2012-08-02
The paleogeographic investigations (2008–2012) allowed renovating previous conceptions
on the Holocene environmental changes in the Fildes peninsula, King George Island. The peninsula
deglaciation had started before 11500 years B.P., and the Bellingshausen ice cap reduced up to actual
size by 9330 years BP. The local climatic conditions were relatively warm since early Holocene till
5300 years BP, and during time intervals 4000–2000, 1400–600 years BP. The relative cooling in the
area took place 5300–4000, 2000–1400 years BP, and, probably, during Little Ice Age. The relative
sea level rise (since early Holocene) had reached maximum (altitudes 19–20 m a.s.l.) before 5760
years BP; after that relative sea level in general fall (with exclusion of the rise during 2000–1300
years BP). The peninsula deglaciation process accelerated since the early Holocene till 5300 years
BP, 4000–2000 years BP and 1400–600 years BP. 5300–4000 years BP, 2000–1400 years BP and,
probably, during Little Ice Age, deglaciation of the peninsula become slower. Size of the Bellingshausen
ice cap decreased significantly in middle Holocene (till 2000 years BP) and within period 1400–600
years BP. The ice cap area increase (to the modern boundaries) took place 2000–1400 years BP,
and once during last 600 years.