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Late Pleistocene Glaciation of the Kosciuszko Massif, Snowy Mountains, Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Timothy T. Barrows ,
John O. Stone ,
L. Keith Fifield  and
Richard G. Cresswell
Timothy T. Barrows
Affiliation:
Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
John O. Stone
Affiliation:
Quaternary Research Center and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351360, Seattle, 98195-1360
L. Keith Fifield
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Physics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
Richard G. Cresswell
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Physics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
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Abstract

Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Australian mainland was restricted to a small area of the southeastern highlands. Geomorphic mapping of the area and exposure dating using the in situ produced cosmogenic isotope 10Be provides evidence for at least two distinct glaciations. The Early Kosciuszko glaciation consisted of a single glacier advance before 59,300 ± 5400 years ago (Snowy River Advance). The Late Kosciuszko glaciation comprised three glacier advances 32,000 ± 2500 (Headley Tarn Advance), 19,100 ± 1600 (Blue Lake Advance), and 16,800 ± 1400 years ago (Mt. Twynam Advance). The Early Kosciuszko glaciation was the most extensive and the Late Kosciuszko advances were progressively less extensive. These periods of glaciation in the highlands correspond to episodes of periglacial activity and peaks in lake levels and river discharge at lower elevations in southeastern Australia. Glacier advances on the Kosciuszko Massif correlate with advances in Tasmania, South America, and New Zealand and are broadly representative of hemispheric climate changes during the last glacial cycle.

Keywords

late PleistoceneAustraliaglacial geologyexposure dating10Be
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 55 , Issue 2 , March 2001 , pp. 179 - 189
Copyright
University of Washington

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