Holocene Relative Sea Level Changes in Disko Bugt, West Greenland

Abstract

An investigation of Holocene relative sea level (RSL) changes in Disko Bugt has been carried out with the purpose of reconstructing, with a good resolution in time and space, the Holocene RSL changes of a smaller part of Greenland, and thereby to allow testing of modern models for RSL changes in Greenland. This paper summarises the results of the investigation. The Holocene marine limit in Disko Bugt has been mapped, four RSL curves representing the Early - Middle Holocene emergence of different parts of Disko Bugt have been constructed, and attempts have been made to reconstruct the Late Holocene RSL changes within the region. Important conclusions are:  1. The rate of Early-Middle Holocene relative land rise increases towards the margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet. 2. RSL reached present sea level earlier in areas close to the Greenland Ice Sheet than in areas at greater distances from the Greenland Ice Sheet. 3. RSL fell below present sea level between 2 and 4 ka BP. 4. Submergence has occurred since ca. 1 ka BP.