The High Glacial (pre-LGM and LGM) glaciation of SE-Iranian mountains exemplified by Kuh- i -Jupar massif in The Zagros (Part one)

Subject Areas : Geopolitic

ماتیاس  Kouleh ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2015-01-16 Accepted : 2015-01-16 Published : 2004-07-22

Keywords: Paleoclimate, Ice Age Glaciation, High- and Central Asia, Glaciogemorphology,

Abstract :

Evidence has been provided of two mountain glaciations in the 4000 m-high, currentlynon-glaciated Kuh- i -Jupar in the semiarid Zagros: an older period during the pre-LGM (Rissglaciation, c. 130 Ka) and a younger one during the LGM (Würm glaciation, Isotop-stage 4-2:60 -18 Ka). During the pre-LGM glaciation the glaciers reached a maximum of 17 km inlength; during the LGM glaciation they were 10-12 km long. They flowed down into themountain foreland as far as 2160, i.e. 1,900 m.The thicknesses of the valley glaciers reached 550, i.e. 350 m. During the pre-LGM a 23 kmextended,continuous piedmont glacier lobe has been developed parallel to the mountain foot.During the LGM the glacier termini mainly remained isolated in the mountain foreland.During the pre-LGM glaciation the ELA ran at 2,960 and during the LGM-glaciation at 3,060m a.s.l, that is 1.590, i.e. 1,490 m below the current theoretical snow line. Thus, a temperaturedepression of c. 11-16°C, i.e. 10-15°C is proved for the SE-Iranian highland, c. 130, ie. 60-18Ka ago.