Nature 261, 547 - 550 (17 June 1976); doi:10.1038/261547a0

Permafrost oxygen isotope ratios and chronology of three cores from Antarctica

Minze Stuiver^*, In Che Yang^* & George H. Denton^†

^*Quaternary Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
^†Institute for Quaternary Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04473

Permafrost core sediments, associated with the last intrusion of the Ross Ice Shelf in the New Harbor region, were deposited in marine (0−85 m deep) as well as freshwater environments (100−125 m). Oxygen isotope ratio measurements on these cores provide palaeoclimatic information and show that the extension of the Ross Ice Shelf predates 150,000 yr BP, whereas the radiocarbon date of its retreat is about 5,800 yr b.p.

References

1.	McGinnis, L. D., Torii, T., and Webb, P. N., Antarct. J. U.S., VII, 53–56 (1972).
2.	Dansgaard, W., Johnson, S. J., Clausen, H. B., and Langway, C. C., Jr, in Late Cenozoic Glacial Ages (edit. by Turekian, K. K.), 37–56 (Yale University Press, 1971).
3.	Dansgaard, W., Johnson, S. J., Clausen, H. B., and Gundestrup, N., Meddr. Grønland, 197 (2) (1973).
4.	Johnson, S. J., Dansgaard, W., Clausen, H. B., and Langway, C. C., Nature, 235, 429–434 (1972).
5.	Stewart, M. K., Antarct. N.Z.J. Geol. Geophys., 18 (1), 49–64 (1975).
6.	Nakaii, N., Kiyosu, Y., Wada, H., and Takimoto, Mem. natn. Inst. Polar Res., Tokyo, 4, 30–44 (1975).
7.	Epstein, S., Sharp, R. P., and Gow, A. J., Science, 168, 1570 (1970).
8.	Chapman-Smith, M., and Luckman, P. G., DVDP Bull., 3, Northern Illinois University, 120–148 (1974).
9.	McKelvey, B. C., DVDP Bull., 5, Northern Illinois University, 16–60 (1975).
10.	Denton, G. H., Borns, H. W., Grosswald, M. G., Stuiver, M., and Nichols, R. L., Antarct. J. U.S., X(4), 160–164 (1975).
11.	Stuiver, M., Earth planet. Sci. Lett. (in the press).
12.	Park, J. E., and Barrett, P. J., DVDP Bull., 6, Victoria Univ. Wellington, 24–25 (1976).
13.	Webb, P. N., and Wrenn, J. H., Antarct. J. U.S., X(4), 168–169 (1975).