Britain and Ireland: glacial landforms prior to the Last Glacial Maximum

Gibbard, Philip L.; Hughes, Philip D.; Clark, Chris D.; Glasser, Neil F.; Tomkins, Matt D.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-823498-3.00050-9

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Erratics belonging to the east–west oriented train can be traced eastwards as far as Pencoed, near Bridgend (Bevins & Donnelly, 1992) and into the Vale of Glamorgan, in the Cowbridge area (Strahan & Cantrill, 1904). This calls into question whether any glacial erratics derived from the Mynydd Preseli area reached further east than the Pendine area, let alone as far east as Salisbury Plain and indeed the most recent evidence on ice limits in Britain, for the last (Clark et al, 2022) and earlier glaciations (Gibbard et al, 2022), fails to support the extension of an ice sheet as far as Salisbury Plain. Research over the last three decades has failed to change the interpretation that the closest Pleistocene glacial ice reached to Stonehenge was Moreton‐in‐Marsh during the Wolstonian (the Thrussington Till).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithological description and provenancing of a collection of bluestones from excavations at Stonehenge by William Hawley in 1924 with implications for the human versus ice transport debate of the monument's bluestone megaliths

et al. 2023

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A rhyolite boulder collected by R. S. Newall in 1924 from an excavation at Stonehenge has been pivotal to arguments concerning glacial versus human transport of the bluestones to Stonehenge. Initial studies suggested that the boulder came from north Wales, and hence was a probable glacial erratic. New petrographic and geochemical analyses however support it being from Craig Rhos‐y‐Felin in west Wales, the source of much debitage recovered from Stonehenge. Examination of the form and surface features of the boulder provides no evidence for it being erratic. Instead, it is considered to be one more piece of debitage probably derived from a broken‐up monolith.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithological description and provenancing of a collection of bluestones from excavations at Stonehenge by William Hawley in 1924 with implications for the human versus ice transport debate of the monument's bluestone megaliths

et al. 2023

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“…13), contemporaneous with the Netherlands’ Drenthe glacial advance (Gibbard et al . 2022). Toucanne et al .…”

Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite this, the history of the BIIS is not as well known prior to the last glacial cycle (Gibbard et al . 2022). After the Middle Pleistocene, at least three stable ice‐sheet phases during different glacial periods covered Britain and Ireland, the Anglian Ice Sheet (MIS 12) (Toucanne et al .…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2) spanned multiple glacial cycles from MIS 10–6 (Gibbard et al . 2022), and during its maximum, it expanded eastwards in the North Sea and combined with Drenthe glaciation in the Netherlands (Gibbard et al . 2009, 2022; Moreau et al .…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2022), but its pre‐LGM history is not as well known due to the sparseness of associated terrestrial glacial deposits (Gibbard et al . 2022). Thus, looking at proximal marine sedimentary records is necessary to fill in the gaps of the BIIS chronicle, particularly those older than the last glaciation cycle.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

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British–Irish Ice Sheet and polar front history of the Goban Spur, offshore southwest Ireland over the last 250 000 years

Fabian,

Gallagher,

De Vleeschouwer

2023

Boreas

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Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) Site 548 was cored in 1984 at a water depth of 1256 m on the Goban Spur, offshore southwest Ireland. Coring retrieved a ~100‐m‐thick Pleistocene contourite sequence. This study uses planktonic foraminiferal assemblage and benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope analyses to establish an age model for the upper 40 m of this core. This site's multidisciplinary analyses of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages, lithic grains, facies and calcium carbonate concentration reveal a 250 000‐year record of the North Atlantic polar front variability and British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) history. The sequence is characterized by alternations of ice rafted debris (IRD) laden pelagic mud facies with calcium carbonate‐rich silty sand contourite facies that track glacial/interglacial cycles. The polar front migrated southward across the area several times during glacial maxima and stadial periods, while warmer Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) flowed northward across the region during interglacial and interstadial periods depositing contourites. Lithic analyses reveal a complex history of IRD deposition associated with iceberg calving from the Laurentide Ice Sheet and northwest European ice sheets, mainly the BIIS. Comparison between the Goban Spur (DSDP Site 548) and the Celtic Margin (MD03‐2692) and central North Atlantic Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1308 suggests differences between the ‘non‐Laurentide Ice Sheet’ Heinrich Events (HE) 6 and 3 at the Goban Spur, with IRD from the BIIS being prominent during HE 6 and IRD from other European ice sheets north of the BIIS likely being more dominant during HE 3. The nature of lithics in IRD‐rich horizons during Terminations 3, 3A, 2 and 1 suggests significant iceberg calving episodes preceding BIIS retreat during the onset of interstadial intervals.

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The timing and magnitude of the British–Irish Ice Sheet between Marine Isotope Stages 5d and 2: implications for glacio‐isostatic adjustment, high relative sea levels and ‘giant erratic’ emplacement

Scourse

2024

J Quaternary Science

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The extent, chronology and dynamics of the pre‐Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 last British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) are not well known. Although the BRITICE‐CHRONO Project has detailed the maximum extent and retreat phases of the last BIIS for the period after 30 ka and into the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the Project identified several pre‐existing datasets and generated new data that implied glaciation pre‐dating the LGM but which post‐dated the Last Interglacial (Eemian; MIS5e); these data are reviewed here. There are no dated till units but are other indicators clearly indicative of glaciation: deep‐sea ice‐rafted detritus flux into the adjacent NE Atlantic, cosmogenic rock‐exposure age dating from glaciated surfaces in Wales and the island of Lundy (Bristol Channel), and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of proximal glacifluvial sequences on the Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) and in the Cheshire Basin. Taken together these indicate BIIS inception during MIS5d, growth into MIS4 and evidence for dynamic retreat–advance phases during MIS3. OSL evidence for high relative sea level indicated by raised beaches in southern Ireland during MIS4 and 3 at a time of lowered glacio‐eustatic sea level indicates substantial glacial isostatic loading, explained by the early growth of the BIIS during the last cold stage. High relative sea level during MIS4 and 3 coincident with adjacent calving ice sheet margins provides an explanation for the rafted giant erratics found around the shores of southern Britain and Ireland.

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Britain and Ireland: glacial landforms prior to the Last Glacial Maximum

Cited by 7 publications

References 40 publications

Lithological description and provenancing of a collection of bluestones from excavations at Stonehenge by William Hawley in 1924 with implications for the human versus ice transport debate of the monument's bluestone megaliths

Lithological description and provenancing of a collection of bluestones from excavations at Stonehenge by William Hawley in 1924 with implications for the human versus ice transport debate of the monument's bluestone megaliths

British–Irish Ice Sheet and polar front history of the Goban Spur, offshore southwest Ireland over the last 250 000 years

The timing and magnitude of the British–Irish Ice Sheet between Marine Isotope Stages 5d and 2: implications for glacio‐isostatic adjustment, high relative sea levels and ‘giant erratic’ emplacement

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