Timing of the Last Deglaciation in Belarus

Vincent Rinterknecht, IE Pavlovskaya, PU Clark, GM Raisbeck, F Yiou, EJ Brook

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We measured Be-10 concentrations in boulders collected from the Orsha and Braslav moraines, associated with the Last Glacial Maximum extent and a recessional stage of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS), respectively, providing a direct dating of the southeastern sector of the ice-sheet margin in Belarus. By combining these data with selected existing radiocarbon ages, we developed a chronology for the last deglaciation of Belarus. The northeastern part of the country remained ice free until at least 19.29 +/- 0.2 cal. kyr BP, whereas the northwestern part of the country was ice free until 22.39 +/- 1.5 cal. kyr BP. A lobate ice margin subsequently advanced to its maximum extent and deposited the Orsha Moraine. The ice margin retreated from this moraine at 17.79 +/- 2.0 Be-10 kyr to a position in the northern part of the country, where it deposited the Braslav Moraine. Subsequent ice-margin retreat from that moraine at 13.19 +/- 0.5 Be-10 kyr represented the final deglaciation of Belarus. Direct dating of these moraines better constrains the relation of ice-margin positions in Belarus to those in adjacent countries as well as the SIS response to climate change.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)307-313
Number of pages7
JournalBoreas
Volume36
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2007

Keywords

  • ICE-SHEET
  • BE-10
  • CALIBRATION
  • BP

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