Postglacial Isostatic Movement in Northeastern Devon Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Abstract

The limit of marine submergence of the last glaciation in the Cape Sparbo region varied in elevation from 65 m at Base Camp lowland, 73 m in Sparbo-Hardy lowland, to 82 m in the Skogn area; these variations are in part due to differences in time of deglaciation. Radiocarbon dates of marine shells indicate that the region was clear of ice by 15,500 yr BP; that the most rapid isostatic uplift occurred 9000-8000 yr BP and that the total rebound was about 110 m. The oldest dates, 15,000 and 13,000 BP, if correct, indicate the slow onset of isostatic uplift.