Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2021, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (4): 292-298.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2021.20043.

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10Be exposure ages of Quaternary Glaciers in Antarctica

WangJing Ni1,ZhiGang Zhang2,3,4,5(),JingXue Guo6,XueYuan Tang6   

  1. 1.School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
    2.School of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
    3.Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment (Nanjing Normal University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
    4.Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
    5.State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Insititute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
    6.Polar Research Institute of China, 451 Jinqiao Road, Pudong, Shanghai 200136, China
  • Received:2020-05-28 Accepted:2021-01-05 Online:2021-08-31 Published:2021-08-19
  • Contact: ZhiGang Zhang E-mail:zhangzhigang840620@126.com
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41971009);the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2015M582728);the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(64320H116)

Abstract:

In situ terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) have been widely applied to date the ages of Quaternary glacial deposits in Antarctica and plays an important role in reconstructing the glacial evolution and climate change. It helps to understand the Antarctic ice sheet's evolution process in Quaternary and shed light on the application of Cosmogenic Nuclide exposure dating technique in glacial geomorphology. In this paper, we retrieved 495 10Be age samples in Antarctica from literature published between 2004 and 2020 and recalculated the TCN ages using version 3.0 online calculator of Cosmic-Ray Produced Nuclide Systematics on Earth (CRONUS-Earth). Several conclusions can be drawn from the results: (1) 75% of the exposure ages are younger than 400 ka, and 91% younger than 1,100 ka. Northern Antarctic Peninsula exposure result is visibly younger than the main glaciers area in East Antarctica due to climate change and geological evaluation since the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum). (2) TCN ages are relevant to the samples' relative positions in the Antarctic continent, but a relationship between their ages and elevations is yet to be determined based on the collected data.

Key words: 10Be exposure ages, in situ terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides, Antarctica

Figure 1

Oblique Google Earth image showing the location of published TCN 10Be exposure ages study sites in Antarctica"

Table 1

Information of TCN 10Be exposure ages studies of Antarctica"

No.Study regionPublicationNo.Study regionPublication
1Mount HardingKong et al., 2010; Dong et al., 20168James Ross IslandJohnson et al., 2011; Nyvlt et al., 2014
2Queen Maud Land

Altmaier et al., 2010

Ak?ar et al., 2020

9Terra Nova BayNicola et al., 2009
3Sj?gren BoydellfjordBalco et al., 201310Shackleton RangeHein et al., 2014
4Drygalski GlacierBalco et al., 201311Hatherton GlacierJoy et al., 2014
5Dry ValleysBalco et al., 2009; Middleton et al., 201212Mackay GlacierEaves et al., 2018
6Pensacola MountainsBentley et al., 201713Campbell GlacierRhee et al., 2019
7Prince Charles MountainsFink et al., 200614Larsen B embaymentJeong et al., 2018
15Skelton NeveAnderson et al., 2020

Figure 2

Comparison of TCN 10Be exposure ages among different regions in Antarctica (1: Mount Harding; 2: Queen Maud Land; 3: Sj?gren Boydellfjord; 4: Drygalski Glacier; 5: Dry Valleys; 6: Pensacola Mountains; 7: Prince Charles Mountains; 8: James Ross Island; 9: Terra Nova Bay; 10: Shackleton Range; 11: Hatherton Glacier; 12: Mackay Glacier; 13: Campbell Glacier; 14: Larsen B embayment; 15: Skelton Neve)"

Figure 3

Distribution of dating results along with location and latitude. (a) Distribution of dating results based on location; (b) Distribution of dating results based on latitude"

Table 2

Statistical results of TCN 10Be exposure ages in Antarctica"

Age range (ka)MIS stageQuantity (PCS)ProportionAge range (ka)MIS stageQuantity (PCS)Proportion
<14MIS115531.76%1,081-1,104MIS3110.20%
14-29MIS2489.84%1,114-1,141MIS3310.20%
29-57MIS3408.20%1,190-1,215MIS3520.41%
57-71MIS461.23%1,215-1,244MIS3610.20%
71-130MIS5336.76%1,320-1,344MIS4230.61%
130-191MIS6326.56%1,362-1,383MIS4420.41%
191-243MIS7142.87%1,424-1,452MIS4710.20%
243-300MIS8183.69%1,469-1,492MIS4910.20%
300-337MIS9122.46%1,492-1,510MIS5010.20%
337-374MIS1061.23%1,510-1,530MIS5110.20%
424-478MIS1251.02%1,570-1,585MIS5410.20%
478-533MIS13132.66%1,585-1,608MIS5520.41%
533-563MIS1451.02%1,859.5-1,875MIS7010.20%
563-621MIS1581.64%1,915-1,941MIS7310.20%
621-676MIS16122.46%1,990-2,017MIS7610.20%
676-712MIS1751.02%2,017-2,043MIS7710.20%
712-761MIS1871.43%2,088-2,103MIS7910.20%
761-790MIS1951.02%2,407-2,427MIS9510.20%
790-814MIS2030.61%2,427-2,452MIS9620.41%
814-866MIS2130.61%2,510-2,540MIS10020.41%
866-900MIS2220.41%2,730-2,759G720.41%
900-917MIS2310.20%2,759-2,777G810.20%
917-936MIS2420.41%2,798-2,820G1010.20%
959-970MIS2640.82%2,820-2,838G1110.20%
982-1014MIS2720.41%4,371-4,395CN510.20%
1,014-1,031MIS2910.20%>5,31510.20%

Figure 4

Distribution of dating results along with longitude and latitude in Antarctic Peninsula"

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