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Foraminifera1 Stratigraphy of Raised Marine Deposits, Representing Isotope Stage 5, Prins Karls Forland, Western Sval Bard

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Foraminifera1 Stratigraphy of Raised Marine Deposits, Representing Isotope Stage 5, Prins Karls Forland, Western Sval Bard Foraminifera1 stratigraphy of raised marine deposits, representing isotope stage 5, Prins Karls Forland, western SVal bard HELENE BERGSTEN. TORBJORN ANDERSON and OLAFUR INGOLFSSON Bergsten, H., Andersson. T. & Ingolfsson, 0. 1998: Foraminiferd stratigraphy of raised marine deposits, representing isotope stage 5. Prins Karls Forland, western Svalbard. Polar Research 17(1). 81-91. Two raised marine sequences from Prim Karls Forland, western Svalbard, interpreted to have been deposited during part of isotope substage Se (Eemian) and substage 5a, were studied for foraminifera content. Time constraints are given by I4C ages, infrared stimulated luminescence age estimates and amino acid ratios in suhfossil marine molluscs. A diamicton (unit B) separates the two marine sequences and reflects an advancement of local glaciers sometime late in isotope stage 5. The two marine sequences contain diverse benthic foraminifera1 faunas, indicating periods of a relatively warm and seasonally ice-free marine shelf environment. Compared to the lowermost sequence (unit A), the upper marine sequence (unit C) seems to reflect a more shallow environment that could have resulted from the global lowering of the sea level towards the end of isotope stage 5. Our results further emphasise the problem of biostratigraphic distinction between interglacial and interstadial deposits at high latitudes, with temperature conditions for substage Sa close to those of substage 5e and present conditions. Helene Bergsten, Torbjorn Andersson and Olufur Ingdlfsson, Earth Sciences Centre, Goteborg University, Box 460, S-405 30 Goteborg, Sweden. Introduction Chronology and glacial history The Poolepynten site is situated on Prins Karls Sediments in the Poolepynten sections are ex- Forland, western Svalbard at N78'27'El l"40' posed in up to 10 metre high coastal cliffs over a (Fig. 1). It is one of few sites from the Svalbard distance of approximately 800 metres. The area that displays well-preserved marine biostrati- deposits were previously identified and described graphic sequences of late Quaternary sediments. by Miller (1.982) and Forman (1986). More Previous investigations of Spitsbergen foraminif- recently Andersson et al. (unpubl.) identified and era1 faunas, interpreted to represent this time- described four main lithostratigraphic units (A-D) interval. have been presented by Feyling-Hanssen and corresponding depositional events (Fig. 2). & Ulleberg (1984), Miller et al. (1989) and Lycke Units A and C comprise horizontal to subhor- et al. (1992). The aim of this study is to present izontal planar parallel beds of fine to medium the foraminiferal stratigraphy and the inferred sand, deposited from sediment gravity flows in a palaeoenvironmental conditions of the Poolepyn- near-shore, shallow marine/sublittoral environ- ten site in order to address the question of bio- ment. In situ marine molluscs, beds with marine stratigraphic distinction between interglacial and kelp and dropstones frequently occur in both interstadial deposits at high latitudes (e.g. Sejrup units. Unit B is divided into two subunits. Subunit & Larsen 1991). The results are compared with B1 is a massive, silty/clayey diamicton and is documented modem and Holocene data, and an interpreted as a subglacial till. A clast fabric effort is made to correlate our data to other analysis indicates that it was deposited by a local Svalbard localities with documented foraminiferal glacier advancing from Prins Karls Forland into stratigraphies from uplifted pre-Holocene sedi- the Forlandsundet basin. Subunit B2 is a coarse ments. In addition, open-water conditions and the grained deposit of sub-angular to sub-rounded advection of Atlantic water into the Svalbard area gravel and cobbles, interpreted as an ice-proximal during the late Quaternary (Gard 1988; Dokken & outwash deposit related to the glacial event that Hald 1996; Hebbeln & Wefer 1997) are discussed. deposited the subunit B1 till. Unit D unconform- 82 H. Bergsten et al. A"" 0 88" 0 Fig. 1. A. Svalbardlsarents Sea area with the main warm Atlantic currents, Norwegian Atlantic Current, North Cape Current and West Spitsbergen Current, and the cold East Spitsbergen Current. Dashed line indicates approximate position of the oceanic polar front. B. Svalbard with localities mentioned in the text. C. Sonthem part of Prins Karls Forland showing the investigated site and the distribu:ion of the presen: day glacier Archibald Geikiebreen. ably overlies units A and C. It comprises clast- ten stratigraphic data to other west Spitsbergen and matrix-supported gravel, interpreted as a sites, in combination with the broad temporal littoral beach deposit. constraints, led Anderson et al. (unpubl.) to infer AMS 14C ages from units A and C show infinite ;I shallow marinehblittoral deposition during ages of >43ka BP (Fig. 2). Two infrared pat of the history from the Eemian (substage stimulated luminescence age estimates from units 5e; 130 to 117 kal to the Holocene. (All isotope A and C provide broad temporal constraint, with stages refer tcj marine isotope stages; the chron- age envelopes between 130 and 80 ka and 70 to ology is according to Martinson et al. 1987). 14C 40 ka, respectively. Correlation of the Poolepyn- dated whalebone and mollusc shells from unit D, Foraminifera1 srratigraphy of raised marine deposits 83 Littoral deposition JHsiltmsandl,Oc)gravel a2ratifiedQmassive ~i,,traclas~s~~~~~~ationnloads deformation I iamicton diamicton Fig. 2. Composite log of the Poolepynten stratigraphy. Unit thicknesses are arbitrary (from Andersson et al. unpubl.). Reported Late Weichseliadearly Holocene I4C ages have been corrected for a marine reservoir effect of 470 years (Stuvier & Braziunas 1993). indicate that this unit was deposited in the interval high coilcentration of ice-rafted debris (IRD) between 8 and 11 ka BP. around 50-60ka BP, attributed to glacier ad- vances on Svalbard, is recorded by Hebbeln (1992) from deep-sea sediment in the Frani strait, and by Andersen et al. (1996) from shallow cores Climate and oceanography; the last €rom the western Svalbard continental slope. interglacial-glacial cycle Present-day sea surface and air temperatures, as well as the overall climatic setting in the Svalbard The stratigraphic record for western Svalbard area, are deteimined by the prevailing ocean displays at least three deglacial events during the circulation pattern. Today warm North Atlantic last interglacial-glacial cycle, i.e. the last 130 ka Surfxe Water is advected northwards by the years (Miller et al. 1989; Larsen et al. 1991). Four Norwegian Current (Fig. 1). The detailed pattern emzrgence cycles, interpreted to represent degla- of the adhection of North Atlantic water north- cia1 events during the last interglacial-glacial wards during stage 5 onwards is not known for the cycle, are recognised in the Kapp Ekholm Polar North Atlantic, but it can be stated that for stratigraphy, central Spitsbergen (Mangerud & the last ca. 130 ka there has been an advection of Svendsen 1992). However, beyond the range of North Atlantic waters towards the Svalbard area the 14C method, the precision in the dating during several occasions. However, there are methods is still too low to resolve these events highly different opinions on whether isotope satisfactory. A recent geochronologic study using substage 5e (Eemian) in this area was warmer or the infrared and red stimulated luminescence colder than present day temperatures. In studies of dating techniques, indicates deglaciation and late Quaternary nannofossils from the surrounding retreat of the Barents Sea ice sheet at ca seas, Gard (1988) argues that the warmest sea 140 _+ 20 ka and 70 * 10 ka (Forman unpubl.). A surface temperatures and a strong West Spitsber- 84 H. Bergsten et al. gen Current system are recorded during substage of selected species and a composite log of the 5e (130 to 117 ka) with similar but slightly colder stratigraphy are presented in Fig. 3. conditions during substage 5a (85 to 74 ka). Gard Unit A is characterised by a high diversity of argues for some open waters and an intermediate species; the total number of species varies climatic regime in the Svalbard area during stage between 16 and 32, with the highest number in 3 (59 to 24 ka) and then again an interglacial the lowermost sample. The unit is dominated by regime in the Holocene. Hebbeln & Wefer (1997) Cassidulina reniforme (50-72%) together with report seasonally ice-free conditions and advec- Astrononion gallowayi (3-3 1%) and Elphidium tion of Atlantic water into the Fram Strait during excavatum (3-15%). A number of common isotope substages 5e (Eemian), 5a and the accessory species include Buccella frigida, Gut- Holocene with the strongest advection and tulina spp, Haynesina orbiculare, Elphidium warmest conditions during the Holocene. Further- incertunz and Islandiella helenae. Some species more, they present data indicating a weaker are present in unit A only, e.g. Bolivina pseudo- advection of Atlantic water during substage 5e punctata, Dentalina sp., Gavelinopsis praegeri, than in substage 5a. This also contrasts to data Glabratella wrightii, Glandulina spp, Quinquelo- from the Nordic Seas that indicates a stronger heat culina seminuluni and Trifarina jluens. The fauna flux during interglacial times than at any time contains mainly arctic species but a number of during the Early Weichselian (Fronval & Jansen boreal-arctic species occur as well e.g. B. pseudo- 1997). Dokken & Hald (1996) recorded six yunctata, Elphidium albiumbilicatum,
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