Spatial and Paleoclimatic Reconstruction of the Peña Negra Paleoglacier (Sierra de Béjar-Candelario, Spain) during the Last Glacial Cycle (Late Pleistocene)
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Regional Setting
Geomorphology
2.2. Methodology
2.2.1. Improvement of Information and Detail of Geomorphology
2.2.2. A 3D Reconstruction of the Paleoglacier and PaleoELAs
2.2.3. Paleoenvironment Calculation (Paleotemperatures and Paleoprecipitation)
3. Results
3.1. Characterization of the Different Glacial Phases Recognizable in Peña Negra
3.2. Results of Ice Volume Calculations
3.3. Value and Variation in the Position of the ELAs
4. Discussion
4.1. Meaning of the Geomorphological Features Described in Peña Negra
4.2. Evolutionary and Chronological Stages of Peña Negra
4.3. Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction of Peña Negra
5. Conclusions
- Due to its hypsometric and topographic characteristics, the Peña Negra paleoglacier system was highly sensitive to climatic variations at the end of the LGC (Late Pleistocene). This sensitivity is evident in the sequences of lateral and frontal moraines, which show small cycles of ice advance and retreat.
- The evolutionary sequences of the paleoglacier system correlate with the phases described in the evolutionary models of the study area. Specifically, three main phases can be distinguished, demonstrating a gradual retreat in ice extent. The combination of fieldwork with high-resolution data collection techniques provides a better understanding of cirque glacier scarps and terraced walls, resulting in a more precise description of the evolutionary phases.
- Paleoclimatic data obtained from the equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) calculated for each phase reveal a clear increase in precipitation and a slight decrease in average summer temperatures compared to current conditions. This suggests that precipitation variations were the primary factors responsible for moments of positive and negative mass balance. The paleoclimatic study of the paleoglaciers closest to Peña Negra will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the paleoclimatic patterns that occurred during the different phases of stability recorded in the Sierra de Béjar-Candelario.
- During MIS 2, there were alternating cold and arid periods (Heinrich Stadials) with slightly warmer and wetter periods. The stability phases that led to the formation of moraine records are associated with these last moments in which the mass balance was positive due to the notable increase in precipitation in the form of snow.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Nº | Tª (°C) | Altitude (m) | Age (cal. BP) | Site | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 12.4 ± 1.5 (MTW) | 444 | 19,500–18,700 | Cáceres | [48] |
2 | 6.25 (MAAT) | 1505 | 15,090 | Navamuño | [17] |
Phase | Total Ice Volume (km3) | 3D Extension (ha) | paleoELA AAR (m) | paleoELA AABR (m) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Phase 1 | 0.526 | 195.16 | 1861.5 | 1836.5 |
Phase 2 | 0.152 | 119.28 | 1934.5 | 1909.5 |
Phase 3 | 0.020 | 41.58 | 1963.2 | 1938.5 |
Phase | paleoELA AAR (m) | ΔELA AAR (m) | paleoELA AABR (m) | ΔELA AABR (m) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Phase 1 | 1861.5 | −776.44 | 1836.5 | −751.44 |
Phase 2 | 1934.5 | −678.44 | 1909.5 | −703.44 |
Phase 3 | 1963.2 | −649.74 | 1938.5 | −674.94 |
Phase | ΔT (°C) AAR | ΔT (°C) AABR | ΔP (mm) AAR | ΔP (mm) AAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
Phase 1 | −2.96 | −2.56 | +1281.87 ± 750 | +1335.64 ± 750 |
Phase 2 | −2.12 | −2.15 | +1281.87 ± 750 | +1335.64 ± 750 |
Phase 3 | −1.18 | −0.78 | +1529.85 ± 750 | +1595.25 ± 750 |
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Nieto, C.E.; Calvo, A.; Cruz, R.; Martínez-Graña, A.M.; Goy, J.L.; González-Delgado, J.Á. Spatial and Paleoclimatic Reconstruction of the Peña Negra Paleoglacier (Sierra de Béjar-Candelario, Spain) during the Last Glacial Cycle (Late Pleistocene). Sustainability 2023, 15, 16514. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316514
Nieto CE, Calvo A, Cruz R, Martínez-Graña AM, Goy JL, González-Delgado JÁ. Spatial and Paleoclimatic Reconstruction of the Peña Negra Paleoglacier (Sierra de Béjar-Candelario, Spain) during the Last Glacial Cycle (Late Pleistocene). Sustainability. 2023; 15(23):16514. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316514
Chicago/Turabian StyleNieto, Carlos E., Ana Calvo, Raquel Cruz, Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña, José Luis Goy, and José Ángel González-Delgado. 2023. "Spatial and Paleoclimatic Reconstruction of the Peña Negra Paleoglacier (Sierra de Béjar-Candelario, Spain) during the Last Glacial Cycle (Late Pleistocene)" Sustainability 15, no. 23: 16514. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316514