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The Alpine LGM in the boreal ice-sheets game
Giovanni Monegato1, Giancarlo Scardia2, Irka Hajdas3
1CNR - Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, Torino, Italy. g.monegato@csg.to.cnr.it.
Scientific Reports
|May 20, 2017
Summary
Alpine glaciers reached their maximum extent during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) before the Eurasian Ice Sheet (EIS). This timing was influenced by moisture availability from the Mediterranean Sea, driven by North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Quaternary Geology
- Paleoclimatology
- Glaciology
Background:
- Understanding glacial dynamics during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is crucial for reconstructing past climate.
- Previous chronologies for Alpine glaciers lacked detailed synchronization with larger ice sheets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish new chronologic and stratigraphic constraints for the Adige-Sarca glacial system.
- To refine the Alpine Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) dataset and compare it with other major ice sheets.
Main Methods:
- Dating of the Garda morainic amphitheater.
- Stratigraphic analysis.
- Integration with existing chronologies from the Rhine and Tagliamento systems.
Main Results:
- New data from the Garda morainic amphitheater provide precise timing for the last glaciation in the Adige-Sarca system.
- Alpine glaciers peaked synchronously during the LGM, preceding the Eurasian Ice Sheet (EIS) maximum by approximately 3.5 ka.
- The expansion of Alpine glaciers was linked to increased moisture from the Mediterranean Sea, influenced by North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) growth.
Conclusions:
- Alpine glacier extent is highly sensitive to moisture availability from southerly circulation.
- The waxing and waning of the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) influenced atmospheric circulation patterns, impacting both Alpine and Eurasian ice sheets.
- The timing of glacial maxima suggests complex teleconnections between ice sheets in different hemispheres.
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