Late Pleistocene Glaciation of the Kosciuszko Massif, Snowy Mountains, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Barrows ◽  
John O. Stone ◽  
L. Keith Fifield ◽  
Richard G. Cresswell

AbstractLate Pleistocene glaciation of the Australian mainland was restricted to a small area of the southeastern highlands. Geomorphic mapping of the area and exposure dating using thein situproduced cosmogenic isotope10Be provides evidence for at least two distinct glaciations. The Early Kosciuszko glaciation consisted of a single glacier advance before 59,300 ± 5400 years ago (Snowy River Advance). The Late Kosciuszko glaciation comprised three glacier advances 32,000 ± 2500 (Headley Tarn Advance), 19,100 ± 1600 (Blue Lake Advance), and 16,800 ± 1400 years ago (Mt. Twynam Advance). The Early Kosciuszko glaciation was the most extensive and the Late Kosciuszko advances were progressively less extensive. These periods of glaciation in the highlands correspond to episodes of periglacial activity and peaks in lake levels and river discharge at lower elevations in southeastern Australia. Glacier advances on the Kosciuszko Massif correlate with advances in Tasmania, South America, and New Zealand and are broadly representative of hemispheric climate changes during the last glacial cycle.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Barrows ◽  
Stephanie C. Mills ◽  
Kathryn Fitzsimmons ◽  
Robert Wasson ◽  
Robert Galloway

Abstract Only a small area of the Australian mainland was glaciated during the Pleistocene, whereas periglacial deposits are far more common, indicating that cold environments were extensive and a major influence on landscape evolution. Here we identify representative low-elevation examples of scree slopes and frost action, together with fans and valley fills, indicating pronounced erosion cycles during the Pleistocene. To date the deposits, we explore approaches using radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence, and profile dating using the cosmogenic nuclide 10Be. The radiocarbon and optical ages show that screes, alluvial valley fill, and fans were deposited between 66–13 ka during the coldest part of the last glacial cycle, and within the previous glacial cycle. Exposure dating indicates further landscape erosion cycles back to the mid Pleistocene. Together, the deposits indicate the frost cracking limit was ~1300 m lower at 680 ± 10 m and mean winter temperature was 8.2 ± 0.5°C colder than present. Periglacial conditions probably affected much of southeastern Australia. The treeless and dry conditions resulted in widespread erosion and increased run off. Combined with increased snow storage within catchments, rivers were paradoxically larger, with high seasonal discharge and sediment loads.


Terra Nova ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 331-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Carcaillet ◽  
L. L. Siame ◽  
H.-T. Chu ◽  
D. L. Bourlès ◽  
W.-C. Lu ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 590-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Röhringer ◽  
Roland Zech ◽  
Uwe Abramowski ◽  
Pjotr Sosin ◽  
Ala Aldahan ◽  
...  

AbstractGlacial chronologies from the Pamir may not only provide insights into past changes in temperature, but also into past changes in precipitation related to the northern-hemispheric westerlies and the monsoonal circulation. We present 18 new exposure ages from the Bogchigir Valleys that complement and refine our previous studies in these valleys. The most extensive dated glaciation in the area occurred ~ 100 ka, during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, and indicates increased precipitation likely from both the westerlies and the monsoonal circulation. A subsequent glacier advance, which deposited characteristic ‘chukur’ moraine lobes, occurred at ~ 80–75 ka. Circumstantial evidence points to glacial advances at ~ 65 and 40 ka, the latter likely also documenting increased monsoonal moisture supply during MIS 3. Less extensive glacial advances occurred during MIS 2 at ~ 28 and 24 ka and reflect the aridization trend during the course of the last glacial cycle. Deglaciation started ~ 21 ka, interrupted by minor stillstands or readvances at ~ 16 and 12 ka. Local calibration sites and glacier-climate modeling would be very helpful to reduce the systematic methodological uncertainties (still at least 10%) and to draw more detailed paleoclimatic conclusions.


Author(s):  
Felix Martin Hofmann ◽  
Frank Preusser ◽  
Irene Schimmelpfennig ◽  
Laëtitia Léanni ◽  
Aster team (Georges Aumaître, Karim Keddadouche & Fawzi Zaid

2021 ◽  
Vol 270 ◽  
pp. 107176
Author(s):  
Wenshen Xiao ◽  
Leonid Polyak ◽  
Rujian Wang ◽  
Christelle Not ◽  
Linsen Dong ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (19-20) ◽  
pp. 2676-2689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Barrows ◽  
Geoffrey S. Hope ◽  
Michael L. Prentice ◽  
L. Keith Fifield ◽  
Stephen G. Tims

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