New Data Related to Holocene Landform Development and Climatic Change from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula

A survey of some relict and active landforms in the Lachman and Rink Crags areas of NW James Ross Island on the Antarctic Peninsula has yielded new evidence that provides a better understanding of the Holocene morphoclimatic evolution of this currently deglaciated sector of James Ross Island. Six Holocene (mainly land-grounded) glacial advances were delimited by these morphological and stratigraphic studies, dated at 6700–6400, 4900–4400, and shortly after 3900

14

C yr

B.P.

, with three more recent advances, dated by regional correlations, that occurred between the Holocene regional climatic optimum (3900–3000

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C yr

B.P.

) and the Little Ice Age (ca. 300

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C yr

B.P.

). In some cases, ice-cored rock glacier formation followed the younger glacier advances. In recent decades, the significant climatic warming recorded in the NE region of James Ross Island has produced a number of changes in the periglacial and glacial landforms. Stone-banked terraces and lobes have developed in the Rink Crags, and protalus rampart formation has ceased in favor of protalus lobe development in the Cerro Triple area. Conical depressions filled with water have also increased in area over the surface of the Lachman II ice-cored rock glacier, threatening to destroy this landform.