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On the accuracy of lichenometric dates: an assessment based on the 'Little Ice Age' moraine sequence of Nigardsbreen, southern Norway

(Earth Surface Processes and Environmental Change Group (ESPEC), Department of Geology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, PO Box 914, Cardiff CF1 3YE, Wales, UK)

John A. Matthews

(Earth Surface Processes and Environmental Change Group (ESPEC), Department of Geology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, PO Box 914, Cardiff CF1 3YE, Wales, UK)

Families of lichenometric dating curves are constructed using four historically-dated moraine ridges on the glacier foreland of Nigardsbreen (Jostedalsbreen ice cap), southern Norway. A further 20 'Little Ice Age' moraine ridges are dated in terms of median-predicted dates derived from the families of curves. Four approaches are used to assess the accuracy of the median-predicted dates: (1) the extent to which the dates form a temporal sequence; (2) the extent to which they agree with local independent evidence of glacier variations; (3) the extent to which dates agree when the moraine sequences on the two sides of the glacier foreland are dated separately; and (4) the extent to which they agree when section Rhizocarpon is differentiated from lichens of the Rhizocarpon subgenus as a whole. It is concluded that under conditions favourable for lichenometric dating, median-predicted dates have attained an accuracy of ~10% on the 'Little Ice Age' timescale. Realistic error limits are considered to be of the order of ±20 years for the oldest moraines and ±5 years for the youngest. Previous dates for the Nigardsbreen moraine sequence derived from single lichenometric dating curves may be ~5% less accurate. It is suggested that the range of predicted dates obtained from families of lichenometric dating curves can be used as a conservative surrogate for accuracy.

Key Words: Glacier variations • lichenometric dating • dating accuracy • moraine ridges • 'Little Ice Age' • climatic change • Rhizocarpon • Jostedalsbreen • Norway.

The Holocene, Vol. 2, No. 3, 227-237 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/095968369200200304


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