Reliable dating of the postglacial ice retreat in West Antarctica by an integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach

Lead Research Organisation: British Antarctic Survey
Department Name: Geological Sciences Division

Abstract

Major environmental change associated with current global warming represents one of the biggest challenges for mankind during the 21st century. For example, ice-sheet melting in West Antarctica contributes ~11% to the present global sea-level rise of ~1.8 mm per year. A complete melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), which is likely to take several hundreds or thousands of years, would raise global sea level by ~5 m. This project aims to study the part of the WAIS that is currently showing the most dramatic indications for ice-sheet melting: the Amundsen Sea sector. Global sea level would rise by additional ~1.4 m, if the ice located in the Amundsen Sea sector would melt completely, which is possible to occur within the next two centuries. This melting would cause devastating flooding in many low-lying cities (e.g. New Orleans, London), agricultural areas (e.g. Netherlands, Bangladesh) and atolls (e.g. Maldives), with immense social, economic and ecological consequences. Until now, however, it is unclear if the melting of the WAIS has been occurring for some time and might continue long into the future, or if it is a relatively short-lived phenomenon. It is also unclear if the present WAIS melting is the result of climate warming, which has been ongoing since the end of the last ice age (~12,000 years ago), or of the mainly man-made greenhouse effect, which has influenced global climate for the last 150 years. Therefore, it is essential to study the history of the WAIS since the last ice age, which is the main scientific objective of the proposed project. In the proposed project the history of WAIS will be reconstructed by studying the sediments that make up the sea floor on the continental shelf that surrounds West Antarctica. These sediments are collected by coring several metres down into the seabed. Work that has already been done on the cores selected for this project shows that the WAIS extended far onto the shelf during the last ice age and retreated since then. The project will attempt to determine the timescale and speed of this retreat by the reliable dating of sediments in several cores. The timing of the ice retreat from a particular core site can be determined by radiocarbon dating of the organic remains of planktonic micro-organisms in the sediments. These organisms lived in the ocean waters that flooded onto the shelf as soon as the ice retreated. When the organisms died, their remains were deposited on the seafloor. Thus, their age reveals when the sediment was formed. Scientists have previously tried to date WAIS retreat from the shelf, but many of their dates are uncertain. This is because the marine sediments contain not only the remains from organisms alive shortly before sediment formation, but also much older, fossil organic remains. These remains were eroded from old sedimentary rocks in the Antarctic hinterland by the ice sheet. Glaciers transported the fossil remains and other detritus to the coast and released them into the sea, where they were deposited together with the remains of those planktonic organisms, which just have died. The fossil organic remains increase the apparent radiocarbon age of a sediment sample. The project will use an improved radiocarbon dating technique, which will overcome this problem and provide more accurate radiocarbon ages. Additionally, the project will apply another (independent) technique for dating the sediments. The intensity of the earth's magnetic field changed in a well-known pattern throughout the last 12,000 years. The project will use sophisticated methods for determining the relative variations of the magnetic intensity of the sediments: these reflect the global magnetic intensity variations. The relative magnetic intensity variations of the sediment cores can then be used to determine their age, and thus the time of ice retreat. The results of the proposed project will aid to a much more accurate prediction of future sea-level rise.
 
Description As snow and ice builds up on the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet, the ice flows from the centre of the continent through glaciers towards the sea where it often forms floating ice shelves and eventually breaks off as icebergs. The floating ice shelves hold back the ice on land. A critical issue in understanding the dynamical behaviour of polar ice sheets is to reconstruct how the 'grounding line', i.e. the position where the ice sitting on land (glaciers) begins to float (ice shelves), has retreated landward over time. Satellite data available for the last 20 years show that since 1992 the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which drain the West Antarctic Ice Sheet into the Amundsen Sea, have experienced significant thinning (melting), flow acceleration and rapid landward retreat of their grounding lines, with that of Pine Island Glacier having retreated up to 25 km. It is possible that the grounding lines of these glaciers may retreat even further inland over coming decades, because the bed of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet rests well below sea-level on the continent and dips landward towards the interior of the continent. Such an ice-sheet configuration is thought to be vulnerable to regional climate warming and changes in ocean circulation. Our research (see paper Hillenbrand et al. 2013, Geology) offers new clues about the recent rapid ice loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and helps scientists make better predictions about future sea-level rise. We were able to establish a timeline for ice loss and glacier retreat from the continental shelf of the Amundsen Sea since the last ice age by obtaining reliable radiocarbon dates on calcareous microfossils from marine sediment cores that were recovered from the shelf within 110 km of the modern grounding line. These dates provided the minimum age of grounded ice-sheet retreat from a particular core position. We could demonstrate that the inner continental shelf in the Amundsen Sea sector was already free of grounded ice by ca. 10,000 years before present. Moreover, the reliable deglaciation ages enabled us to calculate maximum retreat rates from the core sites to the modern grounding line of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. We could demonstrate that the rapid changes observed by satellites over the last 20 years at Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers may well be exceptional and are unlikely to have happened more than three or four times in the last 10,000 years. Our study revealed that episodes of fast glacier retreat similar to that observed over recent decades can only have occurred very rarely during the previous 10,000 years. Our new findings can be used to improve the accuracy of computer models that are essential to predict future ice loss in the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and its likely contribution to global sea-level rise.
Exploitation Route The direct beneficiaries of our research are ice-sheet modellers who can use our data to validate and improve their models used to predict future ice-sheet melting and resulting global sea-level rise.
Sectors Environment,Other
 
Description Our research will help ice-sheet modellers to validate and improve their computer models and thus improve predictions of future sea-level rise in response to polar ice-sheet melting. Beneficiaries: Scientists investigating marine-based ice-stream dynamics and ice-sheet modellers will benefit from our research. These academic beneficiaries will be able to provide much more improved forecasts of future sea-level rise in response to climate change that will allow governments and policy makers to take appropriate counter-measures. Therefore, environment, economy and the wider community will benefit as well.
First Year Of Impact 2010
Sector Environment
 
Title Constraining ice-sheet retreat by low-temperature radiocarbon dating of organic matter in marine sediments 
Description This technique applies low-temperature combustion to the organic matter within marine sediments before dating the resulting CO2 using the AMS 14C method. The advantage of this method is that at low temperatures the young fresh organic carbon is combusted before the old refractory organic material. The contamination of organic carbon with reworked old organic matter is a huge problem for radiocarbon dating of Antarctic marine sediments because their organic carbon content is very low, so that the contamination with even small amounts of fossil carbon reworked by glacial erosion results in radiocarbon ages that often exceed the true date of deposition by thousands of years. Before I did apply this method to marine sediment cores recovered from various sectors of the Antarctic continental shelf, the technique had been applied only once for constraining the timing of Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat following the Last Glacial Maximum by other colleagues. The analyses carried out by me and my collaborators demonstrated that in some sectors of the Antarctic shelf the method provides reliable radiocarbon dates, but that in areas with a hinterland geology that supplies large amounts of fossil organic matter even low-temperature combustion cannot entirely remove the contaminating effect of old reworked carbon (Hillenbrand et al. 2010, Geophys. Res. Abstracts). Consequently, AMS 14C dating of Antarctic marine sediments should mainly rely on dating calcareous (micro-) fossils, which, however, do rarely occur in these sediments. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2010 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The data about this method provided by me and my collaborators led groups at the British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge, UK)) and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Bremerhaven, Germany) to enhance their efforts for recovering Antarctic marine sediment cores bearing calcareous (micro-)fossils and using AMS 14C dating methods (such as MICADAS) that require much less carbonate material for dating than the conventional AMS 14C dating technique. 
 
Title Constraining past ice-sheet retreat by palaeomagnetic intensity dating of marine sediment cores from the shelf 
Description The method analyses the magnetic intensity archived in marine sediment cores and correlates the resulting curve with an independently dated reference curve of changes in Earth's magnetic intensity through time, which then allows to date the sediments. Before I successfully applied this method to marine sediments from the West Antarctic continental shelf in the Amundsen Sea (Hillenbrand et al. 2010, J. Quat. Sci.), the technique had been applied only twice for constraining the timing of Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat following the Last Glacial Maximum by other colleagues. Further analyses carried out by me and my collaborators, however, showed that in some instances the method of dating marine sediments by analyzing their magnetic intensity fails to provide reliable ages for grounded ice-sheet retreat because the global signal of temporal changes in Earth's magnetic field is overprinted in the sediments by changes in magnetic grain size and/or magnetic mineralogy (Hillenbrand et al. 2010, Geophys. Res. Abstracts). 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2010 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact My findings were used for an MSc project at the Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen (Germany). As a result, this project applied detailed analyses on the environmental magnetic parameters of a marine sediment core from the Antarctic continental shelf to capture significant changes in magnetic grain size and/or magnetic mineralogy. 
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Durham University
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Department German Research Centre for Geosciences
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Lancaster University
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Loughborough University
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council
Department NERC Radiocarbon Facility (Environment)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation Scottish Association For Marine Science
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007
 
Description Collaboration on dating ice-sheet retreat from the Antarctic continental shelf after the Last Glacial Maximum by measuring relative palaeomagnetic intensity of and obtaining low-temperature combustion radiocabon dates from marine sediments 
Organisation University of Cambridge
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution I collected, analyzed and interpreted marine sediment cores from the Antarctic continental shelf, took samples for measurements of palaeomagnetic intensity, radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating, helped with interpreting the results of these measurements, integrated the sedimentological and chronological data, and first and co-authored publications about the results.
Collaborator Contribution The collaborators provided material from marine sediment cores, carried out the magnetic analyses, performed the radiocarbon and Lead-210 dating on the sediment samples, helped with interpreting the magnetic results and radiocarbon and Lead-210 ages, compared the results of the palaeomagnetic intensity measurements to model predictions and led or assisted the publication of the results.
Impact Hillenbrand, C.-D., Moreton, S.G., Maher, B., Dowdeswell, J.A., Evans, J., Korte, M., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Ó Cofaigh, C., Smith, J.A. (2010): The timing of post-LGM ice-sheet retreat in West Antarctica: An integrated palaeomagnetic and radiocarbon approach. - Geophysical Research Abstracts, 12: EGU2010-5387; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Smith, J.A., Kuhn, G., Esper, O., Gersonde, R., Larter, R.D., Maher, B., Moreton, S.G., Shimmield, T.M., Korte, M. (2010): Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum. - Journal of Quaternary Science, 25: 280-295; one discipline (marine geology) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Larter, R.D., Graham, A.G.C., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M. (2011): Deglacial history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 488-505; one discipline (marine geology) Hillenbrand, C.-D., Kuhn, G., Smith, J.A., Gohl, K., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Klages, J.P., Downey, R.., Moreton, S.G., Forwick, M., Vaughan, D.G. (2013): Grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet from inner Pine Island Bay. - Geology, 41: 35-38; one discipline (marine geology) Larter, R.D., Anderson, J.B., Graham, A.G.C., Gohl, K., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J.S., Kuhn, G., Nitsche, F.O., Smith, J.A., Witus, A.E., Bentley, M.J., Dowdeswell, J.A., Ehrmann, W., Klages, J.P., Lindow, J., Ó Cofaigh, C., Spiegel, C. (2014): Reconstruction of changes in the Amundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 55-86; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) The RAISED Consortium (incl. Hillenbrand, C.-D.) (2014): A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Quaternary Science Reviews, 100: 1-9; multi-disciplinary (marine geology, terrestrial geology, marine geophysics) Smith, J.A., Hillenbrand, C.-D. Kuhn, G., Klages, J.P., Graham, A.G.C., Larter, R.D., Ehrmann, W., Moreton, S.G., Wiers, S., Frederichs, T. (2014): New constraints on the timing of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the eastern Amundsen Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum. - Global and Planetary Change, 122: 224-237; one discipline (marine geology)
Start Year 2007