Melting glaciers at the end of the Ice Age may have sped up continental drift, fueled volcanic eruptions

Melting Ice Age Glaciers May Have Sped Up Continental Movement And Increased Volcanic Activity

It seems that rapid ice loss put the whole of North America in a spin.

Melting glaciers at the end of the Ice Age may have sped up continental drift, fueled volcanic eruptions

Around 10,000 years ago, as the last Ice Age drew to a close, the drifting of the continent of North America, and spreading in the Atlantic Ocean, may have temporarily sped up—with a little help from melting glaciers, according to a new study from scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Effects of glacial forcing on lithospheric motion and ridge spreading

Glacial cycles significantly influenced Earth’s surface processes throughout the Quaternary, impacting the climate, sea level, and seismic and magmatic activity1–3. However, the effects of glaciation and deglaciation (that is, glacial forcing) on lithospheric motion are unknown. To study these effects, we formulated high-resolution numerical models with realistic lithospheric structures, including weak plate margins, lithospheric thickness varia…

Melting Glaciers May Have Sped Up Continental Drift and Fueled Volcanic Eruptions - Astrobiology

Around 10,000 years ago as the last Ice Age drew to a close, the drifting of the continent of North America, and spreading in the Atlantic Ocean, may have temporarily sped up—with a little help from melting glaciers, according to a new study from scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder. In the new research, […] The post Melting Glaciers May Have Sped Up Continental Drift and Fueled Volcanic Eruptions appeared first on Astrobiology.

Ice Age's End: Melting Glaciers May Have Sped Up Continental Drift, Fueled Volcanic Eruptions

Eddie Gonzales Jr. – MessageToEagle.com – About 10, 000 years ago, as the last Ice Age ended, North America’s continental drift and the spread of the Atlantic Ocean may have temporarily sped up due to melting glaciers, according to a new University of Colorado Boulder study. Fagradalsfjall volcano erupts in Iceland in 2023. Credit: CC […]

Scientists from the University of Colorado in the USA have determined through their research that rapid glacial melting during the Last Ice Age caused climate change.