Environmental conditions of interstadial (MIS 3) and features of the last glacial maximum on the King George island (West Antarctica)

S. R. Verkulich; M. V. Dorozhkina; Z. V. Pushina; A. Tatur; D. I. Sukhomlinov; A. V. Krylov

doi:10.15356/2076-6734-2013-1-111-117

Environmental conditions of interstadial (MIS 3) and features of the last glacial maximum on the King George island (West Antarctica)

S. R. Verkulich, M. V. Dorozhkina, Z. V. Pushina, A. Tatur, D. I. Sukhomlinov, A. V. Krylov

https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2013-1-111-117

Abstract

The interstadial marine deposits stratum was described in the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island) due to field and laboratory investigations during 2008–2011. The stratum fragments occur in the west and north-west parts of peninsula in following forms: sections of soft sediments, containing fossil shells, marine algae, bones of marine animals and rich marine diatom complexes in situ (11 sites); fragments of shells and bones on the surface (25 sites). According to the results of radiocarbon dating, these deposits were accumulated within the period 19–50 ky BP. Geographical and altitude settings of the sites, age characteristics, taxonomy of fossil flora and fauna, and good safety of the soft deposits stratum allow to make following conclusions: during interstadial, sea water covered significant part of King George Island up to the present altitude of 40 m a.s.l., and the King George Island glaciation had smaller size then; environmental conditions for the interstadial deposit stratum accumulation were at least not colder than today; probably, the King George island territory was covered entirely by ice masses of Last glacial maximum not earlier than 19 ky BP; during Last glacial maximum, King George Island was covered by thin, «cold», not mobile glaciers, which contribute to conservation of the soft marine interstadial deposits filled with fossil flora and fauna.

Keywords

Diatom analysis, glaciations, interstadial, King George Island, marine deposits, paleontology, radiocarbon dating,

About the Authors

S. R. Verkulich

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Sankt-Petersburg
Russian Federation

M. V. Dorozhkina

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Sankt-Petersburg
Russian Federation

Z. V. Pushina

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Sankt-Petersburg
Russian Federation

A. Tatur

Warsawa University;
Russian Federation

D. I. Sukhomlinov

Sankt-Petersburg State University;
Russian Federation

A. V. Krylov

”PolyarGeo”, Sankt-Petersburg
Russian Federation

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Supplementary files

For citation: Verkulich S.R., Dorozhkina M.V., Pushina Z.V., Tatur A., Sukhomlinov D.I., Krylov A.V. Environmental conditions of interstadial (MIS 3) and features of the last glacial maximum on the King George island (West Antarctica). Ice and Snow. 2013;53(1):111-117. https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2013-1-111-117

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