Lauren Knight, Clare M. Boston, Harold Lovell, Timothy T. Barrows, Eric A. Colhoun, David Fink, Nicholas C. Pepin
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
In Ireland, the Nahanagan Stadial (NS) was characterised by cirque glacier, plateau icefield and mountain ice cap expansion and is named after the cirque glacier type-site of Lough Nahanagan in the Wicklow Mountains. This period is broadly equivalent to the Younger Dryas Stadial and Greenland Stadial-1 (GS-1: ~12.9–11.7 ka). Here, we provide the first evaluation of the full extent of NS glaciation in the Wicklow Mountains by combining solar radiation modelling, mapping of glacial geomorphology, 10Be and 26Al cosmogenic surface exposure dating, 3D glacier reconstructions and analysis of snowblow and avalanching potential. We identify seven sites that hosted cirque glaciers at this time. Glacier extent was very restricted, with most glaciers only partially filling their cirques. Equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) ranged from 470 ± 5 m a.s.l. (Lough Nahanagan) to 721 ± 5 m a.s.l. (Lough Cleevaun), with an average ELA of 599 m a.s.l. Higher snowblow and avalanching contributions at sites with lower ELAs demonstrate local topoclimatic influence on glacier growth and preservation alongside regional climate. The Wicklow Mountains provides a good example of marginal cirque glaciation during GS-1 and the importance of local topography and microclimate for sustaining glaciers in some mountain areas of Britain and Ireland.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Quaternary Science publishes original papers on any field of Quaternary research, and aims to promote a wider appreciation and deeper understanding of the earth''s history during the last 2.58 million years. Papers from a wide range of disciplines appear in JQS including, for example, Archaeology, Botany, Climatology, Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geology, Geomorphology, Geophysics, Glaciology, Limnology, Oceanography, Palaeoceanography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Palaeontology, Soil Science and Zoology. The journal particularly welcomes papers reporting the results of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research which are of wide international interest to Quaternary scientists. Short communications and correspondence relating to views and information contained in JQS may also be considered for publication.