Abstract Distally deposited tephra from explosive volcanic eruptions can be a powerful tool for precise dating and correlation of sedimentary archives and landforms. However, the morphostratigraphic and chronological potential of ocean-rafted pumice has been under-utilized considering its long observational history and widespread distribution on modern and palaeo-shorelines around the world. Here we analyze the geochemical composition and elevation data of 60 samples of ocean-rafted pumice collected since 1958 from raised beaches on Svalbard. Comparison of pumice data with postglacial relative sea-level history suggests eight distinct pumice rafting events throughout the North Atlantic during the Middle and Late Holocene. Analyzed ocean-rafted pumice exhibit consistent silicic composition characteristic of deposits from Iceland’s volcanic system, Katla. Eruption-triggered jokulhlaups are key drivers of the transport of pumice from the Katla caldera to beyond the coast of Iceland and into the surface currents of the North Atlantic Ocean. Thus, the correlation of distinct, high-concentration pumice horizons from Katla deposited along raised Middle Holocene beach ridges in Svalbard further advocates for the persistence of the Mýrdalsjokull ice cap through the Holocene thermal maximum.

中文翻译：

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海洋漂流浮石限制了冰后相对海平面并支持全新世冰盖的生存

摘要 火山爆发远端沉积的火山灰可以成为精确定年和沉积档案和地貌对比的有力工具。然而，考虑到海洋漂流浮石的长期观测历史和在世界各地现代和古海岸线的广泛分布，其地层和年代学潜力尚未得到充分利用。在这里，我们分析了自 1958 年以来从斯瓦尔巴群岛凸起的海滩收集的 60 个海洋漂流浮石样品的地球化学成分和海拔数据。将浮石数据与冰后相对海平面历史进行比较表明，在全新世中期和晚期，整个北大西洋发生了八次不同的浮石漂流事件。分析的海洋漂流浮石显示出冰岛火山系统沉积物的一致硅成分特征，卡特拉。火山喷发引发的 jokulhlaups 是将浮石从卡特拉火山口运输到冰岛海岸以外并进入北大西洋表层洋流的关键驱动因素。因此，沿着斯瓦尔巴群岛全新世升高的中新世海滩山脊沉积的 Katla 独特的高浓度浮石层的相关性进一步支持 Mýrdalsjokull 冰盖在全新世热最大值期间的持久性。