Late-and postglacial environments in the northern Barents Sea west of Franz Josef Land

Abstract

A lithological and micropaleontological study of three sediment cores from the western Franz Josef Land area, two of them AMS l4C dated, provides new data on the environmental evolution of the northern Barents Sea during and after the last deglaciation. Glacimarine conditions commenced in the deep Franz Victoria Trough by 13 kyr BP. and then presumably propagated into adjacent inter-island channels of Franz Josef Land. Pulses of Atlantic-derived water occurred during deglaciation and could have accelerated ice-sheet decay. Normal marine environments were established close to 10 kyr BP. Ameliorated conditions are recorded for the interval of approximately 9.5 to 5 kyr BP. After that, more severe environments existed probably associated with heavier sea-ice cover.