Late Quaternary stratigraphy of western Yamal Peninsula, Russia: New constraints on the configuration of the Eurasian ice sheet

Ice-sheet reconstructions for the last glacial maximum in northern Eurasia range from nearly complete coverage by a contiguous marine-based ice sheet to large unglaciated areas. Stratigraphic records from Yamal Peninsula, Rus sia, provide new insight on the eastern limit of the Eurasian ice sheet in the Kara Sea. Radiocarbon and infrared stimulated luminescence ages from co astal cliff sections date the emplacement of the Kara diamicton as older th an ca. 40 ka, reflecting regional glaciation, Ice-wedge growth, peat accumu lation, and eolian and fluvial deposition characterized the past similar to 40 k.y. and do not support coverage of Yamal Peninsula by an ice sheet or proximity to a glacier margin. Thus, the late Weichselian Eurasian ice shee t was largely confined to Parents Sea and its global sea-level contribution is reduced to similar to 7 m of sea-level equivalent.