Investigations to constrain retreat of the Greenland Ice Sheet: glacial geomorphology and sampling for cosmogenic exposure dating of the Centrumsø area, Kronprins Christian Land, northeast Greenland

Over the last few decades atmospheric warming across the Arctic has been far more rapid than elsewhere in the world, contributing to an increase in the sea-level contribution from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Given predictions of continuing atmospheric warming during the 21st century and beyond, it is crucial to understand how the ice sheet has responded to past variations in climate. Kronprins Christian Land lies in a climatically sensitive, yet sparsely studied part of northeast Greenland, in an inter-ice-stream region just north of Nioghalvfjerdsbrae. This paper presents the results of preliminary geomorphological mapping from a 2m spatial-resolution digital elevation model of a 5500km2; region around Centrumsø, as well as a report of sampling for cosmogenic exposure dating, and field observations concerning the extent and nature of palaeo-ice coverage and dynamics. Twenty-one 2kg samples were collected from carefully selected glacial erratics of various lithologies using a hammer and chisel as well as a small angle-grinder.

In general, moraine ridges in the study area are relatively small (2–5m in height) and lack a prominent peak, reflecting limited sediment availability, and suggesting some post-glacial re-mobilization of sediment or deflation caused by melting of the moraines' ice cores. Striated cobbles and boulder-sized clasts were observed at up to 540m a.s.l., sub-rounded erratics (some of which were sampled) at up to 800m a.s.l. and streamlined bedrock at up to 360m a.s.l., all of which indicate sliding between the ice and the bedrock and temperate basal conditions. In addition, several proglacial spillways were noted, along with numerous terraces, commonly situated between lateral moraines and valley sides, which are probably kame terraces formed by glaciofluvial transport and deposition. The prevalence of these landforms indicates significant glaciofluvial action requiring large volumes of meltwater, suggesting this region experienced high-volume melt in short intensive summers during past ice-recession events.