Late Quaternary glacial episodes and sea level changes in the northeastern Billefjorden region, Central Spitsbergen

Abstract

Within the sequence of marine and glacial sediments from the northeastern Billdjorden region, Central Spitsbergen, five glacial episodes are distinguished. Two of them are referred to the Late Pleistocene: the older, about 87 ka, which remains unnamed, and the younger, about 40-56 ka, which is named the Petuniabukta-Adolfbukta Stage and correlated with the Billefjorden Stage from the Kapp Ekholm section. The other three glacial episodes are referred to the Holocene: the oldest, about 8-9 ka (and named the Ebbadalen-ThomsondaIen Stage), the middle, probably about 2 - 3 ka, and the youngest, correlated with the Little Ice Age. The mollusk fauna (11 species) is described from the Holocene marine and glacial sediments; its composition proves Arctic and Boreal climatic conditions with Lusitanian influences.