Timing of the last deglaciation in Belarus

We measured 10Be concentrations in boulders collected from the Orsha and Braslav moraines, associated with the Last Glacial Maximum extent and a recessional stage of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS), respectively, providing a direct dating of the southeastern sector of the ice-sheet margin in Belarus. By combining these data with selected existing radiocarbon ages, we developed a chronology for the last deglaciation of Belarus. The northeastern part of the country remained ice free until at least 19.2 ± 0.2 cal. kyr BP, whereas the northwestern part of the country was ice free until 22.3 ± 1.5 cal. kyr BP. A lobate ice margin subsequently advanced to its maximum extent and deposited the Orsha Moraine. The ice margin retreated from this moraine at 17.7 ± 2.0 10Be kyr to a position in the northern part of the country, where it deposited the Braslav Moraine. Subsequent ice-margin retreat from that moraine at 13.1 ± 0.5 10Be kyr represented the final deglaciation of Belarus. Direct dating of these moraines better constrains the relation of ice-margin positions in Belarus to those in adjacent countries as well as the SIS response to climate change.