Neoglacial Fluctuations of Glaciers, Southeastern Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago

ABSTRACT

Two new series of radiocarbon age determinations form the basis for this paper. The first series shows that both the outer east coast of Ellesmere Island (north to latitude 78°36′) and much of Makinson Inlet were free of glacier ice prior to 9000 radiocarbon years ago (dates uncorrected for the apparent age of sea water). However, on the basis of the available data the head of the north arm of Makinson Inlet, north of the present site of Split Lake, was not invaded by a marine fauna until about 2000 years later, presumably because of the persistence of glacier ice in this trough.

The second series of age determinations relates to fluctuations of outlet glaciers during Holocene time. Dates of 5180±260 years (GSC-2909) and 2590±150 years (GSC-3191) for the bottom and top, respectively, of a massive peat deposit bracket a period during which outlet glacier 7A-45, north of the head of Makinson Inlet, was smaller than it is at present. Data from several sites suggest an advance of glaciers about 1000 years ago, and a second advance, during the last 100 years or so, is recorded at the margins of a number of glaciers draining the ice caps in central and southeastern Ellesmere Island.