Abstract:

The Cretaceous, representing the warmest period during Phanerozoic, contains sparse and frequently equivocal evidences for glaciers or even polar ice sheet. Recently, more and more geoscientists have been interested in the hypothesis of Cretaceous glaciation. This paper compiled the evidences from previous publications including dropstones, tillites, glendonites, eustasy fluctuations and δ18O values. The potential glaciations most possibly existed in the following intervals: BerriasianValanginian, late Valanginian, Barremian, AptianAlbian transition, AlbianCenomanian boundary, middle and latest Cenomanian, middle Turonian, middle Coniacian, early Santonian, late Campanian, CampanianMaastrichtian transition and latest Maastrichtian. The Cretaceous glaciers were small and ephemeral if they did exist. It is suggested that the Cretaceous glaciers could exist during short intervals of peak Milankovitch insolation.

Key words: Cretaceous, rapid climate change, glaciation, polar ice sheet