Activity of the turbidite levees of the Celtic–Armorican margin (Bay of Biscay) during the last 30,000 years: Imprints of the last European deglaciation and Heinrich events

High-resolution sedimentological and micropaleontological studies of several deep-sea cores retrieved from the levees of the Celtic and Armorican turbidite systems (Bay of Biscay — North Atlantic Ocean) allow the detection of the major oscillations of the British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) and ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver discharges over the last 30,000 years, which were mainly triggered by climate changes. Between 30 and 20 cal ka, the turbiditic activity on the Celtic–Armorican margin was weak, contrasting with previous stratigraphic models which predicted a substantial increase of sediment supply during low sea-level stands. This low turbidite deposit frequency was most likely the result of a weak activity of the ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver and/or of a reduced seaward transfer of sediments from the shelf to the margin. However, two episodes of turbiditic activity increase were detected in the Celtic–Armorican margin, during Heinrich events (HE) 3 and 2. This strengthening of the turbiditic activity was triggered by the meltwater releases from European ice sheets and glaciers favouring the seaward transfer of subglacial material, at least via ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver. At around 20 cal ka, a significant increase of turbidite deposit frequency occurred as a response to the onset of the last deglaciation. The retreat of the European ice sheets and glaciers induced a substantial increase of the ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver discharges and seaward transfer of continentally-derived material into the Armorican turbidite system. The intensification of the turbiditic activity on the Celtic system was directly sustained by the widespread transport of subglacial sediments from the British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) to the Celtic Sea via the Irish Sea Basin. A sudden reduction of turbiditic activity in the Armorican system, between ca. 19 and 18.3 cal ka, could have been triggered by the first well known abrupt sea-level rise (‘meltwater pulse’, at around 19 cal ka) favouring the trapping of sediment in the ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver valleys and the decrease of the seaward transfer of continentally-derived material. The maximum of turbiditic activity strengthening in the Celtic–Armorican margin, between ca. 18.3 and 17 cal ka, was induced by the decay of European ice sheets and glaciers producing the most extreme episode of the ‘Fleuve Manche’ palaeoriver runoff and a great seaward transfer of subglacial material into the Bay of Biscay. Between ca. 17.5 and 16 cal ka, the turbiditic activity significantly decreased in both Celtic and Armorican turbidite systems in response to a global re-advance of glaciers and ice sheets in Europe. The last episode of ice sheet retreat, between ca. 16 and 14 cal ka, is well expressed in the Celtic system by a new increase of the turbiditic activity. The major episode of sea-