HR: 1340h
AN: PP33B-0919    [Abstracts]
TI: Middle Pleistocene glaciation of Britain; new evidence and links with the ocean record
AU: * Rose, J
EM: j.rose@rhul.ac.uk
AF: Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Geography, Egham, TW20 0EX United Kingdom
AU: Hamblin, R R
EM: rjoh@bgs.ac.uk
AF: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG United Kingdom
AU: Moorlock, B S
EM: bspm@bgs.ac.uk
AF: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG United Kingdom
AU: Lee, J R
EM: jrlee@bgs.ac.uk
AF: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG United Kingdom
AU: Sumbler, M G
AF: Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Geography, Egham, TW20 0EX United Kingdom
AU: Riding, J B
EM: jbri@bgs.ac.uk
AF: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG United Kingdom
AU: Pawley, S P
EM: stevenpawley@hotmail.com
AF: Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Geography, Egham, TW20 0EX United Kingdom
AU: Keen, D H
EM: david_h_keen@hotmail.com
AF: Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Geography, Egham, TW20 0EX United Kingdom
AB: Extensive field mapping and analytical research over the last c. 20 years has lead us to proposed a new, five-glaciation model for the Middle Pleistocene in Britain, rather than the one- or two-glaciation models that have previously existed. The key discoveries are predominantly lithological, morphological and lithostratigraphical, with a limited number of new geochronologic determinations. The previously used pollen biostratigraphy has been found to be flawed and is rejected. The results show that British-sourced glaciation is dominant and evidence for Scandinavian ice cover in Britain can only be found in one occasion. Timing of the glacial episodes is based on existing age determinations and correlation with climatically-forced river aggradations and the model for global ice-volume. On the basis of this evidence glacier ice extended to lowland Britain from the highlands of Wales in MIS 18, from the highlands of Scotland in MIS 16, 12, and 10, and from the mountains of Scandinavia and Scotland in MIS 6. Britain was first separated from Europe during MIS 6 because of the importance of Scandinavian ice blocking the North Sea and creating a large proglacial lake that drained southward to the English Channel and eroded a gap to create the Straits of Dover.
DE: 9335 Europe
DE: 9604 Cenozoic
DE: 3339 Ocean/atmosphere interactions (0312, 4504)
DE: 3344 Paleoclimatology
SC: Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology [PP]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting