Early Middle Weichselian in the White Sea and adjacent areas: Chronology, stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments

Abstract

The paper presents the lithological and chronometric data (15 new and 9 earlier published dates) obtained in 2018–2020 on the Upper Pleistocene sections along the Terskiy and Zimniy Coasts of the White Sea. Focused on the Lower Weichselian (MIS 5d-a) and lower Middle Weichselian (MIS 4) sediment successions, the marine and glacial events are discussed. Marine environment was reconstructed in the White Sea basin, and water exchange between Barents and White Seas via Gorlo Strait. In the presented sedimentary succession, the sandy units dated to 72–66 ka and 63.5–53.5 ka on the Terskiy Coast and to 61–52 ka on the Zimniy Coast were associated with the Mezen marine transgression. Glacial event during MIS 4 is suggested in the north-easternmost shore of the White Sea, where the Barents Ice Sheet expanded from the Kara and Barents Seas shelf and reached the eastern coast of the Mezen Bay. The Terskiy Coast (southern Kola Peninsula) seems to be affected by local glacial sheet during the early Middle Weichselian.