Glaciations in the Cantabrian Divide: The Quaternary glacial evolution in the Sierra de Cebolleda (León)

• Published in: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
• Main Authors: Serrano Cañadas, Enrique, Gómez Lende, Manuel, González Trueba, Juan José, González García, María
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2015
• Subjects: geomorphology; glaciers landforms; Quaternary glaciations; Cantabrian Mountains; geomorfología; glaciarismo; Glaciaciones Cuaternarias; Cordillera Cantábrica; géomorphologie; formes glaciaires; glaciations quaternaires; Cordillère Cantabrique; Ela; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: https://estudiosgeograficos.revistas.csic.es/index.php/estudiosgeograficos/article/view/454; https://doi.org/10.3989/estgeogr.201512

The Sierra de Cebolleda (León province, Castilla y León) is a 10 km length part of tha Cantabrian Divide, located to the South of Picos de Europa, the highest massif in the Cantabrian Mountain. The high lithological diversity and monocline structure have addressed the Quaternay glaciation. The paper studies the glacial evolution by mean of the glacial features and the objective is to know the temporal evolution and extent of Quaternary glaciers and to establish as accurate as possible correlations with the other Cantabrian massifs. A geomorphological map to scale 1/25,000, ELA calculation of each glacier and glacial period, and a morphostrtigraphical analysis, including aspect, front altitudes, glaciers lenght and ELA have been made. Eleven glaciers systems have been reconstructed, defining in the North side tongues longer than 5 km and a medium altitude of fronts of 1120 m a.s.l. The moraine complex point to between one and four glacial stages in each valley. Four glacial stages have been establish: two of alike extent (F1 and F2), a retreated and equilibrium stage (F3) and a marginal glacial stage defined by small cirque glacier (F4) and extreme periglacial processes (rock glaciers, block slopes, block streams and stratified debris). Finally, the glacial stages have been correlated with known absolute dating of other massif of the Cantabrian Mountain. La Sierra de Cebolleda constituye 10 km de la divisoria cantábrica, en dirección E-W, al sur de los Picos de Europa, el macizo más alto de la cordillera. Su elevada diversidad litológica y la estructura monoclinal condicionan el glaciarismo cuaternario. Este trabajo estudia la evolución glaciar mediante las huellas geomorfológicas. El objetivo es conocer la evolución y extensión temporal del glaciarismo para establecer correlaciones lo más precisas posibles con los restantes macizos cantábricos. Se ha realizado una cartografía geomorfológica E.1/25.000, la estimación de la ELA en cada glaciar y para cada fase temporal y un análisis morfoestratigráfico ...