Quaternary Glaciation in the Mountains of Crete, Greece

Abstract

This study reviews the Quaternary glacial record of the mountains of Crete, aiming to resolve existing uncertainties and evaluate its regional paleoclimatic implications. We present the results of extensive fieldwork conducted in the Ida (2456 m a.s.l.) and Lefka Ori massifs (2453m a.s.l.), alongside a critical review of related geomorphological and sedimentary studies. Evidence suggests a strong dependence on local topoclimatic factors, reflecting marginal conditions for glaciation, with reconstructed regional Equilibrium Line Altitudes ranging from approximately 2070 to 2100 m a.s.l. On Mt. Ida, we mapped a glacial sequence within a typical cirque–moraine system. Three distinct glacial phases were identified and tentatively correlated with the Middle Pleistocene (Marine Isotope Stages [MIS] 12 and 6) and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, MIS2) upon correlations with the glacial chronostratigraphy in mainland Greece. At a broader paleoclimatic scale, absolute dating of the stratigraphically youngest glacial phase on Mt. Ida would strengthen the hypothesis of wetter climatic conditions in southern Greece and western Turkey during the LGM, potentially driven by paleoatmospheric circulation patterns that supplied moisture along a more southwest-northeast trajectory than at present. Notably, prominent glacial features are absent from the Lefka Ori massif, despite being both larger and currently wetter than Mt. Ida. Preliminary geomorphological analysis suggests that this contrast is primarily due to the lack of topographic configurations conducive to ice accumulation in the highlands of Lefka Ori. Tectonic factors also appear to have played a key role. Variations in tectonic uplift timing and rates suggest that Lefka Ori accumulated more uplift during the Late Quaternary, while Mt. Ida experienced greater uplift prior to the Middle Pleistocene, likely influencing paleo-elevations during glacial periods. Given the marginal conditions for glaciation and high ELAs, these three factors—topography, atmospheric circulation, and tectonic history—likely played critical roles in glacier formation on Crete.