Maximum extent of the Eurasian ice sheets in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Weichselian

Based on field investigations in northern Russia and interpretation of offs hore seismic data, we have made a preliminary reconstruction of the maximum ice-sheet extent in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Early/Middl e Weichselian and the Late Weichselian. Our investigations indicate that di e Barents and Kara ice sheets attained their maximum Weichselian positions in northern Russia prior to 50 000 yr BP, whereas the northeastern flank of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet advanced to a maximum position shortly after 17 000 calendar years ago. During the Late Weichselian (25000-10 000 yr BP), much of the Russian Arctic remained ice-free. According to our reconstructi on, the extent of the ice sheets in the Barents and Kara Sea region during the Late Weiehselian glacial maximum was less than half that of the maximum model which, up to now, has been widely used as a boundary condition for t esting and refining General Circulation Models (CCMs). Preliminary numerica l-modelling experiments predict Late Weichselian ice sheets which are large r than the ice extent implied for the Kara Sea region from dated geological evidence, suggesting very low precipitation.