Quaternary glaciations in the Lopu Kangri area, central Gangdise Mountains, southern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The Gangdise Mountains are located in a transition zone between the Indian Summer Monsoon-dominated Himalaya Mountains and the Westerlies-dominated Qiangtang Plateau. The timing and extent of the paleoglaciations in the central Gangdise Mountains remain unclear. We investigated the glacial history of the southeastern slopes of Lopu Kangri using 10Be exposure dating and summarized the dating results for the western and eastern sectors of the Gangdise Mountains. Glacial events were constrained to ≥243.88 ± 25.88 ka, ≥ 43.09 ± 4.18 ka, 24.19 ± 2.29 ka, 19.78 ± 1.9 ka, 10.62 ± 1 ka, 2.75 ± 0.37 ka, 1.8 ± 0.18 ka, 0.32 ± 0.04 ka and 0.22 ± 0.04 ka, representing paleoglaciations which occurred during marine isotope stage (MIS) 8/7 or earlier, MIS 3 or earlier, early MIS 2, the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the early Holocene, the Neoglacial and the Little Ice Age (LIA). Evidence of MIS 5 or earlier glaciations, and the glaciations during MIS 3, early and late MIS 2, the global LGM and the LIA, can be found in the western or eastern sectors of the Gangdise Mountains. The spatial trend in ΔELA values in the Gangdise and surrounding mountain ranges would appear to have been controlled by particular precipitation distribution patterns. The glacial events identified in the Gangdise Mountains during MIS 2, the Neoglacial and the LIA appear consistent with previously-identified cold periods. Precipitation was most likely a contributory cause of the glaciations during the MIS 3, early Holocene, the Neoglacial and the LIA.