HOLOCENE GLACIAL HISTORY AND SEA-LEVEL CHANGES ON ROSS,JAMES ISLAND, ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

A reconstruction of deglaciation and associated sea-level changes on n orthern James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula, based on lithostratigr aphical and geomorphological studies, shows that the initial deglaciat ion of presently ice-free areas occurred slightly before 7400 C-14 yr BP. Sea-level in connection with the deglaciation was around 30 m a.s. l. A glacier readvance in Brandy Bay, of at least 7 km, with the initi al 3 km over land, reached a position off the present coast at ca. 460 0 yr BP. The culmination of the advance was of short duration, and by 4300 yr BP the coastal lowlands again were ice-free. A distinct marine level at 16-18 m a.s.l. was contemporaneous with or slightly post-dat es the Brandy Bay advance, thus indicating the relative sea-level arou nd 4600-4500 yr BP. Our results from lames Ross Island confirm that ov er large areas in this part oi Antarctica the last deglaciation occurr ed late. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.