Date of Award:

8-2024

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Geosciences

Committee Chair(s)

Tammy Rittenour

Committee

Tammy Rittenour

Committee

Paul Bierman

Committee

Donald Penman

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to provide greater resolution on the age and character of the subglacial sediment recovered from the base of the Camp Century ice core, northwestern Greenland. Geochemical analysis indicated that the upper sub-ice sediments were geochemically different and experienced greater weathering than the basal unit underlying a one-meter silty ice lens. Analysis of feldspars within the very fine sand fraction indicates they are dominated by potassium feldspar. Sediment was dated using luminescence, which provides an age for the last time sediment was exposed to light. Luminescence analysis returned ages around 420 thousand years old, which correlates with Marine Isotope Stage 11, an unusually long and warm interglacial period.

Camp Century is currently covered by nearly one mile of ice. Evidence that this site was ice-free in the recent geologic past suggests that the Greenland ice sheet is more sensitive to climate change than previously thought. Considering current climate change, similar ice loss and resulting sea-level rise has global implications.

This research was funded by a National Science Foundation Research grant (NSFANS Grant Number 2114630) awarded to T. Rittenour, as well as a Geological Society of America (GSA) student research grant awarded to H. Woznick.

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