflected through a marked increase in the abundance of sandy turbidity flows accompanied by a longer run-out of some of the debris flows due to the delivery of larger sediment volumes during longer-lasting glacial maxima. This suggests that long sediment cores from TMFs have the potential to record the major climatic trends occurring during the Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neogene–Quaternary development of the ∼700 km long mid-Norwegian and Lofoten–Vesterålen continental margin is reconstructed using a dense grid of 2D seismic data and exploration wellbores. Overall, widespread ocean current-controlled contourite drifts built up along the whole margin segment from the mid-Miocene onwards (c. 11 Ma, Kai Formation). The onset (c. 8.8 Ma) of a large inner shelf progradation (Molo Formation) was, however, restricted to the southern part of the study area, the inner mid-Norwegian shelf. In the Quaternary (c. 2.7 Ma), grounded ice sheets repeatedly brought large sediment volumes (Naust Formation) to the shelf beyond the Molo Formation. A similar build-out is less pronounced further north, where contourite drift growth instead continued and resulted in build-up of the Lofoten and Vesterålen drifts. In contrast, the drifts of the southern part of the study area occur for the most part stratigraphically below, interbedded with and distal to the progradational Molo and Naust deposits. The study area exemplifies pronounced variability in Neogene–Quaternary continental margin growth. The wide and gently dipping mid-Norwegian margin facilitated coastal and shelf progradation related to fluvial and glacial processes, while the narrow and steep Lofoten–Vesterålen margin received little input from these sources although exposed to the same paleoclimate. Instead, erosion of canyons promoted downslope reworking across the slope and into the deep basins. This low sediment input is interpreted to be controlled by the alpine relief in the north resulting in a small source area and thus low fluvial and glacial sediment input. To the south, hinterland relief allowed for a much larger fluvial and later, glacial source area. Both margin segments were also influenced by contour currents throughout the studied period. We emphasize their importance for understanding the role of erosion and deposition in source-to-sink systems, and thus the need for these processes to be integrated within source-to-sink models. • Regional seismic study of along- and downslope processes on the Norwegian margin. • New contourites are defined that evolved from ∼11 Ma due to inflowing Atlantic Water. • Miocene fluvial (∼8.8 Ma) and Quaternary glacial sources formed progradational wedges. • Hinterland/basin topography, sediment supply and climate, controlled margin growth. • Erosion-sedimentation from ocean currents influence source-to-sink systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trough mouth fans contain information about the evolution of high-latitude continental margins, including rates of glacial sedimentation and hinterland erosion. Here, the late Cenozoic evolution of high-gradient trough mouth fans and canyons on the Troms margin, northern Norway, is reconstructed. Paleocanyons were active prior to the Quaternary glaciations. Glaciomarine and glaciofluvial conditions prevailed between ca. 2.7 Ma and ca. 1.5 Ma, and ice sheets possibly reached the paleo-shelf break at least once. The minimum average sedimentation rate of this period was 0.22 m/k.y. From ca. 1.5 Ma to ca. 0.7 Ma, the glaciations intensified, and fast-flowing ice streams reaching the shelf break were established in the cross-shelf troughs. Subglacial deformation till was deposited at the outer shelf and later reworked by debris flows and turbidity currents. The Fennoscandian Ice Sheet started to route much of its ice mass to the north and south of the study area, and so the Troms margin possibly was a low-ice-flow sector from this time, with a minimum average sedimentation rate of 0.15 m/k.y. During the last ca. 0.7 m.y., ice streams continued to traverse the troughs, while sluggish-flowing ice prevailed on the banks. A minimum average sedimentation rate of 0.14 m/k.y. is estimated for this period. The minimum total erosion and erosion rate for the Quaternary are 50-140 m and 0.02-0.05 m/k.y., respectively. Compared with previous studies from other areas, this implies up to one order of magnitude variation in average glacial erosion rates along the western sector of the Fennoscandian-Barents Sea ice sheets. This is interpreted to be due to the size and bedrock composition of the catchment areas and the timing of ice growth and ice-sheet dynamics. In addition, the steep preglacial continental slope promoted high sediment flow velocity for the glacigenic sediments, causing much of the debris flows to transform into turbidity currents, which efficiently transported sediments across the slope and thereby maintained its steep gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trough mouth fans (TMF) situated at the mouths of formerly glaciated cross-shelf troughs are important paleoclimatic archives. Whereas the sedimentary processes of large, low-gradient TMFs have received considerable interest, little attention has been paid to the other end member of this landform class, i.e. TMFs with higher slope gradients. Detailed swath-bathymetric data and seismic profiles from the continental margin offshore Troms, northern Norway cover three high-gradient TMFs (the Andfjorden, Malangsdjupet and Rebbenesdjupet TMFs; slope gradients generally between 1° and 15°), as well as inter-fan areas, which include two submarine canyons (the Andøya and Senja Canyon) and the Malangsgrunnen inter-fan slope. The present-day morphologies of the Andfjorden and Malangsdjupet TMFs have evolved from sediment transport and distribution through gully-channel complexes. The Andfjorden TMF has later been affected by a large submarine landslide that remobilized much of these complexes. The Rebbenesdjupet TMF is dominated by a number of small and relatively shallow slide scars, which are inferred to be related to small-scale sediment failure of glaciomarine and/or contouritic sediments. The canyons cut into the adjacent TMFs, and turbidity currents originating on the fans widened and deepened the canyons during downslope flow. The Malangsgrunnen shelf break and inter-fan slope acted as a funnel for turbidity currents originating on the upper slope, forming a dendritic pattern of gullies. A conceptual model for the high-gradient TMFs on the Troms margin has been compiled. The main sediment input onto the TMFs has occurred during peak glacials when the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet reached the shelf edge. The overall convex fan form and progradational seismic facies show that these glacigenic deposits were repeatedly distributed onto the fan. On the Andfjorden and Malangsdjupet TMFs, gully-channel complexes occur within such deposits. It is thus inferred that the steep slope of these TMFs promoted rapid transformation from small-scale slumps and debris flows on the upper slope, into partly erosive turbidity currents. These flows continued into the deep sea, thus promoting efficient sediment by-pass across the TMFs. This model can be applied to other TMFs situated at the mouths of other glaciated cross-shelf troughs. In contrast, low-gradient TMFs are found to be dominated by glacigenic debris flow deposits. Furthermore, gully-channel complexes demonstrating the presence of erosive turbidity currents on high-gradient TMFs are rare on low-gradient TMFs. Large submarine landslides occur at both high- and low-gradient TMFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between the onshore and offshore areas during the Last Glacial Maximum and the deglaciation of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet is poorly known. In this paper we present new results on the glacial morphology, stratigraphy and chronology of Andøya, and the glacial morphology of the nearby continental shelf off Lofoten-Vesterålen. The results were used to develop a new model for the timing and extent of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet in the study area during the local last glacial maximum ( LLGM) (26 to 16 cal. ka BP). We subdivided the LLGM in this area into five glacial events: before 24, c. 23 to 22.2, 22.2 to c. 18.6, 18 to 17.5, and 16.9-16.3 cal. ka BP. The extent of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet during these various events was reconstructed for the shelf areas off Lofoten, Vesterålen and Troms. Icecaps survived in coastal areas of Vesterålen-Lofoten after the shelf was deglaciated and off Andøya ice flowed landwards from the shelf. During the LLGM the relative sea level was stable until 18.5 cal. ka BP, and thereafter there was a sea-level drop on Andøya. Thus, relative sea level (i.e. a sea level rise) does not seem to be a driving mechanism for ice-margin retreat in this area but the fall in sea level may have had some importance for the grounding episodes on the banks during deglaciation. The positions of the grounding zone wedges ( GZWs) in the troughs are related to the morphology as they are often located where the troughs narrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The configuration of the marine-based NW Fennoscandian ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and deglaciation is reconstructed using detailed swath bathymetry and high-resolution seismic data. The investigated area covers about 10,000 km2 of the continental shelf off Troms, northern Norway. Large scale morphology is characterized by cross-shelf troughs, coast-parallel troughs and banks. Based on mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGL), lateral and shear zone moraines and grounding zone systems, the extent and dynamics of the ice sheet during the LGM are deduced. MSGL indicate fast-flowing ice streams in the cross-shelf troughs, while the glacial morphology on the banks indicates more sluggish ice here. The marine-based part of the Fennoscandian ice sheet was sourced from ice domes in the east via fjord and valley systems inshore. Using a balance flux approach, we estimate palaeo-ice stream velocities during the LGM to be approximately 350 m/year. Three deglaciation events have been reconstructed: i) During the Torsken-1 event the ice sheet halted or readvanced to form groundings zone wedges (GZW) and the Torsken moraine, ii) Several still-stands or readvances characterized the ice behaviour on the shallower banks during the Torsken-2 event, iii) During the Flesen event, prominent end moraines in the inner parts of the troughs and banks were deposited. The locations of the end moraines and GZW in the troughs indicate that the retreat of marine-based ice streams in areas of reverse bed slope was episodic, probably mainly due to the variation in widths of the cross-shelf troughs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Today the Arctic is undergoing far-reaching changes with rising air and sea-water temperatures, and rapidly decreasing glaciers and ice sheets. In order to model future changes of the ice sheet-ocean-atmosphere climate system, it is urgent to obtain more knowledge on the glacier dynamics of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Very little is known about the past evolution of the eastern sector of this ice sheet, e.g. it has not been established where its maximum position was during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Furthermore, neither ice dynamics, sediment production by subglacial erosion or timing and nature of ice recession from the shelf is established. In this study, we have investigated the outermost part of the northeastern Greenland continental shelf. This is the widest shelf surrounding Greenland, with a shelf edge located more than 200 km off the coastline. Here, the shelf morphology comprises two large troughs (Norske Trough and the Westwind Trough) separated by a shallow bank complex (Belgica Bank, Northwind Shoal and the AWI Bank). Previous studies differ strongly on where this sector of the Greenland Ice Sheet reached its maximum position during the LGM. The studies point to positions from the inner shelf, mid-shelf or the shelf edge with the largest uncertainty related to the area of the shallow bank complex. During favorable sea-ice conditions in 2017, a ~130 km2 area on the outermost part of the shelf was surveyed by multi-beam echo-sounder and a sub-bottom profiler (Chirp). Close to the shelf break, the data displays part of a shelf-break parallel ridge that is heavily scoured by icebergs. The ridge is c. 30 m high, up to 9 km wide and with a steep western (proximal) and a gentler eastern (distal) slope. Compared to the recessional moraines reported from elsewhere in this area (Arndt et al., 2017), this feature is wider and higher, and its shape resembles a grounding-zone wedge identified in the nearby Norske Trough. Thus, we tentatively suggest that the observed ridge is also a grounding zone wedge formed at the grounding line of an ice sheet or ice cap reaching the outermost shelf. Part of a second ridge is seen approx. 10 km west of (inside) this ridge, implying a dynamic ice front with several halts or readvances during the retreat from the outer shelf. The age of these features remains to be determined, and this will be part of the future analysis of the sediment cores obtained in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the decay of marine-based ice sheets observed today, e.g. in Antarctica and Greenland, there is a pressing need also for an improved understanding of marine paleo-ice sheets and their decay, as they provide critical constraints for a better understanding of the dynamics of modern ice sheets and their future behavior.Here we present new multi-beam swath-bathymetry and high-resolution Topas seismic data from the NW Barents Sea acquired during the Nansen Legacy (https://arvenetternansen.com/) Paleo-cruise in 2018, which provide new insights on the deglaciation history of the marine based Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet. Previous multi-beam data from the straits and troughs east of the Svalbard archipelago provided unclear or even conflicting evidence of full-glacial flow; i) eastwards, through the Erik Eriksen Strait and its eastward continuation, terminating in the Franz Victoria Trough, and ii) northwards through the Kvitøya Trough (Dowdeswell et al., 2010; Hogan et al., 2010).The new data provide evidence of a dynamic ice-sheet retreat during the deglaciation of the Erik Eriksen Strait and its eastern extension. A succession of superposing transverse ridges with a zig-zag like morphology characterize the eastern part of the mapped area. These ridges are interpreted to be recessional push-moraines, resulting from several smaller re-advances of the ice front during overall retreat through this part of the strait. To the west, ridges are buried by a ~40 m high and 20 km long sedimentary wedge, characterized by a smooth surface. The internal seismic configuration of the wedge is transparent. This sediment accumulation is interpreted to be a grounding zone wedge that likely formed during a major eastward oriented re-advance of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet during the deglaciation, burying some of the older recessional push-moraines. Thus, the eastward flow previously identified may be due to a major re-advance during the deglaciation rather than formed during full-glacial conditions.A ~3 msec thick layer of acoustically transparent sediments covering the grounding zone wedge and the recessional push-moraines, has been ground-truthed by gravity cores, both in front (east) of, and on top of the wedge. Radiocarbon dating will provide a minimum age for the formation of the glacial landforms, and thus add to our knowledge on the timing and dynamics of the retreat of this marine-based sector of the Svalbard-Barents Sea Ice Sheet following the Last Glacial Maximum, and this will enable improved modelling of this marine-based ice sheet.References:Dowdeswell, J.A., Hogan, K.A., Evans, J., Noormets, R., Ó Cofaigh, C., and Ottesen, D. (2010). Past ice-sheet flow east of Svalbard inferred from streamlined subglacial landforms. Geology, 38(2), 163-166.Hogan, K.A., Dowdeswell, J.A., Noormets, R., Evans, J., Cofaigh, C.Ó., and Jakobsson, M. (2010). Submarine landforms and ice-sheet flow in the Kvitøya Trough, northwestern Barents Sea. Quaternary Science Reviews, 29(25), 3545-3562. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the past retreat patterns and chronologies of major marine-terminating outlet glaciers, the Late Weichselian and Holocene glacial history of a NE Greenland fjord system is reconstructed using new and previously published swath bathymetry and high-resolution seismic data, supplemented with multi-proxy analysis of sediment cores. The investigated area extends more than 190 km, including Fosters Bugt, Kejser Franz Josef Fjord, Nordfjord and Moskusoksefjord, the drainage routes for Waltershausen Gletscher, one of the largest outlet glaciers in the NE sector of the Greenland Ice Sheet. A complex of moraine ridges identified in Fosters Bugt show former stillstand positions during this period, and, alongside radiocarbon ages, supports the theory of a maximum ice front position in the outer coastal areas during the Younger Dryas-Preboreal period. The retreat moraines distributed within the Kejser Franz Josef Fjord system provide evidence of a stepwise retreat during the last deglaciation, whereby rapid retreat was interrupted by episodes of stillstands and/or readvances of the grounding line. The fjord system was mostly deglaciated prior to 7.8 ka cal BP, with an estimated average retreat rate ranging between 33 and 96 m a−1 since the Younger Dryas. Following this, only minor ice advances in the inner fjords have been identified. The sediment supply from Waltershausen Gletscher dominated the Kejser Franz Josef Fjord, Nordfjord and outer Moskusoksefjord throughout the Holocene period, whereas in the middle and inner Moskusoksefjord the sediment deposits reflect a more local catchment area. The estimated average retreat rate is in the same order of magnitude as the rates from fjords of northern Fennoscandia, indicating the same overall control for the deglaciation, ice melting from increased Northern Hemisphere summer insolation that peaked in Early Holocene. • Maximum ice front position in the outer coastal areas during the Younger Dryas-Preboreal period. • Rapid retreat was interrupted by episodes of stillstands and/or readvances. • The fjord system was mostly deglaciated prior to 7.8 ka cal BP. • Estimated retreat rate ranged between 33 and 96 m a−1 since the Younger Dryas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uplift and erosion are complex phenomena in terms of their governing processes, precise timing and exact magnitude. The intricate relationship between different geodynamic processes leading to uplift may increase uncertainties in estimating spatial and temporal patterns. Sediment distribution from uplifted (and eroded) topography and the corresponding paleoenvironmental reconstructions require reliable constrains. The Barents Shelf provides a unique arena to study uplift and erosion due to extensive seismic and well data attributed to high petroleum activity. This particular interest has led to a voluminous literature about this topic over the last three decades. Here, we present the current status of the Cenozoic uplift and erosion on the Norwegian Barents Shelf by reviewing the key terminology, its tectonic history and paleoenvironment, methods in quantifying uplift and erosion, as well as timing and possible mechanisms. Our new erosion maps show an increase in net erosion to the north and northeast that represents key underlying concepts, including tectonic (compression, rift-flank uplift, thermo-mechanical coupling, mantle dynamics, flexural/isostatic response) as well as magmatic and glacial processes. We have integrated pre-glacial and glacial net erosion using the mass balance method and added our results from sonic velocity, interval velocity and sandstone diagenesis methods to the new maps. This review shows that discrepancies of net erosion estimates from different methods are on the order of 500 m. Finally, we identify research gaps for future studies, with implications for the Barents Shelf and other uplifted basins worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of glaciers and ice caps to past climate change provides important insight into how they will react to ongoing and future global warming. In Svalbard, the Holocene glacial history has been studied for many cirque and valley glaciers. However, little is known about how the larger ice caps in Svalbard responded to Late Glacial and Holocene climate changes. Here we use lake sediment cores and geophysical data from Femmilsjøen, one of Svalbard's largest lakes, to reconstruct the glacial history of the Åsgardfonna Ice Cap since the last deglaciation. We find that Femmilsjøen potentially deglaciated prior to 16.1 ± 0.3 cal ka BP and became isolated from the marine environment between 11.7 ± 0.3 to 11.3 ± 0.2 cal ka BP. Glacial meltwater runoff was absent between 10.1 ± 0.4 and 3.2 ± 0.2 cal ka BP, indicating that Åsgardfonna was greatly reduced or disappeared in the Early and Middle Holocene. Deposition of glacial-meltwater sediments re-commenced in Femmilsjøen at c. 3.2 ± 0.2 cal ka BP, indicating glacier re-growth in the Femmilsjøen catchment and the onset of the Neoglacial. The glacier(s) in the Femmilsjøen catchment area reached sizes no smaller than their modern extents already at c. 2.1 ± 0.7 cal ka BP. Our results suggest that larger Svalbard ice caps such as Åsgardfonna are very sensitive to climate changes and probably melted completely during the Holocene Thermal Maximum. Such information can be used as important constraints in future ice-cap simulations. • Geophysical data and lake sediment cores from Femmilsjøen, one of Svalbard's largest and deepest lakes. • Data indicate early deglaciation and constrain the Holocene glacier minimum as well as the onset of the Neoglacial. • Larger Svalbard ice caps such as Åsgardfonna are very sensitive to climate changes. • Link between lacustrine archives of smaller glaciers/cirques and marine fjord archives of the larger ice caps in Svalbard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]