Glacier development in continental climate regions of central Asia

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dc.contributor.authorBatbaatar, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGillespie, ARen_AU
dc.contributor.authorKoppes, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorClark, DHen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChadwick, OAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFink, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorMatmon, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRupper, Sen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-12-22T03:29:08Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-12-22T03:29:08Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-04-07en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-11-22en_AU
dc.description.abstractGlaciers in central Asia that developed under a range of climatic conditions from arid to humid provide an excellent opportunity to test glacial responses to changes in climate. To do this, we mapped and dated glacial deposits at 11 sites spread over five mountain ranges in central Asia: the Altai, Tian Shan, Altyn Tagh, Qilian Shan, and Kunlun. The glacial chronologies for these sites were determined from new 10Be and 26Al exposure ages for the mapped moraines, in addition to 10Be ages available in the literature. Paleo–equilibrium-line altitudes were estimated for past glacier extents from the dated moraines. The equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) were also estimated for existing glaciers to characterize the spatial pattern in modern climate across the study region. Differences between the modern and paleo-ELAs (∆ELAs) were used to explore the climatic reasons for variations in the glacier sensitivities and responses to past changes in climate. The results show that the glaciers in more humid regions advanced to their maximum during marine oxygen-isotope stage (MIS) 3–2 with ΔELAs of ~1100–600 m. However, glaciers in the arid interior of central Asia, in the rain shadows of the Karakorum and Pamir ranges and in the Gobi Desert ranges, reached their maximum between MIS 6 and 4, and glacier extents during the subsequent colder/drier MIS 3–2 were significantly smaller or did not extend beyond their cirques. Comparisons of our results and the sensitivity analysis of modern glaciers suggest that depression of air temperature was the primary driver of glacier advances in central Asia but that precipitation played a major role in shaping the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of glacier advances. Precipitation was especially important in hyperarid conditions. Therefore, inferences about paleoclimate parameters from past glacial extents must be made after careful consideration of the climatic setting in which the glaciers are found, as well as their sensitivity to climatic factors. © 2020 The Geological Society of America.en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitleUntangling the Quaternary Period�A Legacy of Stephen C. Porteren_AU
dc.identifier.citationBatbaatar, J., Gillespie, A. R., Koppes, M., Clark, D. H., Chadwick, O. A., Fink, D., Matmon, A., & Rupper, S. (2020). Glacier development in continental climate regions of central Asia. In Waitt, R. B., Thackray, G. D., & Gillespie, A. R. (eds). Untangling the Quaternary Period—A Legacy of Stephen C. Porter. Geological Society of America, GSA Special Papers, (Vol. 548, pp. 123-154): Geological Society of America. Boulder, Colorado. doi:10.1130/2020.2548(07)en_AU
dc.identifier.editorsWaitt, R. B., Thackray, G. D., & Gillespie, A. R.en_AU
dc.identifier.isbn9780813795485en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination123-154en_AU
dc.identifier.placeofpublicationBoulder, Coloradoen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1130/2020.2548(07)en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/12627en_AU
dc.identifier.volume548en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherGeoScienceWorlden_AU
dc.subjectGlaciersen_AU
dc.subjectAsiaen_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectBeryllium 10en_AU
dc.subjectAluminium 26en_AU
dc.subjectPaleoclimatologyen_AU
dc.titleGlacier development in continental climate regions of central Asiaen_AU
dc.typeBook chapteren_AU
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