Palaeoceanographic changes in the northern B arents S ea during the last 16 000 years – new constraints on the last deglaciation of the S valbard– B arents S ea I ce S heet

The sediment core NP05 ‐71 GC , retrieved from 360 m water depth south of K vitøya, northwestern B arents S ea, was investigated for the distribution of benthic and planktic foraminifera, stable isotopes and sedimentological parameters to reconstruct palaeoceanographic changes and the growth and retreat of the S valbard– B arents S ea I ce S heet during the last ∼16 000 years. The purpose is to gain better insight into the timing and variability of ocean circulation, climatic changes and ice‐sheet behaviour during the deglaciation and the H olocene. The results show that glaciomarine sedimentation commenced c. 16 000 a BP , indicating that the ice sheet had retreated from its maximum position at the shelf edge around S valbard before that time. A strong subsurface influx of A tlantic‐derived bottom water occurred from 14 600 a BP during the B ølling and A llerød interstadials and lasted until the onset of the Y ounger D ryas cooling. In the Y ounger D ryas cold interval, the sea surface was covered by near‐permanent sea ice. The early H olocene, 11 700–11 000 a BP , was influenced by meltwater, followed by a strong inflow of highly saline and chilled A tlantic W ater until c. 8600 a BP . From 8600 to 7600 a BP , faunal and isotopic evidence indicates cooling and a weaker flow of the A tlantic W ater followed by a stronger influence of A tlantic W ater until c. 6000 a BP . Thereafter, the environment generally deteriorated. Our results imply that (i) the deglaciation occurred earlier in this area than previously thought, and (ii) the Y ounger D ryas ice sheet was smaller than indicated by previous reconstructions.