QUATERNARY GLACIATION SEQUENCES FROM MIS 10 TO HOLOCENE IN CENTRAL TIBETAN PLATEAU

The Puruogangri is the largest Icefield (icecap) in central Tibetan Plateau (TP) with area of 423 km². Low precipitation, gentle relief of the landscape and stable massif make this place possible to preserve relatively complete records of Quaternary glaciations. However, investigation of Quaternary glaciations have not been undertaken because of extremely remote, hard climate and harsh traffic area (Fig. 1). Using, geomorpho-stratigraphic strategies in field, the cosmogenic nuclide 10Be surface exposure dating and optically stimulated luminescence dating, we establish glacial advances in LIA, 2.3 ka, 5 ka, YD MIS 2, MIS 3, MIS 4, MIS 6, MIS8 and MIS10, etc (Fig.2).

Fig. 1 Location, geological map and investigation routes of the Puruogangri ice field. The upper panel is after Owen et al.

Fig. 2 Geochronology of glacial relicts on the western (upper) and eastern (down) parts of the Puruogangri icefield.