Late-glacial marine overlap in western Newfoundland

Abstract

In western Newfoundland Quaternary deposits comprise a glacio-marine sequence sandwiched between tills and associated glacial deposits derived from glaciers that moved westwards from highland centers of outflow. The upper marine limit, at 30.5 m – 50 m in the area, was registered when ice of the earlier of the two glacial episodes represented wasted inland from the present shoreline. The dates herein reported indicate that in St. George's and Port au Port Bays this event was in progress 13 200 – 13 700 years ago, and that in fjord sites in the Bay of Islands it was delayed by about 1000 years. The diachronous nature of marine overlap in the area complicates the reconstruction of isobases on raised marine features.