New aspects of the late to post glacial deglaciation around the Nilgri Himal and the southern Thakkola (Nepal Himalaya). Presented by Markus Wagner at the "Perth II: Global Change and the World's Mountains" conference in Perth, Scotland in September 2010.

1. New aspects on the late to post glacial
deglaciation around the Nilgiri Himal and
the southern Thakkola (Nepal Himalaya)
Markus Wagner
Northwest German Forest Research Station
Goettingen
Germany

2. paleoclimate research in the Himalaya
• rating of the present climate and modelling of future climate trends
requires knowledge of climate and climate change in the past
• extent and chronology of pleistocene glaciation
• extent: glaciogeomorphology
• chronology: relative: e.g. glaciogeomorphology, pedology
• chronology: absolute: e.g. 14C, TL, OSL, TCN
Markus Wagner 2

3. paleoclimate research in the Himalaya
• rating of the present climate and modelling of future climate trends
requires knowledge of climate and climate change in the past
• extent and chronology of pleistocene glaciation
• extent: glaciogeomorphology
• chronology: relative: e.g. glaciogeomorphology, pedology
• chronology: absolute: e.g. 14C, TL, OSL, TCN
Markus Wagner 3

4. Markus Wagner 4

5. Last Glacial Maximum for High Asia after Kuhle (2004)
Markus Wagner 5

6. Last Glacial Maximum for High Asia after Zhou et al. (2004)
Markus Wagner 6

7. Markus Wagner 7

8. Markus Wagner 8

9. Kuhle (1982)
Fort (2000)
Markus Wagner 9

10. Markus Wagner 10

11. Markus Wagner 11

12. Markus Wagner 12

13. Markus Wagner 13

14. Markus Wagner 14

15. Markus Wagner 15

16. Markus Wagner 16

17. Markus Wagner 17

18. TCN dating: 2.1 ± 1.7 and 0.6 ka BP (Zech et al. 2009)
Markus Wagner 18

19. Markus Wagner 19

20. Markus Wagner 20

21. TCN dating: 18188 ± 3084 and 23007 ± 4397 a BP (Gayer et al. 2004)
28 ka ± 3 ka BP (Zech et al. 2009)
Markus Wagner 21

22. Markus Wagner 22

23. soil profiles of the investigation areas
Markus Wagner 23

24. pedological relative dating
proof of the degree of soil development by:
1. formation of pedogenic iron and aluminium oxi-hydroxides
2. changing total element concentrations due to the element
specific mobilisation and leaching affinity
3. grain size distribution of fine earth
Markus Wagner 24

25. Exemplarily assortment of pedological weathering indices, Thini Khola
well chrystallised iron oxides: total iron ratio  Na  a Mg a K  a Ca  a 
WI(P)  
 0,35  0,9  0,25  0,7  100
 
clay mass
Markus Wagner 25

26. Exemplarily assortment of pedological weathering indices, Dhampu Basin
pedogenic iron oxides: total iron ratio Modfied Weathering Potential Index
(Na2O+K2O+CaO+MgO)/(Na2O+K2O+
CaO+MgO+Al2O3+Fe2O3+SiO2)*100
clay mass
Markus Wagner 26

27. Exemplarily assortment of pedological weathering indices, Kali Gandaki south of
the Higher Himalaya
well chrystallised iron oxides: total iron ratio
Clay Accumulation Index
Markus Wagner 27

28. Synoptical discussion of the results
• The own geomorphological investigations confirm the more extended last
high glacial glaciation found in the literature
• ELA depressions of at least 1300 m can be reonstructed; this is in
conformity with results from neighbouring regions
• lower and highly variable maximum ELA depressions, which are
explained by a weaker and shifting monsoon, can not be confirmed by
geomorphological investigations
• for pedological relative dating of moraines in the Himalaya similar
conditions of soil formation, and sufficient precipitation amounts are
required; in the central part of the Higher Himalaya around the Nilgiri-
Himal this is on the south-face of the Higher Himalaya extreme
topography and strong human influence prevent a for that necessary
continous soil development
Thank you very much for your attention !!!
Markus Wagner 28