RAPID CHANGES IN THE OCEANIC FRONTS IN THE NORWEGIAN SEA DURING THE LAST DEGLACIATION - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE YOUNGER DRYAS COOLING EVENT

Two high-resolution cores, ENAM93-21 north of the Faeroe Islands and T roll 89.03 off southwest Norway, from the SE Norwegian Sea have been i nvestigated for downcore variations in planktic foraminifera, IRD cont ent and oxygen isotopes in a period from 15 to 9 ka. The results exhib it frequent and large amplitude changes in sea surface temperature dur ing the last deglaciation. A sudden and profound increase in SST at 12 .8 ka is followed by three abrupt and short-lived cooling events termi nated by the Younger Dryas cooling. The presence of strong temperature gradients in the Norwegian Sea region during the Bolling-Younger Drya s period have implications for the heat Bur rewards the north. A possi ble time lag may exist between ENAM93-21 and Troll 89.03 at the beginn ing of the Younger Dryas cooling. These findings indicate that polar w aters migrated eastwards at the beginning of the Younger Dryas period. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.