Unstable Behavior of the Laurentide Ice Sheet over Deforming Sediment and Its Implications for Climate Change

Abstract

Geologic records of fluctuations of the Laurentide ice sheet margin following the most recent glacial maximum ( ca. 20,000 14C yr B.P.) identify fundamental differences in ice-sheet behavior depending on subglacial bed conditions. Rapid and irregular icemargin fluctuations occurred only over areas of deforming sediment, indicating nonclimatic forcing controlled by the inherent instability of coupled ice sheet-deforming sediment dynamics. In contrast, largely uninterrupted ice-margin retreat with no evidence of significant readvance occurred over rigid-bed areas, indicating stable behavior. Unstable ice-sheet behavior was most pronounced from 15,000 until 10,000 14C yr B.P., by which time most of the ice margin had retreated onto a rigid bed. Unstable ice-sheet behavior would have been an integral component in controlling variable fluxes of icebergs and meltwater, as well as meltwater routing, to the North Atlantic, thus affecting thermohaline circulation. The abrupt climate oscillations in the North Atlantic region that ended at 10,000 14C yr B.P. may thus have their origin in the inherently unstable behavior of the Laurentide ice sheet overriding deforming sediment.