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Multiple glacial advances in the Rangitata Valley, South Island, New Zealand, imply roles for Southern Hemisphere westerlies and summer insolation in MIS 3 glacial advances

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2018

James Shulmeister ,
Glenn D. Thackray ,
Tammy M. Rittenour  and
Olivia M. Hyatt
James Shulmeister*
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia
Glenn D. Thackray
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho 83209, USA
Tammy M. Rittenour
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-4505, USA
Olivia M. Hyatt
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author at: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia. E-mail address: [email protected] (J. Shulmeister).
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Abstract

Stratigraphic evidence and extensive optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) geochronology from an 18-km-long reach of the middle Rangitata Valley, South Island, New Zealand, provide evidence for at least six distinct glacial advances during the last glacial cycle. These include four well-constrained Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and 2 advances at ca. 38 ka, ca. 27 ka, ca. 21 ka and at 18 ka, as well as less well-constrained advances in MIS 4 and/or early MIS 3. Ice occupied a farther downvalley reach of the Rangitata from 38 ka to after 18 ka, indicating that near-full glacial conditions persisted for most of the last 20 ka of the last glaciation, though the glacier still fluctuated significantly, as reflected by the numerous distinguishable advances. Global or regional cooling alone cannot explain the persistence of near-maximum glacial conditions for this extended period, nor can it explain the occurrence of the largest advances ca. 32 ka. Instead, we invoke the northward expansion of the westerlies during MIS 3 as the cause for the early widespread glaciation, wherein enhanced westerly flow under moderate cooling maximised glacial extents. Local insolation favoured extended MIS 3 glaciation until ca. 32 ka. Increasing summer insolation gradually reduced glacial extents after ca. 28 ka.

Keywords

Glacial GeologyNew ZealandsedimentologyOSLMIS-3
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 89 , Issue 2 , March 2018 , pp. 375 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2018 

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