RT Journal Article
T1 Geomorphology, first 36Cl datings and chrono-evolutionary model of Mount Aragats paleoglaciers (Armenia)
A1 Carrasco González, Rosa María
A1 Fernández Lozano, Javier
A1 Karampaglidis, Theodoros
A1 Soteres, Rodrigo L.
A1 Braucher, Regis
A1 Gairoard S., 
A1 Petrosyan, Artyom
A1 Nahapetyan, S.
A1 Arakelyan, D.
A1 De Pedraza Gilsanz, Javier
AB Mount Aragats is one of the largest glaciated volcanoes of the Armenian Highlands (Հայկական լեռնաշխարհ) and culminating in the Aragats Peak, the highest peak of the Republic of Armenia (4090 masl). Here, prehistoric societies have been present for millennia, so assessing the local influence of past glaciations is a crucial factor to better understand the cultural evolution of this region. Therefore, this work focuses on a detailed study of the morphology and morphostratigraphic succession of Mount Aragats paleoglaciers. Geomorphic-based paleoglacier reconstruction along 36Cl cosmogenic dating (n = 13) of moraines reveal that during the Middle and Upper Pleistocene, a plateau glacier featuring ice lobes covered this area, featuring outlet lobes reaching up to 17 km in length, thicknesses of up to 350 m and descending to 2040 masl. According to the morphostratigraphic succession of ice-marginal features, absolute chronologies and regional correlations, the chronoevolutionary sequence of these glaciers comprises three intervals: (1) The absolute Maximum Ice Extent or Aragats Glacial Maximum occurred during the Penultimate Glacial Cycle within the MIS6e (c. 180 ka). (2) Subsequently, during the Last Glacial Cycle, the Maximum Ice Extent occurred during the MIS5d (c. 111 ka) followed by two secondary glacial maxima stabilizations during the MIS3a (c. 37 ka) and the MIS2 (c. 17 ka). Finally, (3) the Post-Glacial Period (PCP, Holocene, MIS1). The disappearance of the glaciers on Mount Aragats was established at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century by direct observations. The current morphodynamic environment corresponds to active rock glaciers, some névè moraines and widespread activity of slope processes such as debris flow and debris slides.
PB Elsevier
SN 0277-3791
YR 2025
FD 2025-08-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/120516
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/120516
LA eng
NO Carrasco, R. M., Fernández-Lozano, J., Karampaglidis, T., Soteres, R. L., Braucher, R., Gairoard, S., Petrosyan, A., Nahapetyan, S., Arakelyan, D., Pedraza, J., Gasparyan, B., Aumaître, G., Keddadouche, K., & Zaidi, F. (2025). Geomorphology, first 36Cl datings and chrono-evolutionary model of Mount Aragats paleoglaciers (Armenia). Quaternary Science Reviews, 361, 109404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109404
NO MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
NO European Regional Development Fund
NO ANID FONDECYT
DS Docta Complutense
RD 1 jul 2025