THE LAST GLACIATION OF EARTH - SIZE AND VOLUME OF ICE-SHEETS

The volume and size of the late glacial ice-sheets in the Northern Hem isphere has been estimated, based on geomorphic and chronostratigraphi c data. Limited glacial extents during the late glacial maximum charac terized both Arctic Canada and northern Eurasia, in contrast to the pr esence of the large Laurentide, Scandinavian and Devensian ice-sheets to the south. Glacial maxima were not synchronous throughout the North ern Hemisphere: for example, the Novaya Zemlya ice-sheer reached its m aximum extent ca. 39,000 BP, approximately 20,000 years earlier than t he maximum extent of the contiguous Scandinavian ice-sheet. Western an d central Siberia, and the Chukhui Peninsula, were marked by limited g laciation during the last glacial maximum, although pre-Sartanian even ts were more extensive. Mountain glaciation in northeast Asia was simi larly restricted during the last glacial maximum. Spatial and dynamic characteristics of the last glaciation developed in response to climat ic factors. The establishment and strength of high-pressure systems ov er Siberia limited precipitation and glacier formation throughout nort heastern Eurasia. (C) 1997 INQUA/Elsevier Science Ltd.