Abstract

The existence, duration and magnitude of the Neoproterozic ‘Snowball Earth’ glacial episodes remain controversial. Cap carbonates—the sedimentological record of Snowball deglaciation—have been interpreted to record transgression over formerly glaciated continental margins, with rare evidence for localized sea level fall. We model the full spatio-temporal variability of sea-level change during Snowball deglaciation and its aftermath following both synchronous and asynchronous, rapid and longer-duration collapses of Snowball ice cover. The model sea level trajectories exhibit significant geographic variability, and these results provide a framework for interpreting cap carbonate stratigraphy.