Reconstruction of inflow of Atlantic Water to Isfjorden, Svalbard during the Holocene: Correlation to climate and seasonality

The distribution patterns of benthic foraminifera faunas, stable isotopes and ice rafted debris (IRD) have been studied in piston core JM98-845-PC from Isfjorden, western Svalbard to reconstruct changes in the flow of Atlantic Water during the Holocene interglacial. The paleoenvironmental conditions in Isfjorden and the inflow of the Atlantic Water followed closely the changes in insolation with strong seasonality in the early Holocene and weaker seasonality in the middle to late Holocene. A summer temperature maximum of the bottom water occurred in the early Holocene 10,500–c. 8200 years BP. Cooling began at 9000 years BP with stepwise coolings at c. 8200, 7400 and 4000 years BP. The cooling correlated with an increase in ice rafting and increased influence of polar water and seasonal sea ice cover. Between 4000 and 2000 years BP bottom water temperatures reached a minimum. After 2000 years BP episodic inflow of warmer Atlantic Water at the bottom of the fjord occurred and conditions became more unstable. The data indicate close interaction of the flow of Atlantic Water with the development of the terrestrial climate and the amount of polar meltwater and sea ice.