Pleistocene sedimentary record of the Falsterselv area, Jameson Land, East Greenland

Abstract

An exceptionally thick cover of Quaternary sediments on the west and south coastal areas of Jameson Land, East Greenland (Fig. 1), preserves a unique record of environmental changes, particularly from the Late Pleistocene (Funder et al., 1994). The Falsterselv area on Jameson Land was briefly investigated in 1992 by Lyså et al. (1992) and Ingólfsson et al. (1994), and during field work in the summers of 1994 and 1995. This account is primarily based on field work in 1996, of which details are found in a preliminary unpublished report. These studies are part of the CATLINA project, the aims of which are to study interglacial-glacial and interstadial-stadial climatic transitions in Russia, Denmark, the Faeroe Islands and Greenland. The main goals of the investigations in the Falsterelv area were: (1) to compile the stratigraphy of the area; (2) to interpret the depositional environments; (3) to discuss the implications and consequences of the new data for interpretations of the Pleistocene evolution of Jameson Land; and (4) to use, for the first time, groundpenetrating radar (georadar) as a tool in the investigations. In general, the results are compatible with the Pleistocene stratigraphic scheme for Jameson Land presented by Funder et al. (1994; Fig. 2). Results of particular significance include: 1) Recognition of a new stratigraphic unit (unit D, Fig. 2) of white and grey glaciolacustrine sediments with a low content of clasts composed of local bedrock. These deposits have not previously been recorded from Jameson Land. The unit is tentatively assigned to the Early Weichselian. 2) Identification of at least one glacier advance from the interior of Jameson Land during the Weichselian. This area has previously been regarded as having been essentially ice free during this period (Funder et al., 1994). In addition to the studies reported here, investigations of Eemian and Early Weichselian deposits south of the Falsterselv area were carried out by Aslaug Geirsdóttir.