Ice-free conditions in Novaya Zemlya 35 000-30 000 cal years B.P., as indicated by radiocarbon ages and amino acid racemization evidence from marine molluscs

Abstract

Novaya Zemlya was covered by the eastern part of the Barents–Kara ice sheet during the glacial maximum of marine isotope stage 2 (MIS 2). We obtained 14 C ages on 37 samples of mollusc shells from various sites on the islands. Most samples yielded ages in the range of 48–26 14 C Ky. Such old samples are sensitive to contamination by young 14 C, and therefore their reliability was assessed using replicate analyses and amino acid geochronology. The extent of aspartic acid racemization (Asp D/L) indicates that many of the 14 C ages are correct, whereas some are minimum ages only. The results indicate that a substantial part of Novaya Zemlya was ice-free about 35–27 14