Extreme sediment and ice discharge from marine-based ice streams: New evidence from the North Sea

Research Article| May 01, 2007 Extreme sediment and ice discharge from marine-based ice streams: New evidence from the North Sea A. Nygård; A. Nygård 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H.P. Sejrup; H.P. Sejrup 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H. Haflidason; H. Haflidason 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W.A.H. Lekens; W.A.H. Lekens 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C.D. Clark; C.D. Clark 2Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G.R. Bigg G.R. Bigg 2Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information A. Nygård 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway H.P. Sejrup 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway H. Haflidason 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway W.A.H. Lekens 1Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway C.D. Clark 2Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK G.R. Bigg 2Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 15 Sep 2006 Revision Received: 16 Dec 2006 Accepted: 18 Dec 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2007) 35 (5): 395–398. https://doi.org/10.1130/G23364A.1 Article history Received: 15 Sep 2006 Revision Received: 16 Dec 2006 Accepted: 18 Dec 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation A. Nygård, H.P. Sejrup, H. Haflidason, W.A.H. Lekens, C.D. Clark, G.R. Bigg; Extreme sediment and ice discharge from marine-based ice streams: New evidence from the North Sea. Geology 2007;; 35 (5): 395–398. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G23364A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A major problem for understanding the dynamics of ice streams has been a lack of precise data on ice streaming longevity and sediment transport efficacy. Here we present the first well-constrained data on sediment flux from a paleoice stream. This has been achieved by computing the volume of sediment deposited as debris flows on the fan located at the outlet of the Norwegian Channel ice stream, and converting to a flux measurement by accounting for the duration of streaming in this episode (between 20 and 19 ka during the last glacial stage). In this period the ice stream delivered an average 1.1 Gt of sediment per year, equivalent to 8000 m3yr−1 per meter width of ice stream front. The calculated flux is an order of magnitude higher than most previous estimates for other paleoice streams and is comparable to the present sediment flux from the world's largest rivers. The short period of debris-flow deposition suggests that the Norwegian Channel ice stream underwent rapid on-off switching, with punctuated iceberg delivery to the North Atlantic as a consequence. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.