Tandem dating methods constrain late Holocene glacier advances, southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia

Abstract

Combined use of radiocarbon-dated subfossil wood within lateral moraines and surface exposure ages on moraine boulders provides an approach to better constrain times of glacier advance and onset of retreat. We test this method at Gilbert Glacier in the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia where units of sediments associated with glacier expansion date to 4.8–4.6, 4.5–4.3, 4.0–3.9, 3.8–3.6, 3.4, 3.2–2.9, 2.7, and 0.5–0.3 kilo calendar years BP (ka; 2-sigma age range). Surface exposure (10Be) ages reveal times of moraine stabilization at 1.83–1.78, 1.38–1.28, 0.85–0.76, and 0.13–0.06 ka (interquartile range). Analysis of both datasets, as well as previously published regional advance records, narrows the age range of four late Holocene advances to 2.0–1.8, ∼1.5–1.3, ∼0.9–0.8, and 0.4–0.1 ka. We advocate for widespread use of our tandem approach at other sites throughout Earth's high mountains to narrow the uncertainties associated with glacier expansion and better understand how glaciers respond to climate change.