The North Atlantic Current and its branches are an important source for the heat budget in the Arctic and are consequently of great importance for the climatic development in this region. The Svalbard margins is influenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses, and the boundary between them create the Arctic Front. In a setting close to the Arctic Front, even small changes in the current system are expected to give large and distinct signals in paleoceanographic records. The West Spitsbergen Current introduces Atlantic water masses to the western and northern Svalbard margins and the Arctic Ocean. The current loses heat as it flows north, and around 78 ^o N it submerges and continues as a subsurface current. On the shelf outside Kongsfjorden, at approximately 79 ^o N, the Atlantic water mass flows at depths between 100 and 500 meters.

A marine sediment core has been investigated in order to reconstruct Holocene variations in Atlantic Water inflow and glacial activity in the Arctic fjord Kongsfjorden, western Svalbard. The sediment core was retrieved from a water depth of 327 meters, and the site is hence suitable for reconstruction of Atlantic Water inflow. The reconstructions are primarily based on analysis of benthic foraminifera and ice rafted debris (IRD). AMS radiocarbon dating has been performed on ten samples (using benthic foraminifera) in order to establish an age model for the core.

At the transition to the Holocene a faunal dominance of the species N. laboradorica demonstrates that the Arctic Front is situated close to the site, implying proximity to Atlantic Water. The front signal disappears rapidly at ca. 11 300 cal. yr. BP, and is absent for 250 years. In this time interval the record indicates cooler and fresher water masses and presence of annual sea ice cover over the site. The sudden shift coincides with the Preboreal Oscillation previously reported from the North Atlantic region. After 11 000 cal. years BP a high IRD content reflects the final deglaciation phase and at the same time the Arctic Front migrates toward the site again. Between 10 500 and 7 200 cal. years BP the faunal dominance of C. reniforme and absent of E. excavatum reflect strong influence of Atlantic Water, combined with a minor delivery of IRD. High seasonal productivity indicates a Holocene climatic optimum around 9000 cal. years BP. About 7 200 cal. years BP an abrupt change indicates cooler, less saline water masses prevailing at the core site as the species E. excavatum rapidly reappear in the fauna. Following this there is a gradual reduction of Atlantic Water inflow, but no changes in the IRD content. After ~4 700 cal. years BP the faunal analysis reveals little or no Atlantic Water influence, with a pronounced dominance of E. excavatum, typical for a fresher and cooler ice proximal environment. After 3 500 cal years BP the IRD content indicate a marked increase in glacial activity. The general Holocene trend of Atlantic Water inflow to Kongsfjorden correlates to changes in the West Spitsbergen Current recorded along the northern and western Svalbard margin.