Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies

J. Boex; C. Fogwill; S. Harrison; N. F. Glasser; A. Hein; C. Schnabel; S. Xu

doi:10.1038/srep02118

Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies

J. Boex, C. Fogwill, S. Harrison^*, N. F. Glasser, A. Hein, C. Schnabel, S. Xu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Geography and Earth Sciences

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Abstract

Here we present the first reconstruction of vertical ice-sheet profile changes from any of the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitude Pleistocene ice sheets. We use cosmogenic radio-nuclide (CRN) exposure analysis to record the decay of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet (PIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and into the late glacial. Our samples, from mountains along an east-west transect to the east of the present North Patagonian Icefield (NPI), serve as 'dipsticks' that allow us to reconstruct past changes in ice-sheet thickness, and demonstrates that the former PIS remained extensive and close to its LGM extent in this region until similar to 19.0 ka. After this time rapid ice-sheet thinning, initiated at similar to 18.1 ka, saw ice at or near its present dimension by 15.5 ka. We argue this rapid thinning was triggered by a combination of the rapid southward migration of the precipitation bearing Southern Hemisphere (SH) westerlies and regional warming.

Original language	English
Article number	2118
Number of pages	6
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02118
Publication status	Published - 02 Jul 2013

Keywords

LAST GLACIAL MAXIMUM
BE-10 PRODUCTION-RATE
CLIMATE-CHANGE
THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION
ATMOSPHERIC CO2
HEMISPHERE
CHRONOLOGY
DEGLACIATION
AMERICA
TERMINATION

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies",

abstract = "Here we present the first reconstruction of vertical ice-sheet profile changes from any of the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitude Pleistocene ice sheets. We use cosmogenic radio-nuclide (CRN) exposure analysis to record the decay of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet (PIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and into the late glacial. Our samples, from mountains along an east-west transect to the east of the present North Patagonian Icefield (NPI), serve as 'dipsticks' that allow us to reconstruct past changes in ice-sheet thickness, and demonstrates that the former PIS remained extensive and close to its LGM extent in this region until similar to 19.0 ka. After this time rapid ice-sheet thinning, initiated at similar to 18.1 ka, saw ice at or near its present dimension by 15.5 ka. We argue this rapid thinning was triggered by a combination of the rapid southward migration of the precipitation bearing Southern Hemisphere (SH) westerlies and regional warming.",

keywords = "LAST GLACIAL MAXIMUM, BE-10 PRODUCTION-RATE, CLIMATE-CHANGE, THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION, ATMOSPHERIC CO2, HEMISPHERE, CHRONOLOGY, DEGLACIATION, AMERICA, TERMINATION",

author = "J. Boex and C. Fogwill and S. Harrison and Glasser, {N. F.} and A. Hein and C. Schnabel and S. Xu",

note = "Boex, J., Fogwill, C., Harrison, S., Glasser, N. F., Hein, A., Schnabel, C., Xu, S. (2013). Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies. Scientific Reports, 3, [2118]",

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T1 - Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies

AU - Boex, J.

AU - Fogwill, C.

AU - Harrison, S.

AU - Glasser, N. F.

AU - Hein, A.

AU - Schnabel, C.

AU - Xu, S.

N1 - Boex, J., Fogwill, C., Harrison, S., Glasser, N. F., Hein, A., Schnabel, C., Xu, S. (2013). Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies. Scientific Reports, 3, [2118]

PY - 2013/7/2

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N2 - Here we present the first reconstruction of vertical ice-sheet profile changes from any of the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitude Pleistocene ice sheets. We use cosmogenic radio-nuclide (CRN) exposure analysis to record the decay of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet (PIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and into the late glacial. Our samples, from mountains along an east-west transect to the east of the present North Patagonian Icefield (NPI), serve as 'dipsticks' that allow us to reconstruct past changes in ice-sheet thickness, and demonstrates that the former PIS remained extensive and close to its LGM extent in this region until similar to 19.0 ka. After this time rapid ice-sheet thinning, initiated at similar to 18.1 ka, saw ice at or near its present dimension by 15.5 ka. We argue this rapid thinning was triggered by a combination of the rapid southward migration of the precipitation bearing Southern Hemisphere (SH) westerlies and regional warming.

AB - Here we present the first reconstruction of vertical ice-sheet profile changes from any of the Southern Hemisphere's mid-latitude Pleistocene ice sheets. We use cosmogenic radio-nuclide (CRN) exposure analysis to record the decay of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet (PIS) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and into the late glacial. Our samples, from mountains along an east-west transect to the east of the present North Patagonian Icefield (NPI), serve as 'dipsticks' that allow us to reconstruct past changes in ice-sheet thickness, and demonstrates that the former PIS remained extensive and close to its LGM extent in this region until similar to 19.0 ka. After this time rapid ice-sheet thinning, initiated at similar to 18.1 ka, saw ice at or near its present dimension by 15.5 ka. We argue this rapid thinning was triggered by a combination of the rapid southward migration of the precipitation bearing Southern Hemisphere (SH) westerlies and regional warming.

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KW - BE-10 PRODUCTION-RATE

KW - CLIMATE-CHANGE

KW - THERMOHALINE CIRCULATION

KW - ATMOSPHERIC CO2

KW - HEMISPHERE

KW - CHRONOLOGY

KW - DEGLACIATION

KW - AMERICA

KW - TERMINATION

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M3 - Article

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JO - Scientific Reports

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M1 - 2118

ER -

Rapid thinning of the late Pleistocene Patagonian Ice Sheet followed migration of the Southern Westerlies

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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