Late Pleistocene and Holocene Moraines in the Sagarmatha (Everest) Region, Khumbu Himal

Iwata, Shuichi

doi:10.5331/seppyo.38.special_109

Cited by 33 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…Owen et al, 2009;Richards et al, 2000). Recent moraines in the Imja valley immediately to the south of Mt Everest were identified for the Nuptse, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Ama Dablam, Chukung, Kyuwo and Raiha Glaciers (Iwata, 1976). One age has been produced using OSL dating for a sand lens in the Lhotse Glacier terminal moraine of 900 ± 200 CE (Richards et al, 2000) and is supported by three similar 14 C ages for this moraine and five from that of the neighbouring Lhotse Shar Glacier (Röthlisberger and Geyh, 1986).…”

Section: The Everest Region the Everest Region Includes The Khumbumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two sets of lateral and terminal moraines are located immediately outboard of the present-day margin of Khumbu Glacier ( Figure 5). These moraines represent the last Holocene advances and have previously been grouped together as one event in the absence of geochronological data (Iwata, 1976). The outmost subdued lateral moraine ridge of large glaciers in the Khumbu Himal is assigned to a late-Holocene advance (Richards et al, 2000).…”

Section: The Everest Region the Everest Region Includes The Khumbumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Early observations of the condition of glaciers in the Himalaya and their recent moraines in the absence of geochronological data led researchers to correlate the advances of Himalayan glaciers to those of European glaciers (Grove, 2004;Iwata, 1976). Historical accounts between 1850 and 1920 CE of glaciers close to their LIA extents, as indicated by lateral and terminal moraine positions, may have been misinterpreted as evidence for LIA maxima (Grove, 2004) when instead these glaciers have only undergone minor changes in area between their last advance around 1500 CE and the present day.…”

Section: Dating and Interpretation Of Holocene Morainesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ‘Little Ice Age’ in the Himalaya: A review of glacier advance driven by Northern Hemisphere temperature change

Rowan

2016

The Holocene

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Northern Hemisphere cooling between 1400 and 1900 in the Common Era (CE) resulted in the expansion of glaciers during a period known as the 'Little Ice Age' (LIA). Early investigation of recent advances of Himalayan glaciers assumed that these events were synchronous with LIA advances identified in Europe, based on the appearance and position of moraines and without numerical age control. However, applications of Quaternary dating techniques such as terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating have allowed researchers to determine numerical ages for these young moraines and clarify when glacial maxima occurred. This paper reviews geochronological evidence for the last advance of glaciers in the Himalaya. The 66 ages younger than 2000 years (0-2000 CE) calculated from 138 samples collected from glacial landforms demonstrate that peak moraine building occurred between 1300 and 1600 CE, slightly earlier than the coldest period of Northern Hemisphere air temperatures. The timing of LIA advances varied spatially, likely influenced by variations in topography and meteorology across and along the mountain range. Palaeoclimate proxies indicate cooling air temperatures from 1300 CE leading to a southward shift in the Asian monsoon, increased Westerly winter precipitation and generally wetter conditions across the range around 1400 and 1800 CE. The last advance of glaciers in the Himalaya during a period of variable climate resulted from cold Northern Hemisphere air temperatures and was sustained by increased snowfall as atmospheric circulation reorganised in response to cooling during the LIA.

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Section: The Everest Region the Everest Region Includes The Khumbumentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Everest Region the Everest Region Includes The Khumbumentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dating and Interpretation Of Holocene Morainesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ‘Little Ice Age’ in the Himalaya: A review of glacier advance driven by Northern Hemisphere temperature change

Rowan

2016

The Holocene

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“…Numerous studies have been undertaken on the Quaternary glacial and associated landforms in this region (Benedict, 1976;Iwata, 1976;Fushimi, 1977Fushimi, , 1978Mü ller, 1980;van Williams, 1983;Richards et al, 2000b;Finkel et al, 2003;Barnard et al, 2006a). The earliest geochronological studies involved radiocarbon dating of late Holocene moraines (Benedict, 1976;Fushimi, 1978;Mü ller, 1980).…”

Section: Key Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Owen

Caffee

Finkel

et al. 2008

J Quaternary Science

210

143

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Glacial geological evidence from throughout the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen is examined to determine the timing and extent of late Quaternary glaciation in this region and its relation to similar changes on a global scale. The evidence summarised here supports the existence of expanded ice caps and extensive valley glacier systems throughout the region during the late Quaternary. However, it cannot yet be determined whether the timing of the extent of maximum glaciation was synchronous throughout the entire region or whether the response was more varied. The lack of organic material needed for radiocarbon dating has hindered past progress in glacial reconstruction; however, application of optically stimulated luminescence and terrestrial cosmogenic radionuclide methods has recently expanded the number of chronologies throughout the region. Limits to the precision and accuracy available with these methods and, more importantly, geological uncertainty imposed by processes of moraine formation and alteration both conspire to limit the time resolution on which correlations can be made to Milankovitch timescales (several ka). In order to put all studies on a common scale, well-dated sites have been re-evaluated and all the published terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ages for moraine boulders and glacially eroded surfaces in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen have been recalculated. Locally detailed studies indicate that there are considerable variations in the extent of glaciation from one region to the next during a glaciation. Glaciers throughout monsoon-influenced Tibet, the Himalaya and the Transhimalaya are likely synchronous both with climate change resulting from oscillations in the South Asian monsoon and with Northern Hemisphere cooling cycles. In contrast, glaciers in Pamir in the far western regions of the Himalayan-Tibet orogen advanced asynchronously relative to the other regions that are monsooninfluenced regions and appear to be mainly in phase with the Northern Hemisphere cooling cycles. Broad patterns of local and regional variability based on equilibrium-line altitudes have yet to be fully assessed, but have the potential to help define changes in climatic gradients over time.

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“…For example, Embleton and King (1968) summarized the characteristics and mechanism of formation of moraines. The moraines in Khumbu Himal were chronologically studied by Iwata (1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Some Modified Forms of Lateral Moraines Observed in the Khumbu and Shorong Regions

Yokoyama

1978

Journal of the Japanese Society of Snow and Ice

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Late Pleistocene and Holocene Moraines in the Sagarmatha (Everest) Region, Khumbu Himal

Cited by 33 publications

References 5 publications

The ‘Little Ice Age’ in the Himalaya: A review of glacier advance driven by Northern Hemisphere temperature change

The ‘Little Ice Age’ in the Himalaya: A review of glacier advance driven by Northern Hemisphere temperature change

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Some Modified Forms of Lateral Moraines Observed in the Khumbu and Shorong Regions

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