Quaternary marine stratigraphy and geochronology in central West Greenland

A new stratigraphic framework is proposed for the Quaternary of a portion of central West Greenland, based primarily on faunal and geochronologic studies of shallow shelf deposits. Twenty-four occurrences of pre-Holocene deposits were already known in West Greenland and data from 18 new sites are presented, together with new information on some of the previously described localities. Four pre-Holocene marine events are described. The interglacial Ivnaarssuit and Nordre Laksebugt marine events are considered to be Middle Pleistocene in age. The interstadial Laksebugt marine event is considered to be late Middle Pleistocene, whereas the Svartenhuk marine event is correlated with the last interglacial. For the last glacial period an extensive ice shelf is proposed west of Disko. The oldest postglacial deposits are dated at 10,470 ± 130 14C-years BP.