The influence of landscape evolution on Scandinavian Ice Sheet dynamics and extent

Ice sheets have shaped the Scandinavian landscape during numerous glacial periods throughout the Quaternary, but little is known about the effects of a changing landscape on the Scandinavian ice sheets in return. Here, we use a higher-order ice-sheet model (iSOSIA) to investigate how past morphological changes in the Scandinavian landscape may have affected ice-sheet extent and dynamics. Our preliminary results indicate that the Scandinavian ice sheet would have extended further south before the formation of the Norwegian Channel, which is believed to have been formed by glacial erosion during recent glacial periods (since ∼0.5 Ma). This suggests that landscape changes should be considered in addition to varying climate conditions, when exploring changes in ice-sheet dynamics and extent between glacial periods.