LATE-GLACIAL AND POSTGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS IN THE NORTHERN BARENTS SEAWEST OF FRANZ-JOSEF-LAND

A lithological and micropaleontological study of three sediment cores from the western Franz Josef Land area, two of them AMS C-14 dated, pr ovides new data on the environmental evolution of the northern Barents Sea during and after the last deglaciation. Glacimarine conditions co mmenced in the deep Franz Victoria Trough by 13 kyr BP, and then presu mably propagated into adjacent inter-island channels of Franz Josef La nd. Pulses of Atlantic-derived crater occurred during deglaciation and could have accelerated ice-sheet decay. Normal marine environments we re established close to 10 kyr BP. Ameliorated conditions are recorded for the interval of approximately 9.5 to kyr BP. After that, more sev ere environments existed probably associated with heavier sea-ice cove r.