Description: Swath-bathymetry, high-resolution seismics and lithological data from the Wijdefjorden-Austfjorden fjord system, the largest fjord system on northern Spitsbergen, have been analysed. The data indicate that multiple halts and/or readvances during the deglaciation of the study area at the end of the last glacial occurred. However, even though the study area and several west Spitsbergen fjords are fed by the same glacier source (the ice field Lomonosovfonna), the final deglaciation of Wijdefjorden-Austfjorden took place after 9300 cal. years BP, i.e. at least approx. 2000 years later than in the west. It is suggested that the retarded deglaciation of the study area is mainly related to the fjord bathymetry, i.e. a more than 35 km wide and up to 60 m high plateau in the central parts of the study area (approx. 45 km beyond the present fjord head). Multiple, relatively large and partly stacked moraine ridges and sediment wedges are suggested to reflect that the ice front retreated slowly across this shallow area and that repeated readvances occurred. The absence of larger sediment wedges in the deeper parts between the shallow area and the fjord head may indicate that the final retreat occurred rapidly.

Description: Swath bathymetry and seismic data reveal two slide scars providing evidence for large-scale mass-wasting on the continental slope off northwest Spitsbergen. The largest scar is approx. 35 km long, at least 16 km wide and located between 1300 and 3000 m water depth. The failure is assumed to be of a retrogressive nature, because it affected multiple stratigraphic levels up to at least 200 ms two-way-travel time (approx. 150 m) below the present seafloor. The second largest slope failure affected an area of at least 35 km length, up to 7 km width and 70 ms (approx. 55 m) thickness below 1400 m water depth. It cuts into the south-eastern sidewall of the largest scar between 2700 and 2800 m water depth and deposition of sediment lobes within the largest scar occurred. The bathymetry within this slide scar is relatively smooth compared to the largest scar, but single blocks are visible. These observations suggest a retrogressive configuration of this slide, too. Minor failures along the side walls occur. Both slide scars are filled in with approx. 15 m of acoustically stratified sediments, suggesting that the slope failures occurred almost synchronously. However, the sediment lobes beyond the lower limit of the second largest slide scar suggest that this slide occurred after the largest slide. The slides were most probably triggered by seismic activity leading to failure within contouritic sediments.

Description: North and west Spitsbergen fjords acted as pathways for fast-flowing ice streams during the last glacial (e.g. Ottesen et al., 2005). The deglaciation of west Spitsbergen fjords occurred stepwise and the ice retreat terminated around 11,200 cal. years BP (calendar years before the present; e.g. Forwick & Vorren, 2009, 2011, and references therein; Baeten et al., 2010). However, the deglaciation dynamics and chronology of north Spitsbergen fjords still remain poorly understood. We present swath-bathymetry, high-resolution seismic data and two sediment cores from the approx. 110 km long, N-S oriented Wijdefjorden-Austfjorden fjord system, the largest fjord system on northern Spitsbergen. The data indicate that – as in the fjords on west Spitsbergen – multiple halts and/or readvances interrupted the retreat of the ice front during the final phase of the last glacial. However, even though the study area and several west Spitsbergen fjords are fed by the same glacier source (the ice field Lomonosovfonna), the final deglaciation of Wijdefjorden-Austfjorden took place after 9300 cal. years BP, i.e. at least approx. 2000 years later than in the west. We assume that the retarded deglaciation in the north is mainly related to the fjord bathymetry, i.e. a more than 35 km wide and up to 60 m high area in the central parts of the study area (approx. 45 km beyond the present fjord head) that acted as pinning point for the grounded glacier. Multiple, relatively large and partly stacked moraine ridges and sediment wedges are suggested to reflected that the ice front retreated slowly across this shallow area and that repeated readvances interrupted this retreat. The absence of larger sediment wedges in the deeper parts between the shallow area and the fjord head may indicate that the final retreat occurred relatively rapid. References: Baeten, N.J., Forwick, M., Vogt, C. & Vorren, T.O., 2010. Late Weichselian and Holocene sedimentary environments and glacial activity in Billefjorden, Svalbard. In: Howe, J.A., Austin, W.E.N, Forwick, M. & Paetzel, M. (eds.): Fjord Systems and Archives. Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 344, 207-223. Forwick, M. & Vorren, T.O., 2009. Late Weichselian and Holocene sedimentary environments and ice rafting in Isfjorden, Spitsbergen. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 280, 258-274. Forwick, M. & Vorren, T.O., 2011. Stratigraphy and deglaciation of the Isfjorden area, Spitsbergen. Norwegian Journal of Geology 90, 163-179. Ottesen, D., Dowdeswell, J.A., Rise, L., 2005. Submarine landforms and the reconstruction of fast-flowing ice streams within a large Quaternary ice sheet: The 2500-km-long Norwegian-Svalbard margin (57°-80°N). Geological Society of America Bulletin 117, 1033-1050.

Description: Lateglacial/early Holocene interval from the sediment core JM09-020GC recovered in Storfjordrenna (western Barents Sea) has been studied for benthic foraminifera assemblages, stable isotopes, IRD, vivianite microconcretions, magnetic susceptibility, and elemental composition in order to identify the causes and mechanisms of abrupt climate change during the Younger Dryas. The core was retrieved with R/V Jan Mayen (University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, UiT) in November 2009 from the Storfjordrenna (76°31489' N, 19°69957' E) at a bottom depth of 253 m. Prior to sediment core opening, the magnetic susceptibility was measured using a loop sensor installed on a GEOTEK Multi Sensor Core Logger at the Department of Geology, UiT. Core sections were stored in the laboratory for one day prior to measurements, thus allowing the sediments to adjust to room temperature and avoiding measurement errors related to temperature changes (Weber et al., 1997). Qualitative element-geochemical measurements were performed with Avaatech X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanner using the following settings: 10 kV, 1000 µA, 10-s measuring time, and no filter. Sediment samples for foraminiferal and vivianite analyses were freeze-dried, weighed, and wet sieved using sieves with mesh sizes of 500 µm and 100 µm. The residues were dried, weighed again, and subsequently split on a dry micro-splitter. Where possible, at least 300 specimens of foraminifera were counted in every 1 cm of sediment. Species identification under a binocular microscope (Nikon SMZ1500) was supported using the classification of Loeblich and Tappan (1987), with few exceptions, and percentages of the eight indicator species were applied. The benthic foraminiferal abundance and ice-rafted debris (IRD; grains 〉500 µm) were counted under a stereo-microscope and expressed as flux values (number of specimens/grains cm-2 ka-1) using the bulk sediment density and sediment accumulation rate.

Description: TOC, IP25, HBI Z-triene (HBI-III), C46-GDGT data and median ages from a marine sediment core, northern Wijdefjorden, Svalbard. The dataset spans from the last deglaciation until present. It has been used to reconstruct the sea-ice history and sea water temperature variations.