Was Scotland deglaciated during the Younger Dryas?

Small, D. and Fabel, D. (2016) Was Scotland deglaciated during the Younger Dryas? Quaternary Science Reviews, 145, pp. 259-263. (doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.05.031)

Abstract

Recent work has produced data that challenges the canonical view that the Younger Dryas (c.12.9–11.7 ka) was a time of glacier expansion across the North Atlantic. Boulders on moraines located within the inner sector of the Scottish Loch Lomond Stadial (≈Younger Dryas) ice cap yield cosmogenic exposure ages 12.8–11.3 ka with a best estimate moraine age of 11.5 ± 0.6 ka. This age contradicts the interpretation that Scotland was completely deglaciated as early as 12,580 cal yr BP and no later than 12,200 cal yr BP. Our data supports the previously accepted scenario, supported by a wide variety of data, that final deglaciation of Scotland did not occur until late in the Loch Lomond Stadial or the early Holocene.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Small, Dr David and Fabel, Dr Derek
• Authors: Small, D., and Fabel, D.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences; College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Quaternary Science Reviews
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0277-3791
• ISSN (Online): 1873-457X
• Published Online: 29 May 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier
• First Published: First published in Quaternary Science Reviews 145: 259-263
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher