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Article
Catastrophic Ice Shelf Breakup as the Source of Heinrich Event Icebergs
Paleoceanography
  • Christina L. Hulbe
  • Douglas R. MacAyeal
  • George H. Denton, University of Maine - Main
  • Johan Kleman
  • Thomas V. Lowell
Document Type
Article
Rights and Access Note
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Publication Date
1-22-2004
Publication Number
PA1004
Disciplines
Abstract/ Summary

Heinrich layers of the glacial North Atlantic record abrupt widespread iceberg rafting of detrital carbonate and other lithic material at the extreme-cold culminations of Bond climate cycles. Both internal (glaciologic) and external ( climate) forcings have been proposed. Here we suggest an explanation for the iceberg release that encompasses external climate forcing on the basis of a new glaciological process recently witnessed along the Antarctic Peninsula: rapid disintegrations of fringing ice shelves induced by climate-controlled meltwater infilling of surface crevasses. We postulate that peripheral ice shelves, formed along the eastern Canadian seaboard during extreme cold conditions, would be vulnerable to sudden climate-driven disintegration during any climate amelioration. Ice shelf disintegration then would be the source of Heinrich event icebergs.

Citation/Publisher Attribution
Hulbe, CL, Macayeal., DR, Denton, GH, Kleman, J, and Lowell, TV, 2004, Catastrophic Ice Shelf Breakup as the Source of Heinrich Event Icebergs: Paleoceanography, v. 19, PA1004. To view the published open abstract, go to http://dx.doi.org and enter the DOI.
Publisher Statement
© Copyright 2004 American Geophysical Union
DOI
10.1029/2003PA000890
Version
publisher's version of the published document
Citation Information
Christina L. Hulbe, Douglas R. MacAyeal, George H. Denton, Johan Kleman, et al.. "Catastrophic Ice Shelf Breakup as the Source of Heinrich Event Icebergs" Paleoceanography Vol. 19 Iss. 1 (2004)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/george_denton/2/