Quaternary stratigraphy

The sequence of events in northern Vorarlberg during the deglaciation after the last major Pleistocene ice advance has been compared with a stratigraphic subdivision of the isotopic profiles of Greenland ice cores for the same time interval. The publication with the results of this study is available in the public domain (downloadable, see Literature below). The Abstract, Table 1 and Figure 2 of the paper are presented here:

Abstract, Table 1 and Figure 2 of the paper with title Correlation of Greenland ice-core isotope profiles and the terrestrial record of the Alpine Rhine glacier for the period 32-15 ka

We present a newly extended stratigraphic subdivision of the Greenland NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores for the period 32-15 ka. Our classification emphasizes the multiscale nature of the climatic oscillations.  Spectral trend analysis of isotopic data supports this interpretation. We compare this time series with the stratigraphy of the last major Pleistocene (Weichselian, Würmian) glaciation in the area of the Rhine glacier (Germany and Austria) as chronicled by a detailed inventory of landforms and deposits, dated in part with 14C analyses, and their interpretation in terms of climate change. Both time series show a major climatic oscillation, consisting of a colder period (glaciation) followed by a warmer period (deglaciation). The available dates allow the time of change, at 23.4 ka, to be correlated between the two.  Pattern analysis clearly indicates that higher-order oscillations were superimposed on the major oscillation in both areas, emphasizing the multiscale nature of the underlying pattern of climate change.  The correlation between the two areas is sufficiently good to propose that the pattern of climate change was synchronous (within the available time resolution) between Greenland and the Rhine glacier area.  Comparison of our results with other high resolution climate proxies is expected to further improve the understanding of the climate changes during the Late Weichselian.

Literature

Graaff, L.W.S. de, Jong, M.G.G. De & Seijmonsbergen, A.C., 2007, Landschaftsentwicklung und Quartär. In: Friebe, J.G. (Ed.), Vorarlberg. Geologie der Österreichischen Bundesländer. Geologischen Bundesanstalt, Wien, Austria, 21-32.

Jong, M.G.G. De, Graaff, L.W.S. de & Rupke, J., 1995, Der Eisabbau im Vorderen Bregenzerwald und in den Nachbargebieten (Vorarlberg, Österreich; Bayern, Deutschland) nach dem letzteiszeitlichen Eishochstand. Jahrbuch der geologischen Bndesanstalt,138/1, 27-54 (mit Anlagen). http://opac.geologie.ac.at/wwwopacx/wwwopac.ashx?command=getcontent&server=images&value=JB1381_027_A.pdf Enclosures to be requested at info@rfase.org

Jong, M.G.G. De, Nio, S.D., Böhm, A.R., Seijmonsbergen, A.C. & Graaff, L.W.S. de, 2009, Resolving climate change in the period 15-23 ka in Greenland ice cores: a new application of spectral trend analysis. Terra Nova, 21, 137-143.

Jong, M.G.G. De, Graaff, L.W.S. de, Seijmonsbergen, A.C. & Böhm, A.R., 2011, Correlation of Greenland ice-core isotope profiles and the terrestrial record of the Alpine Rhine glacier for the period 32-15 ka. Climate of the Past Discussions., 7, 4335-4373. http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/7/4335/2011/cpd-7-4335-2011.pdf

Jong, M.G.G. De, Seijmonsbergen, A.C. & Graaff, L.W.S. de (2019): In search of stratigraphic subdivision of the period 8-0 ka in Greenland ice cores. Polish Polar Research, 40, 2, 55-77. doi: 10.24425/ppr.2019.128367 http://journals.pan.pl/ppr