Clarke, Jorie, Schnabel, Christoph, Clarke, Peter U., McCarron, Stephen, Freeman, Stewart P.H.T., Maden, C. and Xu, S. (2008) Cosmogenic 10Be chronology of the last deglaciation of western Ireland, and implications for sensitivity of the Irish Ice Sheet to climate change. GSA Bulletin, 121 (1/2). pp. 3-16.
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Abstract
Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)
14C dates of fossiliferous marine mud identify
a readvance of the Irish Ice Sheet from
the north and central lowlands of Ireland
into the northern Irish Sea Basin during the
Killard Point Stadial at ca. 16.5 cal k.y. B.P.,
with subsequent deglaciation occurring by
ca. 15.0–15.5 cal k.y. B.P. Killard Point Stadial
moraines have been mapped elsewhere in Ireland
but have previously remained undated.
Here, we report sixteen 10Be surface exposure
dates that constrain the age of retreat of the
Killard Point Stadial ice margin from western
Ireland. Eight 10Be dates from the Ox Mountains
(13.9–18.1 ka) indicate that fi nal deposition
of the moraine occurred at 15.6 ± 0.5 ka
(mean age, standard error). Eight 10Be dates
from Furnace Lough (14.1–17.3 ka, mean age
of 15.6 ± 0.4 ka) are statistically indistinguishable
from the Ox Mountain samples, suggesting
that the moraines were deposited during
the same glacial event. Given the agreement
between the two age groups, and their common
association with a regionally signifi cant
moraine system, we combine them to derive a
mean age of 15.6 ± 0.3 ka (15.6 ± 1.0 ka with
external uncertainty). This age is in excellent
agreement with the timing of deglaciation
from the Irish Sea Basin (at or older than
15.3 ± 0.2 cal k.y. B.P.) and suggests the onset
of near-contemporaneous retreat of the Irish
Ice Sheet from its maximum Killard Point
Stadial limit. A reconstruction of the ice surface
indicates that the Irish Ice Sheet reached
a maximum surface elevation of ~500 m over
the central Irish Lowlands during the Killard
Point Stadial, suggesting a high sensitivity of
the ice sheet to small changes in climate.
Item Type: | Article |
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Keywords: | glacial geology; geochronology; cosmogenic dating; Irish Ice Sheet; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS |
Item ID: | 1982 |
Depositing User: | Dr. Stephen McCarron |
Date Deposited: | 10 Jun 2010 10:39 |
Journal or Publication Title: | GSA Bulletin |
Publisher: | Geological Society of America |
Refereed: | Yes |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/1982 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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