Marine sedimentary record of Meltwater Pulse 1a along the NW Barents Sea continental margin

Abstract

The upper continental slope of the Storfjorden-Kveithola Trough Mouth Fans (NW Barents Sea) contains a several m-thick late Pleistocene sequence of plumites composed of laminated mud interbedded with sand/silt layers. Radiocarbon ages revealed that deposition occurred during about 130 years at a very high sedimentation rate of 3.4 cm a−1, at about 7 km from the present shelf break. Palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses confirm the existence of a prominent, short-living sedimentary event. The plumites appear laterally continuous and were correlated with the sedimentary sequences described west of Svalbard and neighboring glacial depositional systems representing a major event at regional scale appointed to correspond to the deep-sea sedimentary record of Meltwater Pulse-1a. We also present new sedimentological and geochemical insights, and multi-beam data adding information on the palaeoenvironmental characteristics during MWP-1a and ice sheet decay in the NW Barents Sea.

Full text

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Marine sedimentary record of Meltwater Pulse 1a along the NW
Barents Sea continental margin
Renata Giulia Lucchi
1
•Leonardo Sagnotti
2
•Angelo Camerlenghi
1
•
Patrizia Macrı
`
2
•Michele Rebesco
1
•Maria Teresa Pedrosa
3
•Giovanna Giorgetti
4
Received: 11 September 2015 / Accepted: 14 October 2015 / Published online: 20 November 2015
ÓThe Author(s) 2015. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Abstract The upper continental slope of the Storfjorden-
Kveithola Trough Mouth Fans (NW Barents Sea) contains
a several m-thick late Pleistocene sequence of plumites
composed of laminated mud interbedded with sand/silt
layers. Radiocarbon ages revealed that deposition occurred
during about 130 years at a very high sedimentation rate of
3.4 cm a
-1
, at about 7 km from the present shelf break.
Palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses confirm the
existence of a prominent, short-living sedimentary event.
The plumites appear laterally continuous and were corre-
lated with the sedimentary sequences described west of
Svalbard and neighboring glacial depositional systems
representing a major event at regional scale appointed to
correspond to the deep-sea sedimentary record of Melt-
water Pulse-1a. We also present new sedimentological and
geochemical insights, and multi-beam data adding infor-
mation on the palaeoenvironmental characteristics during
MWP-1a and ice sheet decay in the NW Barents Sea.
Keywords Meltwater Pulse 1a Plumites NW Barents
Sea Arctic
Introduction
Meltwater Pulse 1a
A meltwater pulse (MWP) is a short-lived, global accel-
eration in sea-level rise resulting from intense front- and/or
subglacial meltwater release, and/or surging ice streams
into oceans and iceberg discharge during ice sheets disin-
tegration [9]. It has been calculated that the rate of global
sea-level rise during meltwater pulses could have been as
high as 60 mm a
-1
during less than 500 years [29].
The existence of a pulsing mode for global sea-level rise
after LGM, was discovered through the study of drowned
late Quaternary reef-crest sequences cored in tropical areas
(Barbados, [29]; Caribbean-Atlantic reef province, [10];
Tahiti, [3,63]; Sunda Shelf, [32], Hawaii, [92]; among
others). Although high-resolution radiocarbon and
230
Th
dating of coral skeletons permit precise dating of the
events, diffuse neo-tectonic uplift of these areas often led
to controversial correlating results and difficult calculation
of the events’ magnitude.
Four main meltwater pulses have been pointed to have
occurred during the last deglaciation phase: MWP-19 ka,
also known as MWP-1a
0
, about 19 cal ka BP [15,93];
MWP-1a, 14.650–14.310 cal a BP [24]; MWP-1b,
11.500–11.000 cal a B.P. [4]; and MWP-1c at about
8.000 cal a BP [11,33]. Of these events, MWP-1a was
possibly the most prominent leading to a global sea-level
rise of about 20 m in the course of 340 a (5.9 cm a
-1
,
[24]).
Evidences of the existence MWP-1a have been found in
many low-latitude areas but straightforward evidence is
still lacking in polar areas where the event is thought to
have originated.
&Renata Giulia Lucchi
rglucchi@ogs.trieste.it
1
OGS (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica
Sperimentale), Borgo Grotta Gigante, 42C, 34010 Sgonico,
TS, Italy
2
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Via
di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Rome, Italy
3
Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad
de Granada, Avda de las Palmeras 4,
18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
4
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita
`di Siena, via
Laterina 8, 53100 Siena, Italy
123
Arktos (2015) 1:7
DOI 10.1007/s41063-015-0008-6
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An on-going controversy concerns the identification of
the trigger area and mechanisms responsible for MWP-1a
([1,5,6,16–18,20,30,31,47,65,71,81,84,89,91],
among others). Four ice sheets are considered as possible
candidates responsible for shaping the global sea-level
curve: the Laurentide, Fennoscandian, Barents and
Antarctic ice sheets. Simulation of ocean-ice sheet inter-
actions indicates that different meltwater sources should
leave a geographically distinctive ‘sea-level fingerprint’
due to ice unloading histories and gravitational pull
between the shrinking ice masses and oceanic water-mas-
ses variations [18,22,62].
Scarce and ambiguous evidences of MWP-1a imprints
in the polar areas are puzzling and do not help resolve the
controversy on its origin.
In this study, we present marine sedimentary evidence
of MWP-1a recorded in the deep-sea sedimentary sequence
of the Trough Mouth Fan (TMF) offshore the Storfjorden
and Kveithola palaeo ice streams (Fig. 1). The deep-sea
areas of polar continental margins, beyond the continental
shelf brake controlled by ice grounding, are characterized
by low-energy continuous sediment accumulation unaf-
fected by glacial erosion, thus providing a valuable marine
sedimentary record of ice sheet dynamics. While Lucchi
et al. [58] gave a complete account of all the recovered
sedimentary units in the studied area, we here focus on the
interlaminated plumite unit and its significance as sedi-
mentological signature of Meltwater Pulse 1a.
Geological and oceanographic characteristics
of the study area
The Storfjorden and Kveithola TMF depositional systems
are located south of the Spitsbergen Island in the NW
Barents Sea [38,51], (Fig. 1). Seismo-stratigraphic infor-
mation in this area suggests that the onset of glacially
influenced sedimentation occurred since about 1.8 Ma,
when the Barents Sea Ice Sheet reached the continental
shelf edge [39,45]. Reconstruction of the late Pleistocene
and Holocene depositional processes of the marine sedi-
mentary record of the Storfjorden and Kveithola TMFs has
been described in Lucchi et al. [58] and it is briefly sum-
marized in the following (Fig. 2).
The older parts of the studied sediment cores contain
mass transport deposits (MTD) emplaced during LGM,
consisting of highly consolidated glacigenic diamicton
(Fig. 2a) and normally consolidated debris flows derived
Fig. 1 Location map of the
studied area with indication of
the main palaeo ice streams and
sediment cores location. Gray
hued bathymetry was acquired
during the SVAIS and
EGLACOM cruises that is
superimposed on IBCAO data
[41]. Adapted from
Camerlenghi et al. [12]
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from the down-slope transport of glacigenic sediments
locally incorporating older stratigraphic intervals.
Above the LGM deposits, are proximal glacimarine
sediments containing abundant Ice Rafted Debris (IRD)
deposited between 20–19 and 17–16 cal ka BP (Fig. 2b).
The former interval contains an oxidized layer at its base
holding evidences of sea-ice free/seasonal conditions
(abundant planktonic foraminifera).
The glacimarine sediments are overlain by a progres-
sively fining-up sequence of interlaminated sediments
consisting of laminated mud interbedded with sand/silt
layers (Fig. 2c). The interlaminated sediments are several
m-thick on the upper slope, and only a few cm-thick on the
middle slope. Sedimentological and compositional char-
acteristics suggest that deposition occurred under the
effects of extensive subglacial meltwaters (plumites, [58]).
On the upper slope, the top boundary of the interlami-
nated sediments has a sharp contact with bioturbated and
slightly laminated distal glacimarine sediments (Fig. 2d)
indicating the presence of bottom currents and palaeo-en-
vironmental conditions favorable to bioactivity. On the
contrary, a massive IRD layer and distal glacimarine sed-
iments overlie the interlaminated facies on the middle
slope. The Holocene sequence on the middle slope consists
of diatom-bearing crudely laminated sediments (Fig. 2e),
and foraminifera/nannofossils-rich, heavily bioturbated
sediments both deposited under the effect of bottom cur-
rents (contourites, Fig. 2f) associated with the warm,
moderately saline Western Spitsbergen Current (WSC)
deriving from the North Atlantic Current. This current
flows northward along the continental slope transporting
heat to the Arctic area.
Materials and methods
Bathymetric, sub-bottom profiling data, and sediment cores
are the result of the merging of two data sets collected
during two cruises.
BIO Hespe
´rides IPY Cruise SVAIS (Longyearbyen,
July 29–August 17, 2007). Bathymetry was acquired with
multi-beam echo-sounder Simrad EM1002S. Data were
logged using Simrad’s Mermaid system and processed
with Caris HIPS and SIPS V 6.1.
Sub-bottom profiling employed a hull-mounted Kongs-
berg TOPAS PS 18 parametric profiler using two pri-
mary frequencies ranging between 16 and 22 kHz. Cores
were obtained with piston coring.
Fig. 2 Sediment facies and
related depositional processes
on the Storfjorden and
Kveithola TMFs after LGM.
The figure reports a synthetic
interpretative lithological log,
the radiographs and photos of
the identified sediment facies
after [58]
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R/V OGS Explora IPY Cruise EGLACOM (Kristian-
sund, July 07–August 04, 2008). Bathymetry was acquired
with multi-beam echo-sounder Reson MB8150 operating at
a mean frequency of 12 kHz, and MB8111, operating at a
mean frequency of 100 kHz. Data were logged and pro-
cessed with the Reson PDS2000V 2.5.3.2 software. Sub-
bottom profiling employed a hull-mounted Benthos CAP-
6600 profiler, using a sweep of acoustic frequencies rang-
ing between 2 and 7 kHz. Cores were obtained by gravity
coring.
The final bathymetric digital terrain model was pro-
duced from the combined data set with 75 m grid spacing.
Sub-bottom profiles from both surveys were imported in
Seismic Micro-Technology’s Kingdom Suite 8.3 software.
In addition, regional bathymetric imaging was obtained
from the Olex Ocean DTM
Ò
.
The sediment cores (Table 1) were logged through an
X-ray CT scan and an Avaatech XRF-core scan for chemical
composition of the sediments. For this contribution we
considered the down-core trends of Si (silica) content as
proxy of the quartz content (terrigenous input) rather than
amorphous silica forming diatoms frustules (assumption
made after sediments microscope investigation); the Cl
(chlorine) content was associated with the water content; the
Sr (strontium) content was used as indicator of bio-produc-
tivity in place of barium that in the Arctic areas is often of
detrital origin; and the S (sulfur) content, commonly asso-
ciated to oxygen depleted environments.
Discrete samples collected at every 5–10 cm resolution
were analyzed for water content, clay mineral analyses,
total and organic carbon (C
tot
,C
org
) and total nitrogen
(N
tot
) content. For this study, we considered only the dis-
tribution of the smectite content indicated to be, in the
studied area, a proxy of Atlantic Water strength [43],
whereas the C
org
/N
tot
ratio was used to distinguish between
marine and continental-derived organic matter according to
Meyers [61]. Details on the analytical procedure applied
for geochemistry and clay mineral analyses are indicated in
Lucchi et al. [58].
Palaeomagnetic investigations were performed on
u-channels collected from undisturbed sediments. The low-
field magnetic susceptibility (k) and the natural remanent
magnetization (NRM) were measured at 1 cm spacing. The
NRM was then stepwise demagnetized by alternating field
(AF) up to 100 mT. The characteristic remnant magneti-
zation (ChRM) has been isolated for each measured
interval and its direction determined by fitting a least-
square line on stepwise AF data with principal component
analysis, according to Kirschvink [44]. The maximum
angular deviation was then computed for each determined
ChRM direction. Since the cores were not azimuthally
oriented, the ChRM declination trends obtained for each
u-channel have been arbitrarily rotated to align their
average value with the true north.
From individual characteristic remnant magnetization
directions, we calculated the corresponding Virtual Geo-
magnetic Pole (VGP), under the assumption of a geocentric
axial dipole field.
The VGP scatter (S) during an established time interval
was estimated by the angular standard deviation of the
VGP distribution during an established interval of time. In
order to filter out large deviations that may not be repre-
sentative of genuine PSV, we applied a cut-off angle to the
computed VGPs following the iterative approach described
by Vandamme [86]. Additional details on the palaeomag-
netic analytical methodology applied are reported in [73].
The age model used for this study follows Sagnotti et al.
[73], and Lucchi et al. [58], relied on rocks palaeomagnetic
parameters and radiocarbon dating analyses (Table 2) cal-
ibrated with the calibration software program Calib 6.0
[82], using the marine09 calibration curve [70], and
applying an average marine regional reservoir effect
DR=84 ±23 (south of Svalbard). The mean values of
the calibrated age range of ±1rwere then normalized to
calendar year.
Results
Outer shelf iceberg scours
Sets of large parallel furrows are observed on the northern
flank of Spitsbergen Bank in water depths between 350 and
390 m (Fig. 3). The furrows are 10–15 m deep with respect
Table 1 Core location Core ID Lat N Lon E Depth (m) Location Lenght (m)
SV-02 75°13.707014°35.9600743 Upper-slope 6.41
SV-03 75°13.352014°37.2490761 Upper-slope 6.42
SV-04 74°57.425013°53.97201839 Middle-slope 3.03
SV-05 75°06.703015°13.3070713 Upper-slope 6.32
EG-02 75°12.907013°04.58701722 Middle-slope 3.05
EG-03 75°50.615012°58.35301432 Middle-slope 2.91
SV SVAIS project, EG EGLACOM project
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to the surrounding seafloor and are bound by elongated
berms about 500 m wide and about 10 m high (Fig. 3).
Three or four parallel furrows compose each set of bottom
scours. Outer shelf furrows bear two elongation directions:
NE–SW that coincides with the main direction of the
Storfjorden glacial trough axis, and E–W. Lower resolution
Olex bathymetry suggests that NE–SW furrows extend
further landwards in water as shallow as 200 m in the
southwestern edge of the Storfjorden glacial trough mark-
ing the northwestern flank of Spitsbergenbanken (Figs. 1,
3). The largest set of furrows observed is 35 km long and
1 km wide (Fig. 3a).
Similar furrows have been identified on many polar
continental margins in water depth reaching 1000 m [25],
such as on the Yermak Plateau north of Svalbard [27],
offshore West Greenland [49], the Canadian margin [66],
in Pine Island Bay, Antarctica [40], and on the Argentine
continental margin [55]. They are produced by the seafloor
scouring of mega-scale iceberg keels (megabergs, [27,
87]).
These sets of large parallel furrows are not associated to
the sets of smaller (4–5 m deep and on average 300 m
wide), V-shaped, linear, subdued ridges and groves, with a
mean NE-SW orientation, conformable to the main Stor-
fjorden Trough axis, traceable for up to 20 km inland
(Fig. 3a, b). These sets of large furrows are rather inter-
preted as Mega Scale Glacial Lineations (MSGL) produced
by streaming ice and, like in adjacent Kveithola Trough
[69,72], loose their morphological expression near the
continental shelf edge due to the presence of moraine banks
intensely scoured by icebergs.
The large parallel furrows on the northern flank of
Spitsbergen Bank are instead interpreted being produced
by large, multi-keel icebergs released during break-off of
the Storfjorden sub-ice stream III fed by the Spitsbergen-
banken ice cap. Such icebergs were concentrated on the
southeaster part of the Storfjorden Trough because the
source of continental ice for this sub-ice stream was closes
the continental shelf break [64,58]).
Sediment geochemistry and composition
The characteristics for the sediments facies observed in the
upper and middle slope are very much consistent. For this
reason, in the following we will show only the down-core
Table 2 Radiocarbon dates (after Lucchi et al. [58])
Sample ID Lab ref. Sample type Description AMS
14
C±err. q13C cal a BP ±1r
Upper-slope
SV2-5-39/40 OS-77655 Foraminifera Benthic ?planktonic 15,050 ±50 -0.24 17,748 ±139
SV3-1-0/1 OS-77656 Foraminifera Benthic ?planktonic 4860 ±30 -0.07 5039 ±87
SV3-1-32/33 OS-82683 Mollusc Bivalve 13,000 ±45 1.09 14,929 ±141
SV3-6-21/30 OS-82684 Forams and ostracods Benthic ?plankt. ?ostrac. 13,200 ±50 -0.85 15,061 ±146
SV3-6-52/53 OS-77680 Foraminifera Benthic ?planktonic 13,300 ±50 -0.4 15,156 ±117
SV5-4-82/83 OS-82689 Foraminifera Mix plankt. mostly Nps 17,350 ±85 -0.08 20,055 ±166
Mid-slope
SV4-1-0/1 OS-77682 Foraminifera Nps 1100 ±25 0.44 594 ±36
SV4-2-11/12 OS-77683 Foraminifera Nps 4000 ±30 0.83 3896 ±56
SV4-2-48/49 OS-82685 Foraminifera Mixed planktonic 7110 ±30 0.5 7519 ±38
SV4-2-59/60 OS-77684 Foraminifera Nps 7880 ±45 0.5 8264 ±59
SV4-2-65/66 OS-77685 Foraminifera Nps 8180 ±35 0.33 8558 ±58
SV4-2-85/86 OS-82686 Foraminifera Mixed planktonic 8690 ±30 -0.44 9292 ±70
SV4-3-24/27 OS-82687 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 9790 ±30 0.64 10,558 ±33
SV4-3-77/79 OS-82688 Foraminifera mixed planktonic 12,050 ±40 0.09 13,389 ±61
SV4-4-94/95 OS-77686 Foraminifera Nps 21,800 ±100 -0.07 25,438 ±241
EG2-1-30/31 OS-78387 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 4570 ±130 -25 4665 ±164
EG2-1-90/91 OS-78389 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 9460 ±180 0 10,235 ±234
EG2-2-60/61 OS-78383 Forams and pteropods Benthic ?plankt. ?pterop. 12,100 ±180 1.41 13,481 ±181
EG3-1-90/91 OS-78385 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 4910 ±120 -25 5118 ±161
EG3-2-56/57 OS-78382 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 8590 ±130 0.01 9147 ±167
EG3-3-38/39 OS-78324 Foraminifera Bethic ?planktonic 9740 ±80 0.73 10,508 ±87
Nps Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sin
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sedimentological characteristics of cores SV-02 and SV-04
as the most representative for the upper and middle slope,
respectively (Fig. 4).
Core SV-02 is characterized by a high C
org
/N
tot
ratio
always largely exceeding the boundary value of 10 (except
for the interval above the oxidized layer) indicating pre-
dominant continental-derived organic matter input. The
smectite content in the sediments located above the glaci-
genic diamicton increases gradually up-core, whereas it is
virtually absent in the LGM sediments.
The Si content is generally high throughout the core but
decrease in the upper 25 cm (distal glacimarine sediments).
Lower values are observed also between the oxidized layer
and the interval characterized by the presence of marine-
derived organic matter (388–400 cm bsf). The down-core
trend of Cl distribution is in agreement with the water
content measured on individual samples with Cl peaks
corresponding to the sandy layers in the interlaminated
sediments. The boundary between LGM sediments and the
proximal glacimarine sediments is characterized by a
salient change in Cl content. This boundary is also char-
acterized by abrupt changes in the other parameters
including the S content with high values within LGM
sediments that contain partially pyritized carbonate rock
fragments with framboid pyrite.
Core SV-04 is characterized by predominant marine-
derived organic matter input except for the proximal gla-
cimarine sedimentation (massive IRD input) and the
interlaminated sediment facies. The trend of smectite
content is characterized by a progressive increase from the
Fig. 3 Seabed morphology evidence of multi-keel mega-icebergs
scours. aSVAIS-EGLACOM bathymetry superimposed to the Olex
Ocean DTM
Ò
outlining the regional extent of the furrows beyond the
SVAIS-EGLACOM bathymetric coverage. Large parallel furrows are
outlined by thick black lines;bDETAILED bathymetry (SVAIS-
EGLACOM data sets) of multi-keel mega-icebergs scours. c3D view
and topographic profile across the multi-keel mega-icebergs scours
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base of post-LGM deposition (260 cm bsf), to the
beginning of the distal glacimarine sedimentation (ca
200 cm bsf) after which the values are maintained sta-
bles with only minor fluctuations (minimum value at
202 cm bsf can be related to local sampling of IRD). The
trend of Si content presents three main steps: the glacial,
proximal glacimarine and interlaminated sediments have
the higher Si content, whereas minor values characterize
the distal glacimarine sedimentation. In the upper part of
the core, the Si content decreases within the crudely
layered sediments and became almost stable after about
9 cal ka BP. The Sr content is very low in the proximal
glacimarine and interlaminated sediments with only
slightly higher values in the distal glacimarine sediments.
On the contrary, the Sr content increases considerably in
the upper part of the core within the heavily bioturbated
sediments having a trend very similar to that of Ca con-
tent. The S content is generally high within the
glacimarine and interlaminated facies as well as the older
interval of the crudely layered sediments. A sharp
decrease of Svalues occurs at around 9 cal ka BP after
which the values increases again towards the top of the
core. The S content in the middle slope cores is, however,
one-order of magnitude lower than the one measured in
the upper slope cores.
Sediment palaeomagnetic properties
The geomagnetic angular dispersion related to Palaeosec-
ular Variations (PSV) should increase with latitude [21,60,
23]. At fixed latitudes (i.e., at a core site), the sampled time
interval is another factor affecting the measured Virtual
Geomagnetic Pole (VGP) dispersion. In general, samples
spanning a temporally large interval (e.g., [10 ka) that
fully sample the geomagnetic PSV define a large scatter of
Fig. 4 Down-core distribution of sedimentological and composi-
tional parameters measured in the studied cores. The depositional
significance of the synthetic lithological log is explained in Fig. 2.
Black bold numbers on the down-core logs refer to ages (cal ka BP)
according to the age model of Sagnotti et al. [73] and Lucchi et al.
[58]. Seismic Units A1, A2, B according to Pedrosa et al. [64]
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the measured VGPs, whereas samples referring to tempo-
rally short events under-represent the geomagnetic PSV
resulting in a limited VGP scatter (S).
Within the interlaminated sediments, the VGP scatter
computed from characteristic remnant magnetization
directions of SV-02 is very limited, with an Svalue of
9.3°(Fig. 5a), whereas in core SV-03 the Svalueisaslow
as 8.5°(Fig. 5b). The VGP scatter in the interlaminated
sediments of core SV-05 is, instead, as large as 15.8°
(Fig. 5c).
In core SV-04, spanning about the last 18 cal ka BP (or
up to 25 cal ka BP, considering the possibly reworked
sediments at the bottom of the core), the VGP scatter is
rather large, with an Svalue of 17°(Fig. 5d), that is
comparable with the VGP scatter determined for core EG-
02 (16.9°, Fig. 5e), spanning a slightly shorter time (last
16 cal ka BP). In core EG-03, that contains an expanded
Holocene sequence containing the record of the Younger
Dryas (YD) at its base, the VGP scatter is relatively small
(12.1°, Fig. 5f) with respect to core SV-04 and EG-02, but
still much higher than the values determined for the plu-
mites of cores SV-02 and SV-03.
Discussion
The NW Barents Sea sedimentary record
of MWP-1a
The over 4.5 meter thick interlaminated plumites derived
from meltwater discharge from the Storfjorden-Kveithola
glacial system, was deposited in about 130 years at a very
high sedimentation rate of 3.4 cm a
-1
, at about 7 km from
the present shelf break. This sedimentary signature has
been correlated to the MWP-1a event by Lucchi et al. [58]
based on sedimentological, geochemical and chronostrati-
graphic analysis.
Initial uncertainties on the stratigraphic assignment of such
deposit wererelated to (a) the slightly olderages determined in
core SV-03 (15,061 ±146–14,929 ±141 cal a BP), with
respect to the establish timing for the meltwater event
(14,650–14,310 cal a BP, [24]), and (b) the age range assigned
to the plumites (about 130 a) that is comparable with the
calibrated age error (±143 a).
The slightly older ages of the Storfjorden-Kveithola
upper slope plumites can be explained with an
Fig. 5 Distribution of the
Virtual Geomagnetic Pole
(VGP) within the interlaminated
sediments (yellow area) of cores
aSV-02, bSV-03, cSV-05, and
within the whole sedimentary
sequence of cores dSV-04 (last
18 cal ka BP), eEG-02 (last
16 cal ka BP), and fEG-03 (last
12 cal ka BP). S=VGP scatter
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underestimation of the local regional reservoir correction
applied to the radiocarbon calibration of mixed benthic and
planktonic foraminifera. Sarnthein [75], Rae et al. [67], and
Thornalley et al. [84], indicated that deep ocean waters
after the LGM and during deglaciation were up to 1–2 ka
older than they are today determining a higher local
reservoir age. In our case the aging effect of the benthic
and planktonic foraminifera mix to explain the correlation
to the MWP-1a is only 400–600 a.
The plumites recorded in the SVAIS-EGLACOM cores
are constrained by an excellent palaeomagnetic and
stratigraphic correlation with the sedimentary sequences
described west of Svalbard and neighboring glacial depo-
sitional systems [42] where radiocarbon ages align with the
timing of MWP-1a as defined in tropical areas.
Stratigraphic equivalent deposits have been reported
from other areas offshore the West and North Svalbard
margin including the Yermak Plateau [7,13,28,42,68,
72], and the southern Barents Sea [88], indicating a nearly
synchronous regional event responsible for a massive
sediment input likely accompanied by a huge flux of fresh
meltwater into the northern Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.
The rapid emplacement of the interlaminated plumites is
supported beyond the radiocarbon dating by sediments
palaeomagnetic characteristics. According to various
models of geomagnetic Palaeosecular Variation (e.g., [23,
60,83]), the Virtual Geomagnetic Pole (VGP) scatter
representing the full geomagnetic Palaeosecular Variation
(PSV) spectrum of variability at the geographic latitudes of
the sampled cores, should be between 15°and 20°. At fixed
latitude (i.e., at a core site), the sampled time interval is
another factor affecting the retrieved VGP dispersion. In
general, samples spanning a temporally large interval
(e.g., [10 ka) fully sample geomagnetic PSV and provide
a reliable estimate of the VGP scatter, whereas samples
referring to temporally short events under-represent geo-
magnetic PSV resulting in a limited VGP scatter. The very
low VGP scatter measured in the interlaminated sediments
of cores SV-02 and SV-03 indicates that this stratigraphic
interval spans a time period that is not long enough to fully
represent the overall spectrum of variability of geomag-
netic PSV, notwithstanding a thickness of 3–4 m (Fig. 6).
This inference is consistent with the very high sedimenta-
tion rate indicated by radiocarbon dating. The higher val-
ues measured in the plumite record of core SV-05, located
at the head-scar of a landslide, were related to minor syn-
sedimentary re-depositional events occurred during the
plumites emplacement Sagnotti et al. [74].
The plumite layer is easily tracked on in the sub-bottom
profiler record of the 300 km long Storfjorden-Kveithola
margin. The thickness is estimated, using a 1500 m s
-1
average sound velocity in such water-rich sediments, to be
over 20 m-thick in the SE end of the Storfjorden TMF. The
thickness decreases rapidly down-slope where it becomes
negligible at about 35–40 km form the present shelf break
in about 1800 m water depth. The NW end of the Stor-
fjorden TMF is characterized by a thinner plumite
sequence due to faster withdrawal of the ice stream in that
area [58].
The extent of the deglaciation seismic Unit A was
mapped on the Storfjorden-Kveithola TMFs and the de-
compacted sedimentation rate averaged over 19.5 ka was
calculated to be 0.6 kg m
-2
a
-1
[54]. If we scale these
values to the MWP-1a depositional event, volumetrically
forming about 90 % of seismic Unit A, and considering a
duration of about 130 years, as measured in our cores, the
sediment mass accumulation rate results as high as
78 kg m
-2
a
-1
, corresponding to a total sediment mass
accumulation of 1.1 910
11
tonnes on the upper conti-
nental slope.
These values further stress the extreme nature of the
MWP-1a sedimentary event recorded on the upper slope of
Storfjorden-Kveithola TMFs.
Forcing mechanisms and environmental conditions
during MWP-19 ka and MWP-1a
The presence of clustered glacigenic debrites forming the
TMF of the North-western Barents Sea continental margin
confirms fully glaciated conditions of the shelf area during
the LGM [2,50,64]. Dating of these deposits indicate the
grounded ice streams reached the shelf edges at ca.
24 cal ka BP ([26,42], Fig. 7a).
There is a large consensus on considering enhanced
summer insulation as the primary mechanism determining
the onset of the northern hemisphere deglaciation. Intense
Fig. 6 Models of VGP scatter values (S) with respect to geographic
latitude according to Vandamme [86], McElhinny and McFadden
[59], Tauxe and Kent [83]. Yellow circles indicate the Svalues from
the plumite interval of cores SV-02, SV-03 and SV-05, whereas red
circles indicate the Svalues for the sedimentary sequence of cores
SV-04, EG-02, and EG-03
Arktos (2015) 1:7 Page 9 of 14 7
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ice-melting from the northern hemisphere ice sheets and
mountain glaciers produced a large volume of meltwaters
with deposition of a several m-thick laminated sequence on
the northern continental margins (e.g., [36,37,52,85]).
This event produced a first abrupt global sea-level rise
(MWP-19 ka) and a renewal of the Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation [15,19,34].
The oxidized and massive IRD layer overlying LGM
sediments in the SVAIS-EGLACOM cores, records the
Storfjorden ice stream response to MWP-19 ka responsible
for breakdown of the outer part of the grounded ice shelf
(Fig. 7b). Oxidized sediments, characterized by low sulfur
content, presence of planktonic foraminifera, and marine-
derived organic matter indicate deep ocean ventilation with
ice-free (or seasonal) surface conditions. These environ-
mental characteristics support the re-establishment of a
vigorous thermohaline circulation in the north Atlantic after
the LGM.
According to Llopart et al. [53], the rapid sea-level rise
during MWP-19 ka was also responsible for local slope
instability due to destabilized distribution of slope inter-
stitial pore pressure along the Storfjorden-Kveithola TMFs,
due to the rapid increase of sea-hydrostatic pressure
(slump/debrites involving, or among, the oxidized layer in
cores SV-05 and SV-04).
Detachment and lift-off of the marine-based grounded
ice streams on the deep Antarctic shelves of the South-
eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctic Peninsula and Amundsen
Sea in response to sea-level forcing during MWP-19 ka,
lead to the deposition of a thick laminated sequence
underneath the Antarctic ice shelves [35,90,91]. Antarctic
meltwater release was in turn responsible for (1) a further
strengthening of the Atlantic meridional overturning cir-
culation accelerating the climate warming of the North
Atlantic region (onset of the Bølling-Allerød warm inter-
val, [89]) and (2) promoted sea-level rise forcing lift-off of
shallow marine grounded ice streams including the Stor-
fjorden and Kveithola ice streams in the northern margins.
Evidence of renewed North Atlantic warm inflows at the
onset of the Bølling warm interval were reported in the
south Svalbard [42,68], west and northern Svalbard mar-
gins [13,14,46,79,80], the Franz Victoria Trough [48,56]
and the NW Yermak slope [7].
Ice shelves are more sensitive to warm sub-glacial
inflows forcing their rapid melting and retreat [76]. Re-
enhanced warm North Atlantic inflows were responsible
for fast decay of the Storfjorden and Kveithola ice streams
with extensive ice-melting and retreat to an inner ground-
ing line, contributing significantly to global sea-level rise
during MWP-1a (Fig. 7c).
Contemporaneous intense calving from the retreating ice
stream in the Storfjorden Trough is inferred to have gen-
erated the release of multi-keel megabergs responsible for
the mega-scours visible on the Storfjorden outer conti-
nental shelf in water depth as deep as 390 m below present-
day sea level. The chronology of this event fits well with
the modeled 15,000 ka peak flux of iceberg across the
Storfjorden Trough [77].
Melting of the main Storfjorden ice streams (I and II)
occurred with a rapid retreat to the shallower grounding
zone wedges located on the middle shelf (thinner plumites
on the slope facing lobe I and II, Fig. 1). Diffuse melting
and rapid retreat in this area was likely responsible for a
thinner ice shelf, producing thinner icebergs unable of deep
scouring the seafloor. On the contrary, the Kveithola and
the south-western Storfjorden ice stream III, were probably
active longer as they were fed by a closer ice catchment
Fig. 7 Schematic graphic representation of the three main deposi-
tional events recording the Storfjorden and Kveithola ice stream
dynamics in the SVAIS-EGLACOM sediment cores. aLGM,
binception of ice stream decay during MWP-19 ka; cice stream
collapse during/after MWP-1a
7Page 10 of 14 Arktos (2015) 1:7
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area (Spitsbergenbanken ice cap), producing a larger
sequence of plumites on the continental slope facing lobe
III and the Kveithola Trough.
The high sulfur content measured in the Storfjorden
interlaminated sediments indicates reduced sea bottom
ventilation likely caused by strong water stratification
under extensive fresh water release during MWP-1a. It is
also possible that the presence of surface fresh water
enhanced multi-year sea ice formation during the plumite
deposition that would explain the little occurrence of IRD
within the interlaminated sediments. Strong water stratifi-
cation would contribute to reduce nutrient availability
hampering the bio-productivity and to promote poor deep-
water ventilation affecting the preservation of calcareous
foraminifera tests in the sediments, already diluted by the
strong detrital input (barren sediments).
In addition, surface water stratification would enhance
the areal distribution and sediment dispersion of the melt-
water plumes by reducing sediment flocculation in the
fresh water and particle settling across the halocline surface
(c.f. [36,57]). This explains the wide spread occurrence of
fine-grained laminated sediments having considerable
thickness only on the upper slope of TMFs in the area close
to the sediment source output.
The interlaminated plumite sequence is sharply topped
by a massive IRD layer that records the collapse of the
outer part of the Storfjorden and Kveithola ice shelves (ca
14.2 cal ka BP, [8,72]). The abrupt disappearance of the
main TMFs source of terrigenous input is responsible for a
strong change in the sedimentation rate with starving TMFs
receiving sediments only through icebergs, wind, and
along-slope contour currents (sharp decrease in Si content
at 14.3 cal ka BP, Fig. 4). The sediment composition
changes rapidly with increasing content of smectite and a
swift change in organic matter composition being of mar-
ine origin (C
org
/N
tot
ratio \10). We think that the abrupt
‘‘switch-on’’ of the thermohaline circulation described to
occur after melt water pulses went together with the ‘‘shut-
down’’ of the sediment discharge and starving of TMFs
affecting the Svalbard margins [13,42,78], the northern
Barents Sea (Franz Victoria Trough, [48]) and part of the
Arctic Ocean (NW Yermak slope, [7]) suggesting a major
sudden decay of the ice sheet in the NW Barents Sea.
Conclusions
Decay and retreat of the Storfjorden and Kveithola palaeo-
ice streams after the LGM were reconstructed through
sedimentological and geochemical analysis of deep-sea
marine sediments and new multi-beam and sub-bottom
profiler data analysis.
The sedimentary record on the upper continental slope
contains a several m-thick sequence of plumites deposited
under an extensive meltwater event associated to the
palaeo-ice streams decay. Radiometric dating and rock
palaeomagnetic characteristics indicate a very fast event
(ca. 130 years) responsible for the settling of about
1.1 910
11
tonnes of sediments on the upper slope of the
Storfjorden-Kveithola TMFs with an extreme sedimenta-
tion rate of 3.4 cm a
-1
. New data constrains confirm an
early interpretation that related the event to the Meltwater
Pulse 1-a.
New sedimentological and geochemical insights indi-
cate that strong seawater stratification during extensive
meltwater release promoted a wide dispersion of fine-
grained sediments over the continental margin. Consistent
thicknesses of the plumites are recorded only on the upper
slope of TMFs, close to the sediment source output when
the Storfjorden and Kveithola ice streams were grounded at
the continental shelf brake during LGM. This would
explain the difficulties encountered to find a substantial
‘‘MWP-1a deposit’’ in different settings of the Arctic, as
well as Antarctic, areas.
A major ice sheet collapse at the end, or during, the
MWP-1a produced multi-keel megabergs scouring the
outer Storfjorden continental shelf, followed by TMFs
sediment starving that signed the reprise of the biogenic
activity and strengthening of the Termohaline Circulation
(THC). The whole sequence of THC ‘‘swich on’’—ex-
treme short-term accumulation of fine sediments with
apparent THC ‘‘shut-down’’—restart of the THC and
reduction of sediment delivery to the slope, described
offshore the Storfjorden-Kveithola glacial troughs, was
observed in many other areas of the NW Barents Sea and
NW Yermak slope, suggesting the whole margin under-
went an almost synchronous depositional fate with a
major sudden decay of the ice sheet after, or during, the
MWP-1a event.
Acknowledgments This study was supported by the Spanish IPY
projects SVAIS (POL2006-07390/CGL) NICE STREAMS Spain
(CTM2009-06370-E/ANT), and DEGLABAR (CTM2010-17386),
the Italian projects OGS-EGLACOM, and PNRA-CORIBAR (PdR
2013/C2.01). We thank ENI E&P Division (Milan, Italy) for the
analysis with the X-ray CT scan, and the scientific teams of SVAIS,
EGLACOM and CORIBAR projects. We are grateful to Henning
Bauch, Christian Hass and another anonymous reviewer for com-
ments and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript.
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://crea
tivecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give
appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a
link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were
made.
Arktos (2015) 1:7 Page 11 of 14 7
123
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