Late Quaternary glacial history of the Nalati Range, central Tian Shan, China, investigated using Be-10 surface exposure dating

• Published in: Journal of Quaternary Science
• Main Authors: Zhang, Mei, Chen, Yixin, Li, Yingkui, Liu, Gengnian
• Other Authors: Chen, YX (reprint author), Peking Univ, Coll Urban & Environm Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Beijing Normal Univ, Acad Disaster Reduct & Emergency Management, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China., Peking Univ, Coll Urban & Environm Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Univ Tennessee, Dept Geog, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA.
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE 2016
• Subjects: Be-10 exposure dating; glacial chronology; palaeoclimate; Quaternary glaciations; Tian Shan; CENTRAL TIEN-SHAN; ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION PATTERNS; LATE PLEISTOCENE GLACIATIONS; COSMOGENIC BE-10; CENTRAL-ASIA; ICE CORE; PAMIR; TAJIKISTAN; CONSTRAINTS; CHRONOLOGY; ice core
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/458780; https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2891

We constrained glacial chronologies in three valleys on the southern slopes of the Nalati Range in the central Tian Shan, China: the Takelakete, Aiken and Sairenwuxunsala valleys, using Be-10 surface exposure dating. Our Be-10 exposure ages constrain three glacial events during 72.8 +/- 3.8-59.9 +/- 3.5 ka, 55.4 +/- 3.0-34.9 +/- 2.1 and 0.29 +/- 0.17-0.27 +/- 0.20 ka, corresponding to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages (MIS) 4 and 3, and Little Ice Age (LIA), respectively. Glaciers have been restricted from composite valley glaciers and piedmont glaciers during MIS 4-3 to confined valley glaciers during MIS 3, to small valley glaciers during the LIA, and to hanging and cirque glaciers at present. This pattern of glacial change is broadly consistent with other glaciated areas across the Tian Shan. Extensive glacial advances during MIS 4 and 3 were probably driven by enhanced precipitation brought by the westerlies. Compared to MIS 3 glacial advance, lower temperature may counteract the effect of relatively lower precipitation to drive a similar or even larger glacial advance during MIS 4. Glacial advances were limited during MIS 2, probably reflecting enhanced arid conditions in the Tian Shan caused by the weakened westerlies and strengthened Siberian High. Copyright (C) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. National Natural Science Foundation of China [40971002, 41328001, 41371082, 41230743, 41101003] SCI(E) ARTICLE [e-mail] 7 659-670 31