Chronology of Glacial and Periglacial Deposits, Mount Kenya, East Africa: Description of Type Sections

Abstract

During the Quaternary valley glaciers on Mount Kenya, radiating from a central ice cap, descended to 2 900 m. A five-fold sequence of tills, and associated periglacial deposits, are present in most drainages; all glacial deposits have been named from type localities on the western and northern flanks of the mountain. Field relationships indicate that the Höhnel Diamicton is of glacial origin and of probable early to mid-Quaternary age. Teleki till, deposited prior to the last glacial maximum (Würm, Wisconsinan) is found in lower glaciated valleys at 2 900 m. These deposits carry well-developed soils, and at the type locality (site TV23) a surface soil overlies a buried paleosol formed in older drift that may correlate with the Höhnel Diamicton. Younger glacial deposits, presumed coeval with the last glacial maximum, are here termed Liki till. These deposits mantle most valleys above 3 200 m and are divisible into early and late stades on the basis of topographic position. In the high valleys deposits of Liki-II till are found above 3 900 m, and date at 12 590 ± 300 BP. In the lower valleys Liki-I drift has not been radiocarbon dated. Younger till of Neoglacial age is considered late-Holocene in age (< 1 000 BP) on the basis of relative soil development and weathering features.