Deglaciation constraints in the Parâng Mountains, Southern Romania, using surface exposure dating

D.M Gheorghiu,S Xu,M Hosu,C Corpade

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.04.059

Abstract

Cosmogenic nuclide surface exposure ages have been widely used to constrain glacial chronologies in the European regions. This paper brings new evidence that the Romanian Carpathians sheltered mountain glaciers in their upper valleys and cirques until the end of the last glaciation. Twenty-four 10Be surface exposure ages were obtained from boulders on moraine crests in the central area of the Parâng Mountains, Southern Carpathians. Exposure ages were used to constrain the timing of the deglaciation events during the Late Glacial. The lowest boulders yielded an age of 13.0 ± 1.1 (1766 m) and final deglaciation occurred at 10.2 ± 0.9 ka (2055 m). Timing of the Late Glacial events and complete deglaciation reported in this study are consistent with, and confirm, previously reported ages of deglaciation within the Carpathian and surrounding European region.

Highlights

During the Last Glacial Maximum (26e21 ka; Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006), the southern and eastern part of the continent was affected by mountain glaciation or small ice caps, in south Germany, the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Vosges and Jura Mountains, the Carpathians and the Ural mountains (Ehlers et al, 2011)
Glaciers in the Tatra Mountains steadily retreated from the last maximum ice advance after 21.5 ka and two ice readvances occurred before the final deglaciation at 9.5 ka (Makos et al, 2013)
Our results suggest that the alpine areas of the Southern Romanian Carpathians experienced deglaciation at the same time (14e10 ka) as the other areas located west (Retezat Mountains e Reuther et al, 2007; Fagaras Mountains e Kuhlemann et al, 2013a) and further north (Rodna Mountains e Gheorghiu, 2012) during the Late Glacial period

Summary

Introduction

During the Last Glacial Maximum (26e21 ka; Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006), the southern and eastern part of the continent was affected by mountain glaciation or small ice caps, in south Germany, the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Vosges and Jura Mountains, the Carpathians and the Ural mountains (Ehlers et al, 2011). Several smaller ice caps formed in the Massif Central, Vosges and Jura Mountains (Gillespie and Molnar, 1995). Glaciers in the Tatra Mountains steadily retreated from the last maximum ice advance after 21.5 ka and two ice readvances occurred before the final deglaciation at 9.5 ka (Makos et al, 2013). In Turkey, ice reached maximum extent before 26.1 ka (Akçar et al, 2007; Sarıkaya et al, 2009) and final deglaciation is recorded in southern Turkey at ca. In Turkey, ice reached maximum extent before 26.1 ka (Akçar et al, 2007; Sarıkaya et al, 2009) and final deglaciation is recorded in southern Turkey at ca. 11.5 ka (Zahno et al, 2010)

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