Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet

Sara Benetti; Richard C. Chiverrell; Colm Ó. Cofaigh; Matt Burke; Alicia Medialdea; David Small; Colin Ballantyne; Mark D. Bateman; S. Louise Callard; Peter Wilson; Derek Fabel; Chris D. Clark; Riccardo Arosio; Sarah Bradley; Paul Dunlop; Jeremy C. Ely; Jenny Gales; Stephen J. Livingstone; Steven G. Moreton; Catriona Purcell; Margot Saher; Kevin Schiele; Katrien Van Landeghem; Kasper Weilbach

doi:10.1002/jqs.3315

Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet

Sara Benetti, Richard C. Chiverrell, Colm Ó. Cofaigh, Matt Burke, Alicia Medialdea, David Small, Colin Ballantyne, Mark D. Bateman, S. Louise Callard, Peter Wilson, Derek Fabel, Chris D. Clark, Riccardo Arosio, Sarah Bradley, Paul Dunlop, Jeremy C. Ely, Jenny Gales, Stephen J. Livingstone, Steven G. Moreton, Catriona PurcellMargot Saher, Kevin Schiele, Katrien Van Landeghem, Kasper Weilbach

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Abstract

New optically stimulated luminescence dating and Bayesian models integrating all legacy and BRITICE-CHRONO geochronology facilitated exploration of the controls on the deglaciation of two former sectors of the British–Irish Ice Sheet, the Donegal Bay (DBIS) and Malin Sea ice-streams (MSIS). Shelf-edge glaciation occurred ~27 ka, before the global Last Glacial Maximum, and shelf-wide retreat began 26–26.5 ka at a rate of ~18.7–20.7 m a–1. MSIS grounding zone wedges and DBIS recessional moraines show episodic retreat punctuated by prolonged still-stands. By ~23–22 ka the outer shelf (~25 000 km2) was free of grounded ice. After this time, MSIS retreat was faster (~20 m a–1 vs. ~2–6 m a–1 of DBIS). Separation of Irish and Scottish ice sources occurred ~20–19.5 ka, leaving an autonomous Donegal ice dome. Inner Malin shelf deglaciation followed the submarine troughs reaching the Hebridean coast ~19 ka. DBIS retreat formed the extensive complex of moraines in outer Donegal Bay at 20.5–19 ka. DBIS retreated on land by ~17–16 ka. Isolated ice caps in Scotland and Ireland persisted until ~14.5 ka. Early retreat of this marine-terminating margin is best explained by local ice loading increasing water depths and promoting calving ice losses rather than by changes in global temperatures. Topographical controls governed the differences between the ice-stream retreat from mid-shelf to the coast.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	833-870
Number of pages	38
Journal	Journal of Quaternary Science
Volume	36
Issue number	5
Early online date	2 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3315
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 1 Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council consortium grant NE/J007196/1 BRITICE‐CHRONO. The work was supported by the NERC Radiocarbon Facility and NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Facility Analysis. Thanks to the staff at the SUERC AMS Laboratory, East Kilbride, for carbon isotope measurements. We thank the officers and crew of the RRS for their assistance with data acquisition, as well as the British Geological Survey and UK National Oceanography Centre for vibro‐ and piston core collection, respectively, during cruise JC106. Also thanks to the entire BRITICE‐CHRONO consortium for fruitful discussions over the duration of the project and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. James Cook

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council consortium grant NE/J007196/1 BRITICE-CHRONO. The work was supported by the NERC Radiocarbon Facility and NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Facility Analysis. Thanks to the staff at the SUERC AMS Laboratory, East Kilbride, for carbon isotope measurements. We thank the officers and crew of the RRS James Cook for their assistance with data acquisition, as well as the British Geological Survey and UK National Oceanography Centre for vibro- and piston core collection, respectively, during cruise JC106. Also thanks to the entire BRITICE-CHRONO consortium for fruitful discussions over the duration of the project and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC

Keywords

Deglaciation
Donegal
Ice streams
Malin Sea
Retreat rate
ice streams
deglaciation
retreat rate

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Benetti, S., Chiverrell, R. C., Cofaigh, C. Ó., Burke, M., Medialdea, A., Small, D., Ballantyne, C., Bateman, M. D., Callard, S. L., Wilson, P., Fabel, D., Clark, C. D., Arosio, R., Bradley, S., Dunlop, P., Ely, J. C., Gales, J., Livingstone, S. J., Moreton, S. G., ... Weilbach, K. (2021). Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet. Journal of Quaternary Science, 36(5), 833-870. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3315

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title = "Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet",

abstract = "New optically stimulated luminescence dating and Bayesian models integrating all legacy and BRITICE-CHRONO geochronology facilitated exploration of the controls on the deglaciation of two former sectors of the British–Irish Ice Sheet, the Donegal Bay (DBIS) and Malin Sea ice-streams (MSIS). Shelf-edge glaciation occurred ~27 ka, before the global Last Glacial Maximum, and shelf-wide retreat began 26–26.5 ka at a rate of ~18.7–20.7 m a–1. MSIS grounding zone wedges and DBIS recessional moraines show episodic retreat punctuated by prolonged still-stands. By ~23–22 ka the outer shelf (~25 000 km2) was free of grounded ice. After this time, MSIS retreat was faster (~20 m a–1 vs. ~2–6 m a–1 of DBIS). Separation of Irish and Scottish ice sources occurred ~20–19.5 ka, leaving an autonomous Donegal ice dome. Inner Malin shelf deglaciation followed the submarine troughs reaching the Hebridean coast ~19 ka. DBIS retreat formed the extensive complex of moraines in outer Donegal Bay at 20.5–19 ka. DBIS retreated on land by ~17–16 ka. Isolated ice caps in Scotland and Ireland persisted until ~14.5 ka. Early retreat of this marine-terminating margin is best explained by local ice loading increasing water depths and promoting calving ice losses rather than by changes in global temperatures. Topographical controls governed the differences between the ice-stream retreat from mid-shelf to the coast.",

keywords = "Deglaciation, Donegal, Ice streams, Malin Sea, Retreat rate, ice streams, deglaciation, retreat rate",

author = "Sara Benetti and Chiverrell, {Richard C.} and Cofaigh, {Colm {\'O}.} and Matt Burke and Alicia Medialdea and David Small and Colin Ballantyne and Bateman, {Mark D.} and Callard, {S. Louise} and Peter Wilson and Derek Fabel and Clark, {Chris D.} and Riccardo Arosio and Sarah Bradley and Paul Dunlop and Ely, {Jeremy C.} and Jenny Gales and Livingstone, {Stephen J.} and Moreton, {Steven G.} and Catriona Purcell and Margot Saher and Kevin Schiele and {Van Landeghem}, Katrien and Kasper Weilbach",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council consortium grant NE/J007196/1 BRITICE‐CHRONO. The work was supported by the NERC Radiocarbon Facility and NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Facility Analysis. Thanks to the staff at the SUERC AMS Laboratory, East Kilbride, for carbon isotope measurements. We thank the officers and crew of the RRS for their assistance with data acquisition, as well as the British Geological Survey and UK National Oceanography Centre for vibro‐ and piston core collection, respectively, during cruise JC106. Also thanks to the entire BRITICE‐CHRONO consortium for fruitful discussions over the duration of the project and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. James Cook Funding Information: This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council consortium grant NE/J007196/1 BRITICE-CHRONO. The work was supported by the NERC Radiocarbon Facility and NERC Cosmogenic Isotope Facility Analysis. Thanks to the staff at the SUERC AMS Laboratory, East Kilbride, for carbon isotope measurements. We thank the officers and crew of the RRS James Cook for their assistance with data acquisition, as well as the British Geological Survey and UK National Oceanography Centre for vibro- and piston core collection, respectively, during cruise JC106. Also thanks to the entire BRITICE-CHRONO consortium for fruitful discussions over the duration of the project and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC",

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Benetti, S, Chiverrell, RC, Cofaigh, CÓ, Burke, M, Medialdea, A, Small, D, Ballantyne, C, Bateman, MD, Callard, SL, Wilson, P, Fabel, D, Clark, CD, Arosio, R, Bradley, S, Dunlop, P, Ely, JC, Gales, J, Livingstone, SJ, Moreton, SG, Purcell, C, Saher, M, Schiele, K, Van Landeghem, K & Weilbach, K 2021, 'Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet', Journal of Quaternary Science, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 833-870. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3315

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T1 - Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet

AU - Benetti, Sara

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AU - Cofaigh, Colm Ó.

AU - Burke, Matt

AU - Medialdea, Alicia

AU - Small, David

AU - Ballantyne, Colin

AU - Bateman, Mark D.

AU - Callard, S. Louise

AU - Wilson, Peter

AU - Fabel, Derek

AU - Clark, Chris D.

AU - Arosio, Riccardo

AU - Bradley, Sarah

AU - Dunlop, Paul

AU - Ely, Jeremy C.

AU - Gales, Jenny

AU - Livingstone, Stephen J.

AU - Moreton, Steven G.

AU - Purcell, Catriona

AU - Saher, Margot

AU - Schiele, Kevin

AU - Van Landeghem, Katrien

AU - Weilbach, Kasper

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N2 - New optically stimulated luminescence dating and Bayesian models integrating all legacy and BRITICE-CHRONO geochronology facilitated exploration of the controls on the deglaciation of two former sectors of the British–Irish Ice Sheet, the Donegal Bay (DBIS) and Malin Sea ice-streams (MSIS). Shelf-edge glaciation occurred ~27 ka, before the global Last Glacial Maximum, and shelf-wide retreat began 26–26.5 ka at a rate of ~18.7–20.7 m a–1. MSIS grounding zone wedges and DBIS recessional moraines show episodic retreat punctuated by prolonged still-stands. By ~23–22 ka the outer shelf (~25 000 km2) was free of grounded ice. After this time, MSIS retreat was faster (~20 m a–1 vs. ~2–6 m a–1 of DBIS). Separation of Irish and Scottish ice sources occurred ~20–19.5 ka, leaving an autonomous Donegal ice dome. Inner Malin shelf deglaciation followed the submarine troughs reaching the Hebridean coast ~19 ka. DBIS retreat formed the extensive complex of moraines in outer Donegal Bay at 20.5–19 ka. DBIS retreated on land by ~17–16 ka. Isolated ice caps in Scotland and Ireland persisted until ~14.5 ka. Early retreat of this marine-terminating margin is best explained by local ice loading increasing water depths and promoting calving ice losses rather than by changes in global temperatures. Topographical controls governed the differences between the ice-stream retreat from mid-shelf to the coast.

AB - New optically stimulated luminescence dating and Bayesian models integrating all legacy and BRITICE-CHRONO geochronology facilitated exploration of the controls on the deglaciation of two former sectors of the British–Irish Ice Sheet, the Donegal Bay (DBIS) and Malin Sea ice-streams (MSIS). Shelf-edge glaciation occurred ~27 ka, before the global Last Glacial Maximum, and shelf-wide retreat began 26–26.5 ka at a rate of ~18.7–20.7 m a–1. MSIS grounding zone wedges and DBIS recessional moraines show episodic retreat punctuated by prolonged still-stands. By ~23–22 ka the outer shelf (~25 000 km2) was free of grounded ice. After this time, MSIS retreat was faster (~20 m a–1 vs. ~2–6 m a–1 of DBIS). Separation of Irish and Scottish ice sources occurred ~20–19.5 ka, leaving an autonomous Donegal ice dome. Inner Malin shelf deglaciation followed the submarine troughs reaching the Hebridean coast ~19 ka. DBIS retreat formed the extensive complex of moraines in outer Donegal Bay at 20.5–19 ka. DBIS retreated on land by ~17–16 ka. Isolated ice caps in Scotland and Ireland persisted until ~14.5 ka. Early retreat of this marine-terminating margin is best explained by local ice loading increasing water depths and promoting calving ice losses rather than by changes in global temperatures. Topographical controls governed the differences between the ice-stream retreat from mid-shelf to the coast.

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KW - Donegal

KW - Ice streams

KW - Malin Sea

KW - Retreat rate

KW - ice streams

KW - deglaciation

KW - retreat rate

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JF - Journal of Quaternary Science

IS - 5

ER -

Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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