Initiation of the European deglaciation as recorded in the northwestern Bay of Biscay slope environments (Meriadzek Terrace and Trevelyan Escarpment): a multi-proxy approach

Three cores retrieved on the northwestern slope of the Bay of Biscay are described and discussed in the light of the European last deglaciation history. This integrated sedimentological and micropalaeontological study provides a detailed evolution scheme for the deep and sea-surface conditions of the Bay during the final deglacial step, with a direct link with the continental palaeoenvironments. As early as 15 ka C-14-BP, a European precursor melting event is recorded as a purge of the Channel and Irish Sea palaeoriver systems. 'Pleni-Heinrich event conditions' occurred in the Bay of Biscay between 14.4 and 13 ka C-14-BP with a typical Canadian signature only recorded at 13 ka C-14-BP, namely 1 ka later than the first evidence of melting of the British Ice-sheet. Our data demonstrate that, following Heinrich event 2, the Last Glacial Maximum was characterised by a gradual warming accompanied by, at least, two pulses of the North Atlantic Drift. These North Atlantic Drift/heat northward penetrations are supposed to have primarily forced the Heinrich event 1 collapse. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.