Chapter 54 - The Romanian Carpathians: glacial landforms from the Younger Dryas

Abstract

The general climatic warming Bølling–Allerød period triggered the general deglaciation process in the Romanian Carpathians. However, during the Younger Dryas (YD) the change towards a cooling tendency was documented by sporopollen spectra and by lower δ18O and high δ18C values of stalagmites from Apuseni Mountains. This cool climate forced a glacial readvance, with the formation of small moraines. The YD small cirque glaciers were formed, mostly, in sheltered locations, particularly with north and north-east aspects and only in the highest cirques (1900–2200m), with a few exceptions. On the northern flank of the Rodnei (Eastern Carpathians), in the Parâng and Făgăraş Mountains (Southern Carpathians), YD moraines are documented at around 12.5 ± 1.1ka. Glacially derived rock glaciers and/or talus rock glaciers also formed in a paraglacial regime, in a discontinuous permafrost belt. In the general deglaciation period, glacier undercutting, debuttressing, postglacial stress release, thermal disturbance of permafrost and ground ice in combination with freeze–thaw action caused the appearance of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations such as sagging/sackung.