Neoglaciation in South Norway using lichenometric methods

Abstract

The neoglacial history of South Norway is illuminated through a lichenometric study of 14 ice-marginal zones of glaciers situated along a right angled line running north-south and west-east to cover a vast area. Maps of the marginal zones two lichen growth curves, the moraine dates and a frequency diagram are presented on a plate, PI. 1. If there are reference points to check the growth curves, lichenometry is found to be reliable to fix the time of deglaciation of the moraine ridges within a period of about three hundred years. A total of 101 moraine ridges were dated and the results show that their deglaciation time is concentrated around 1930, 1905, 1900, 1880, 1860, 1840, 1820 and 1800. The deglaciation of the outermost moraines is concentrated within the period 1780–1820.