Interhemispheric correlation of late pleistocene glacial events

Journal Article · Fri Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.269.5230.1541· OSTI ID:183574

Lowell, T V ^[1]; Heusser, C J ^[2]; Andersen, B G ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Cincinnati, OH (United States)
2. Clinton Woods, Tuxedo, NY (United States)
3. Univ. of Oslo (Norway); and others

A radiocarbon chronology shows that piedmont glacier lobes in the Chilean Andes achieved maxima during the last glaciation at 13,900 to 14,890, 21,000, 23,060, 26,940, 29,600, and {ge}33,500 carbon-14 years before present ({sup 14}C yr B.P.) in a cold and wet Subantarctic Parkland environment. The last glaciation ended with massive collapse of ice lobes close to 14,000 {sup 14}C yr B.P., accompanied by an influx of North Patagonian Rain Forest species. In the Southern Alps of New Zealand, additional glacial maxima are registered at 17,720 {sup 14}C yr B.P., and at the beginning of the Younger Dryas at 11,050 {sup 14}C yr B.P. These glacial maxima in mid-latitude mountains rimming the South Pacific were coeval with ice-rafting pulses in the North Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the last termination began suddenly and simultaneously in both polar hemispheres before the resumption of the modern mode of deep-water production in the Nordic Seas. Such interhemispheric coupling implies a global atmospheric signal rather than regional climatic changes caused by North Atlantic thermohaline switches or Laurentide ice surges. 51 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 183574
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 5230 Vol. 269; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
GLACIERS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH