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1.
S. Meiners 《GeoJournal》2001,54(2-4):429-450
The post to late glacial valley reconstruction is focused on the Mani- Baska and Phuparash valleys on the Rakaposhi- Haramosh Muztagh in the south Karakoram. The recently glaciated valleys join the Indus valley near Sassi at 1500 m. The knowledge of the tributary valley reconstruction can be seen in the context of the scientific discussion about the extent of glaciation along the main Indus valley. Today, the recent avalanche fed glaciers come down from high lying catchment areas with an average altitude of 6700–6800 m and terminate at 2700 m. Snow line runs at 4700–4800 m in the steep flanks which is common in the Karakoram Mountains. The postglacial extent is marked by the great lateral moraine (GLM) and reached down not more than 2.5–5 km away from the recent glaciers with a calculated snow line depression of 300 m in maximum. It can be shown that the valleys were already glaciated during the lastest Late Glacial down to the valley outlet at 1500 m. The snow line was depressed 600–700 m during that period. A high glacial ice filling of the Haramosh valley and glacial erosion of the flat top of the Darchan ridge as an intermediate valley head is strongly probable. 相似文献
2.
Since 1973 new data were obtained on the maximum extent of glaciation in High Asia. Evidence for an ice sheet covering Tibet during the Last Glacial Period means a radical rethinking about glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere. The ice sheet's subtropical latitude, vast size (2.4 million km2) and high elevation (6000 m asl) are supposed to have resulted in a substantial, albedo-induced cooling of the Earth's atmosphere and the disruption of summer monsoon circulation. Moraines were found to reach down to 460 m asl on the southern flank of the Himalayas and to 2300 m asl on the northern slope of the Tibetan Plateau, in the Qilian Shan region. On the northern slopes of the Karakoram, Aghil and Kuen-Lun mountains, moraines occur as far down as 1900 m asl. In southern Tibet radiographic analyses of erratics suggest a former ice thickness of at least 1200 m. Glacial polish and roches moutonnées in the Himalayas and Karakoram suggest former glaciers as thick as 1200–2700 m. On the basis of this evidence, a 1100–1600 m lower equilibrium line (ELA) has been reconstructed, resulting in an ice sheet of 2.4 million km2, covering almost all of Tibet. Radiometric ages, obtained by different methods, classify this glaciation as isotope stage 3–2 in age (Würmian = last glacial period). With the help of 13 climate measuring stations, radiation- and radiation balance measurements have been carried out between 3800 and 6650 m asl in Tibet. They indicate that the subtropical global radiation reaches its highest energies on the High Plateau, thus making Tibet today's most important heating surface of the atmosphere. At glacial times 70% of those energies were reflected into space by the snow and firn of the 2.4 million km2 extended glacier area covering the upland. As a result, 32% of the entire global cooling during the ice ages, determined by the albedo, were brought about by this area — now the most significant cooling surface. The uplift of Tibet to a high altitude about 2.75 Ma ago, coincides with the commencement of the Quaternary Ice Ages. When the Plateau was lifted above the snowline (= ELA) and glaciated, this cooling effect gave rise to the global depression of the snowline and to the first Ice Age. The interglacial periods are explained by the glacial-isostatic lowering of Tibet by 650 m, having the effect that the initial Tibet ice – which had evoked the build-up of the much more extended lowland ices – could completely melt away in a period of positive radiation anomalies. The next ice age begins, when – because of the glacial-isostatic reverse uplift – the surface of the Plateau has again reached the snowline. This explains, why the orbital variations (Milankovic-theory) could only have a modifying effect on the Quaternary climate dynamic, but were not primarily time-giving: as long as Tibet does not glaciate automatically by rising above the snowline, the depression in temperature is not sufficient for initiating a worldwide ice age; if Tibet is glaciated, but not yet lowered isostatically, a warming-up by 4 °C might be able to cause an important loss in surface but no deglaciation, so that its cooling effect remains in a maximum intensity. Only a glaciation of the Plateau lowered by isostasy, can be removed through a sufficiently strong warming phase, so that interglacial climate conditions are prevailing until a renewed uplift of Tibet sets in up to the altitude of glaciation.An average ice thickness for all of Tibet of approximately 1000 m would imply that 2.2 million km3 of water were stored in the Tibetan ice sheet. This would correspond to a lowering in sea level of about 5.4 m. 相似文献
3.
O. König 《GeoJournal》1999,47(1-2):373-384
On the basis of empirical findings and inductive conclusions, the least extent of glaciation during the last ice age can be
shown for two areas on the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal – the Rolwaling Himal and the Kangchenjunga Himal. For
the Rolwaling Himal, the snow line during the last ice age is calculated at 4000 m asl., i.e., 1500 m below the recent snow
line. The last high-glacial snow line in the Kangchenjunga Himal is thought to be at 4350 m asl., the snow line depression
here is 1150 m.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. 相似文献
4.
Benxing Zheng 《GeoJournal》1988,17(4):525-543
The uplift of the Himalaya and Qinghai-Xizang plateau began at the end of Pliocene to the beginning of Early Pleistocene, changing the atmospheric circulation in Asia, enhancing the South Asian monsoon and enormously effecting the climatic conditions and glacial development.According to the evidence of glacial deposits, geomorphology, paleobiology, paleopedology, etc., at least four glaciations can be recognized. The uplift of the Himalayas was earlier than that of other mountains, so that the glaciation occurred in Early Pleistocene, forming small piedmont glaciers on the N slope, whilst at the same time there were wide short valley glaciers on the S slope. During the Middle Pleistocene, the height of Himalaya was about 4000 m a s l, the monsoon was strong, and much water vapour reached the interior of the plateau, the most favourable period for glacial development. Great piedmont glaciers and small ice caps formed on the mountains N of Himalayas and great valley glaciers occurred on the S slope, but no great ice sheet covered the plateau.During the early Late Pleistocene, the Himalayas had risen to over 5000 m asl, forming a barrier against the incursion of the Indian monsoon, so that the precipitation decreased sharply on the plateau N of Himalayas, thus diminishing the extent of the glaciation. But on the high mountains of the S part of Xizang and on several high mountains of the S slope of the Great Himalaya, the precipitation increased and the extent of glaciation reached a maximum. Since Last Glaciation, the precipitation of the alpine zone has decreased more sharply, the climate has become drier and colder, becoming unfavourable for glacial development.During the Holocene, three stages may be distinguished, i.e. the recession in Early Holocene (10,000-8000 BP); the disappearance of most glaciers in the Hypsithermal period in Middle Holocene, (8000-3000 BP); and the neoglacial fluctuations in Late Holocene (3000 BP up to present). The glaciers of the Neoglaciation advanced several hundred meters or even 3–5 km farther than existing glaciers. 相似文献
5.
Recent field research and modeling experiments by the authors suggest that Würm glaciation of Tian Shan Mountains had much larger extent than it was previously believed. Our reconstruction is based upon the following evidence: 1. a till blanket with buried glacier ice occurring on mountain plateaus at altitudes of 3700 to 4000 m asl; 2. trough valleys with U-shaped profiles breaching the border ridges and thus attesting to former outlet glaciers spreading outwards from the plateaus; 3. morphologically young moraines and ice-marginal ramps which mark termini of the outlet glaciers at 1600–1700 m asl (near Lake Issyk-Kul shores) and farther down to 1200 m asl (in Chu River valley); 4. clear evidence of impounding the Chu River by former glaciers and turning Lake Issyk-Kul into an ice-dammed and iceberg-infested basin; 5. radiocarbon dates attesting to the Late Pleistocene age of the whole set of glacial phenomena observed in the area.Our data on past glaciation provide a solution for the so called paleogeographical puzzle of Lake Issyk-Kul, in particular they account for the lake-level oscillations (by ice dam formations and destructions), for the origin of Boam Canyon (by impact of lake outbursts), and the deflection of Chu River from Lake Issyk-Kul (by incision of the canyon and build-up of an ice-raft delta near the lake outflow).The Würm depression of regional snowline was found to be in the range of 1150–1400 m. While today's snowline goes above the plateaus of Tian Shan touching only the higher ridges, the Würmian snowline dropped well below plateau surfaces making their glacierization inevitable. The same change in snowline/bedrock relationship was characteristic of the interglacial-to-glacial climate switches on the Tibetan Plateau resulting in similar changes of glaciation. The whole history of central Asian glaciations seems to be recorded in the Chinese loess sequences.A finite-element model was used to test two climate scenarios — one with a gradual and another with an abrupt change in snow-line elevation. The model predicted that an equilibrium ice cover would form in 19,000 (first scenario) or 15,000 (second scenario) years of growth. It also yielded ice thicknesses and ice-marginal positions which agreed well with the data of field observations. 相似文献
6.
M. Kuhle 《GeoJournal》1997,42(2-3):87-257
The results presented on the glacio-geomorphological reconstruction of a maximum Ice Age (LGM = Last Glacial Maximum) glaciation in High-Asia concern five test-areas in and around Tibet (Figure 1, Nos. 14, 6, 17, 2, 9, 18, 16). For the E-Pamir plateau and its mountains a covering ice cap is proved; a snow-line (ELA)-depression of 820–1250 m in relation to the present relief has been calculated. The Ice Age snow-line ran at 3750–3950 m asl. In the Nanga Parbat-massif a glacial (LGM) ice-stream network with a snow-line altitude (ELA) at c. 3400– 3600 m has been reconstructed. This corresponds to an ELA-depression of at least 1200 m. The lowest ice margin site of the connected 1800–1900 m-thick Indus glacier flowed down to c. 800 m asl. From N-Tibet the author introduces further observations of ground moraines and erratics from a high plateau area he had already investigated in 1981. They provide evidence of a complete inland ice sheet in Tibet. From the S edge of Tibet six large outlet glacier systems i.e. lowest High Glacial ice margin sites of the Himalaya ice-stream network are reconstructed. This is a continuation of the investigations in 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1988 and 1989 between Kangchendzönga in the E and Nanda Devi in the W. In this place probably the lowest glacial glacier end of the Himalaya-S-slope was found at c. 460 m asl at the Dumre settlement, S of the Manaslu. C14-datings from the Tsangpo valley on the S edge of Central Tibet classify the reconstructed Tibetan ice as being from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) between older than 48580 ± 4660–2930 and 9820 ± 350 YBP. From this empirical findings and inductive results on the Ice Age Tibetan glaciation are derived deductive conclusions on the interaction of the relief and the snow-line altitude with concern to the ice cover. Modelling by means of those snow-line depressions and estimations of the precipitation provide ideas about surface heights, ice thicknesses and flow behaviour of the ice sheet. The hypothesis of a global triggering of the ice age by the uplift of the subtropical Tibet up to above the snow-line motivates the investigations presented here. 相似文献
7.
Matthias Kuhle Dr. 《GeoJournal》1988,17(4):457-511
Summary The last Ice Age (Würm) glacier cover was reconstructed on the basis of standard geomorphological indicators in S Tibet between the S slope and N slope of the Himalaya by way of the Tibetan Himalaya to the Transhimalaya (28° – 29° 50' N/85° 40' – 91° 10' E). At the same time, though subject to varying density of data, the process of Late and Post-Glacial deglaciation to Neo-Galacial and Recent glacier cover was considered. Evidence of an almost total glaciation of S Tibet was found in indicators like glaciated knobs, trough valleys with pronounced flank polishings and limits of glacial scouring on nunataks, as well as in findings of erratics, lateral moraines, end moraines, and terraces of outwash plains. This total glaciation took the form of an ice-stream network and attained a thickness of at least 1200 m. Ice-free to about 87° – 86° E, the Tsangpo valley with its sander deposits occupied the gap between the glacier areas of the Tibetan and High Himalayas in the S (I 3) and those of the Transhimalaya in the N (I 2). In the light of recently glaciated Late Glacial terminal moraines and ice marginal rapms it has been possible to estimate a glacio-isostatic uplift of c. 400 m during 10 x 103 years (an average of 40 mm/year) following deglaciation. It is about 3 to 8 times greater than the tectonic uplift of the High Himalaya. The post-glacially intensified uplift of the S Tibetan Plateau by comparison with the High Himalaya is attributed to the much greater glacier burden during the Ice Age.In the area under investigation a High Glacial ELA depression (equilibrium line altitude depr.) of at least 1200 (1180) m was reconstructed for a mean altitude of about 4700 (4716) m asl. Assuming constant hygric conditions and a gradient of 0.7° C/100 m, the temperature drop at the time would have been 8.4° C. Since precipitation during the Ice Age must, if anything, have been less, a drop in summer temperature of about 10° C may be regarded as probable. 相似文献
8.
9.
The Sierra los Cuchumatanes (3837 m), Guatemala, supported a plateau ice cap and valley glaciers around Montaña San Juan (3784 m) that totaled ∼ 43 km2 in area during the last local glacial maximum. Former ice limits are defined by sharp-crested lateral and terminal moraines that extend to elevations of ∼ 3450 m along the ice cap margin, and to ca. 3000-3300 m for the valley glaciers. Equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) estimated using the area-altitude balance ratio method for the maximum late Quaternary glaciation reached as low as 3470 m for the valley glaciers and 3670 m for the Mayan Ice Cap. Relative to the modern altitude of the 0°C isotherm of ∼ 4840 m, we determined ELA depressions of 1110-1436 m. If interpreted in terms of a depression of the freezing level during maximal glaciation along the modern lapse rate of − 5.3°C km− 1, this ΔELA indicates tropical highland cooling of ∼ 5.9 to 7.6 ± 1.2°C. Our data support greater glacial highland cooling than at sea level, implying a high tropical sensitivity to global climate changes. The large magnitude of ELA depression in Guatemala may have been partially forced by enhanced wetness associated with southward excursions of the boreal winter polar air mass. 相似文献
10.
《Journal of Asian Earth Sciences》1999,17(3):307-318
Research into the Quaternary geology of the NW Himalaya has concentrated on the elucidation of the glacial sequence. However, whilst the main ranges of the Himalaya have been subjected to numerous glaciations and are now an obvious alpine glaciated terrain, much of the landscape in Zanskar and Ladakh is more equivocal and does not appear to have been glaciated during this time. These landscape facets may therefore have a much older origin and relate to preglacial events.In Zanskar, the main ice source in all glaciations was the strongly glaciated and still glacierized north slope of the main Himalaya. This ice then flowed generally northwards in the valleys of the Zanskar river and its tributaries leaving between them a landscape supporting only a few and scattered minor local glaciers. Evidence of early glaciation has been found on isolated valley-side remnants >200 m above the present rivers. Reconstruction of these preglacial valley cross profiles show them to be generally broad and shallow, with gentle slopes. This is in distinct contrast to the present major valley systems which can usually be divided into two parts—a lower unglaciated fluvially eroded section, such as the Lungnak (Tsarap Lingti Chu) Gorge and an upper broad glacial section, such as the Stod (Doda) valley.Down-valley extent of glaciation is defined by the upper ends of unglaciated fluvial gorges. Laterally, the glaciers were confined progressively to their valleys. Inevitably there is only evidence of successively smaller subsequent glaciations, but the tectonic uplift of the southern ranges may have been a factor in this forming an increasing barrier to the snow-bearing monsoon winds. 相似文献
11.
Lyn Gualtieri Sergey Vartanyan Julie Brigham-Grette Patricia M. Anderson 《Quaternary Research》2003,59(3):399-410
Two previously undocumented Pleistocene marine transgressions on Wrangel Island, northeastern Siberia, question the presence of an East Siberian or Beringian ice sheet during the last glacial maximum (LGM). The Tundrovayan Transgression (459,000–780,000 yr B.P.) is represented by raised marine deposits and landforms 15–41 m asl located up to 18 km inland. The presence of high sea level 64,000–73,000 yr ago (the Krasny Flagian Transgression) is preserved in deposits and landforms 4–7 m asl in the Krasny Flag valley. These deposits and landforms were mapped, dated, and described using amino acid geochronology, radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence, electron spin resonance, oxygen isotopes, micropaleontology, paleomagnetism, and grain sizes. The marine deposits are eustatic and not isostatic in origin. All marine deposits on Wrangel Island predate the LGM, indicating that neither Wrangel Island nor the East Siberian or Chukchi Seas experienced extensive glaciation over the last 64,000 yr. 相似文献
12.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE QUATERNARY GEOLOGY OF THE LADAKH RANGE, NORTHWEST INDIAN HIMALAYA 相似文献
13.
贡嘎山第四纪冰川遗迹及冰期划分 总被引：22，自引：1，他引：22
在对贡嘎山现代冰川和古冰川考察研究的基础上，结合定位观测分析，对该区第四纪冰川遗迹进行了深入讨论，划分出三次冰期，即中更新世早期的倒数第三次冰期，中更新世晚期的倒数第二次冰期和晚更新世的末次冰期，以及全新世的新冰期和小冰期。提出在早更新世时，由于山体未达到当时冰川发育的雪线高度，所以未发育冰川；中更新世早期的冰期冰川为半覆盖式冰川类型，规模不大；中更新世晚期的冰期冰川是本区最大冰川作用时期，形成网状山麓冰川，东坡冰川曾达磨西台地；晚更新世冰期冰川以山谷冰川为主，以后规模逐次缩小。 相似文献
14.
David J. A. Evans 《第四纪科学杂志》1990,5(1):67-82
Philips Inlet and Wootton Peninsula are located at 82°N and 85°W on the northwest coast of Ellesmere Island and are composed of three bedrock controlled zones: (1) 900 m undulating plateau dissected by fiords; (2) a deeply fretted cirque terrain >1200m; (3) a 300m plateau bounded by coastal cliffs. Each zone contains different glacier morphologies and these control glacigenic sediment and landform assemblages. The extent of the last glaciation is mapped using the distribution of moraines, kames, meltwater channels and glacimarine sediments. Glaciers advanced on average <10 km from their present margins and many piedmont lobes coalesced and floated in the sea. Morainal banks were deposited at the grounding lines of floating glaciers, and where debris-charged basal ice occurred, subaqueous fans were deposited upon deglaciation. Marine shells dating 20.2 ka BP (<2km from present ice margin) and 14.9ka BP (from a morainal bank) document full glacial marine fauna. Thirty-three radiocarbon dates document glacier retreat patterns and are used to reconstruct the postglacial sea level history (glacioisostatic rebound pattern). An equidistant shoreline diagram is constructed using the 8.5ka BP shoreline as a guide. Tilts from 0.73-0.85m/km are calculated for this shoreline. Using two firm control points and tilts from elsewhere on northern Ellesmere Island, the 10.1 ka BP (full glacial) marine limit descends from 117m as at the fiord heads to 63 m asl at the north coast. Deglaciation started with a pronounced calving phase throughout the field area between 10.1 and 7.8ka BP. This chronology is similar to that from northeast Ellesmere Island and attests to an early Holocene warming trend recorded in high arctic ice cores. A maximum lag of 2.1 ka exists between the field area and locations to the south of the Grant Land Mountains suggesting differences in glacioclimatic regimes on either side of the mountain range. Persistent reconstructions of all-pervasive ice sheets for the last glaciation of the area are obsolete and should be abandoned. 相似文献
15.
The name Mérida Glaciation is proposed to designate the alpine glaciation which affected the central Veneruelan Andes; during the Late Pleistrocenc. Two main morainie levels have been recognired: one between 2600 and 2700 m, and another between 3000 and 3500 m elevation. The snow line during the last glacial advance was lowered approximately 1200 m below the present snow line (3700 m). Rodiocarbon dating indicates that the moraines are older than 10,000 years B.P., and probahly older than 13,000 years B.P. The lower morainie level probably corresponds to the main Wisconsin glacial advance. The upper level probably represents the last glacial advance (Late Wisconsin). 相似文献
16.
During seven expeditions new data were obtained on the maximum extent of glaciation in Tibet and the surrounding mountains. Evidence was found of moraines at altitudes as low as 980 m on the S flank of the Himalayas and 2300 m on the N slope of the Tibetan Plateau, in the Qilian Shan. On the N slopes of the Karakoram, Aghil and Kuen Lun moraines occur as far down as 1900 m. In S Tibet radiographic analyses of erratics document former ice thicknesses of at least 1200 m. Glacial polishing and knobs in the Himalayas, Karakoram etc. are proof of glaciers as thick as 1200–2000 m. On the basis of this evidence, a 1100–1600 m lower equilibrium line altitude (ELA) was reconstructed for the Ice Age, which would mean 2.4 million km2 of ice covering almost all of Tibet, since the ELA was far below the average altitude of Tibet. On Mt. Everest and K2 radiation was measured up to 6650 m, yielding values of 1200–1300 W/m2. Because of the subtropical latitude and the high altitude solar radiation in Tibet is 4 times greater than the energy intercepted between 60 and 70° N or S. With an area of 2.4 million km2 and an albedo of 90% the Tibetan ice sheet caused the same heat loss to the earth as a 9.6 million km2 sized ice sheet at 60–70° N. Because of its proximity to the present-day ELA, Tibet must have undergone large-scale glaciation earlier than other areas. Being subject to intensive radiation, the Tibetan ice must have performed an amplifying function during the onset of the Ice Age. At the maximum stage of the last ice age the cooling effect of the newly formed, about 26 million km2 sized ice sheets of the higher latitudes was about 3 times that of the Tibetan ice. Nevertheless, without the initial impulse of the Tibetan ice such an extensive glaciation would never have occurred. The end of the Ice Age was triggered by the return to preglacial radiation conditions of the Nordic lowland ice. Whilst the rise of the ELA by several hundred metres can only have reduced the steep marginal outlet glaciers, it diminished the area of the lowland ice considerably. 相似文献
17.
Glaciation in northern East Greenland during the Late Weichselian and Early Flandrian 总被引：2，自引：1，他引：2
CHRISTIAN HJORT 《Boreas: An International Journal of Quaternary Research》1979,8(3):281-296
The frontal positions of glaciers in fiords, sounds and larger valleys during the glaciation maximum around 10,000 B.P. and the extent of ice-free areas at that time are shown, together with an isobase map of the altitude of the contemporaneous (or younger) marine limit. A number of 14 C and some Amino Acid datings related to the glacial advance, culmination and retreat are presented. Some time after a Middle Weichselian period with restricted glaciation the glaciers advanced and stood at their maximum positions at about 10,300 B.P., in some areas remaining there until about 9500 B.P., at which time sizeable lowland areas outside the ice-fronts were unglaciated and a large number of nunataks of various types occurred. The retreat of the glaciers started about 10,300 B.P. in the south, but seems to have been delayed towards the north. However, by 9000 B.P. all outer parts of the fiords were deglaciated and their central parts by 8500 B.P. The marine limit synchronous with this glaciation maximum and the deglaciation sinks from a southern maximum value of about 110 m to about 55 m in the north, reflecting a decreasing amplitude of the glacial advance. 相似文献
18.
南迦巴瓦峰西北坡末次冰期以来的冰川变化 总被引：5，自引：2，他引：5
本区自晚更新世以来的冰川变化可分为距今25000—10000年的末次冰期、距今3500—1000年的新冰期和距今400—200年的小冰期,冰川面积逐次减小,雪线上升,与气候变化具同步性。 相似文献
19.
青藏高原及周边山地拥有地球上最高大且最广阔的高山高原,是除两极外最大的现代冰川作用中心,这也使得中国成为中低纬度地区现代冰川最发育的国家之一. 现代冰川平衡线分布具有纬度地带性特征,在青藏高原上还呈不对称的环状. 根据相关研究资料估算,中国末次冰期最盛期时的冰川面积约为50×104 km2,是现代的8.4倍. 基于平衡线处年降水量和夏季平均气温（6-8月）之间的相关关系重建的中国西部（105° E以西）末次冰期最盛期时的平衡线分布图与现代的相似. 在青藏高原内部与西北部,平衡线下降值在500 m以内,小的仅为200~300 m;在青藏高原东南边缘下降值约800 m,最大可达1 000~1 200 m. 天山与阿尔泰山平衡线下降值均在500 m左右. 中国东部（105° E以东）没有发育现代冰川,仅有数处中高山地,如贺兰山、太白山、长白山与台湾山地保存有确切的末次冰期冰川地形,末次冰期最盛期时的平衡线下降800~900 m,大于青藏高原、天山与阿尔泰山地区的下降值. 根据中国东部末次冰期的平衡线分布图以及相关的古气候与古环境研究资料,海拔2 000 m以下的中低山地在第四纪期间任何一次冰川作用中都不具备冰川发育所需的地势条件. 相似文献
20.
DONALD S. LEMMEN JOHN ENGLAND 《Boreas: An International Journal of Quaternary Research》1992,21(2):137-152
Along the northern coasts of Ellesmere Island, at least two glaciations are recognized on the basis of morphostratigraphy. The early Holocene ice limit lay only 5 to 60 km beyond present glaciers due to constraints imposed by aridity and calving. This limited ice advance likely extended beyond any Wisconsinan glacial limit. Marine limits established during, retreat from the last glacial maximum reach 148 m a.s.l. In contrast, earlier, more extensive glaciations inundated the coastlines and are associated with former relative sea levels now reaching 286 m a.s.l. Correlation of these pre-Wisconsinan glaciations is based upon amino acid ratios. However, this approach is severely limited by slow rates of racemization, a lack of in situ samples, and complex thermal histories owing to multiple transgressions. Models favoring extensive regional glaciation of northern Ellesmere Island and Greenland must include a glacioclimatic scenario recognizing the constraint that aridity places on glaciation. We suggest that the large ice volume associated with the oldest recognized glaciation relates to a period of reduced sea-ice cover, possibly >400,000 BP, and may correlate with an interglacial stage of the marine oxygen isotope record. 相似文献