The ¹⁰Be Deglaciation Chronology Of The Göschenertal, Central Swiss Alps, And New Insights Into The Göschenen Cold Phases

Authors

Max Boxleitner, University of ZurichFollow
Susan Ivy-Ochs, ETH Zürich
Markus Egli, University of ZurichFollow
Dagmar Brandova, University of ZurichFollow
Marcus Christl, ETH ZürichFollow
Dennis Dahms, University of Northern IowaFollow
Max Maisch, University of ZurichFollow

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Boreas

Volume

48

Issue

4

First Page

867

Last Page

878

Abstract

The Göschenertal (Göschenen valley) is the type locality of the so-called Göschenen Cold Phases I (~3–2.3 ka) and II (~1.8–1.1 ka). According to earlier studies, these Late Holocene climatic cooling periods were characterized by changes in vegetation and pronounced glacier advances. As a peculiarity, the Göschenen Cold Phase I was thought to be connected to a local surge-type advance of the Chelengletscher (Chelen glacier) – an exceptional event of unparalleled dimension in the European Alps. Based on cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages from moraine boulders, we investigated the local glacier chronology. In contrast to former research, moraines at different positions within the Göschenen valley (central Swiss Alps) have been dated to the Younger Dryas and the Early Holocene. This questions the applicability of palaeo-Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) calculations for stadial attributions without additional numerical age constraints. Furthermore, we have found compelling evidence that the proposed non-climatic glacier advance attributed to the Göschenen Cold Phase I did not occur. The present results, along with a reappraisal of the original study, question the scientific reliability and the glaciological definition of the Göschenen Cold Phases as glacier advances that clearly exceeded the Little Ice Age positions. While our data do not exclude potential changes in climate and vegetation, we nonetheless show that the Göschenen Cold Phases are not suitable as reference stadials in the system of Alpine Holocene glacier fluctuations.

Department

Department of Geography

Original Publication Date

10-1-2019

DOI of published version

10.1111/bor.12394

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

Recommended Citation

Boxleitner, Max; Ivy-Ochs, Susan; Egli, Markus; Brandova, Dagmar; Christl, Marcus; Dahms, Dennis; and Maisch, Max, "The ¹⁰Be Deglaciation Chronology Of The Göschenertal, Central Swiss Alps, And New Insights Into The Göschenen Cold Phases" (2019). Faculty Publications. 467.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/467