Paleoglaciations in Anatolia: – a Schematic Review And
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
102-121 Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 55 Hannover 2005 8 Abb., 1 Tab. Paleoglaciations in Anatolia: – A Schematic Review and First Results – N A*) C S Keywords: Turkey, Anatolia, Glaciation, Paleoglacia- [Die früheren Vergletscherungen in Anatolien: tions, Climate, Paleocirculations – Ein schematischer Rückblick & erste Ergeb- nisse – ] Abstract: Anatolia is situated in the Eastern Mediter- ranean region between 36o – 42oN and 26o – 45oE. Kurzfassung: Die spezielle geographische Lage der Th e geological records of paleoglaciations in the high Türkei nordöstlich vom Mittelmeer zwischen 36o terrains of Anatolia are key archives to quantify pale- und 42o N, bzw. zwischen 26o und 45o E macht oclimate change in the Eastern Mediterranean area. sie für Klima- und Paläoklimastudien zu einem Th e climate of the Eastern Mediterranean region is besonders zentralen und sensiblen Gebiet. Der infl uenced by three main atmospheric systems: the Vergletscherungsgeschichte von Anatolien kommt main middle to high latitude westerlies, the mid- demzufolge eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Bewertung latitude subtropical high-pressure systems, and the von Klimaveränderungen im östlichen Mittelmeer- monsoon climate. raum zu. Glacial geological studies in Turkey have started Bereits aus dem späten 19. Jahrhundert sind gla- in the late 19th century. Glacial deposits are found zialgeologische Studien aus der Türkei bekannt. mainly in the eastern, northeastern and southern Vergletscherungsspuren sind vorwiegend in den part of the Anatolian Peninsula. Anatolia is the östlichen, nordöstlichen und südlichen Gebirgszü- | downloaded: 1.10.2021 fundamental element to understand the interactions gen von Kleinasien vorhanden: in den Gebirgen am between paleoenvironment, climatic variations, and Schwarzen Meer, im Taurus, in den ostanatolischen development of the human societies. As the Taurus Bergen, dem Uludag und auf isolierten Vulkanen and Black Sea Mountains are sensitively situated for wie Erciyes, Süphan und Ararat. the paleoclimatic reconstructions, a chronostrati- Das Klima im östlichen Mittelmeerraum ist haupt- graphic framework on the paleoglaciation should be sächlich durch drei atmosphärische Strömungen elaborated. Th e timing of the Last Glacial Maximum geprägt: westliche Höhenströmungen der mittleren (LGM) in Anatolia is still unknown. Our fi rst results und höheren Breiten, subtropische Hochdruckge- from Kavron Valley (Kaçkar Mountains, NE Turkey) biete der mittleren Breiten und der Monsun. Der are encouraging for the reconstruction of paleogla- Transport von Feuchtigkeit ist die zentrale Bestim- ciations in Turkey and related paleoclimatological mungsgröße für die Niederschlagsverteilung in interpretations although it is presently diffi cult diesem Gebiet. to pinpoint the classical Last Glacial Maximum Für die Feuchtigkeitszufuhr in die Gebirge Klein- – Younger Dryas – Little Ice Age moraine sequences asiens während der pleistozänen Kaltzeiten sind in the fi eld. Lage und Maxima der Jetstreams wichtig. Gletscher und ihre Ablagerungen sind in diesem Zusammen- https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.47000 hang zentrale Archive für Klimarekonstruktionen. Amplitude und Frequenz von eiszeitlichen Glet- *Anschrift des Verfassers: Institut für Geologie, Uni- scherschwankungen müssen möglichst präzise er- source: versität Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1-3, 3012 Bern, CH, fasst werden, um Aussagen über die eiszeitliche at- Email: [email protected] mosphärischen Zirkulationen – wie in den Alpen Paleoglaciations in Anatolia 103 – machen zu können. Dies ist für Kleinasien auch in the global boundary conditions, which ac- zudem wichtig und interessant, weil diese Gegend companied (or caused) for instance the last seit Jahrtausenden intensive besiedelt ist. Das Al- glacial–interglacial transition. As the glaciers ter der letzten maximalen Vereisung in Anatolien ist are the sensitive climate archives of high lati- bisher unbekannt. Unsere ersten Ergebnisse aus dem tudes and altitudes, they should have produced Kavrontal (Kaçkar Gebirge, NE Türkei) sind vielver- geological evidence of the dramatic changes in sprechend in bezug auf die Rekonstruktion früherer Vergletscherungen in der Türkei und daraus folgen- the global boundary conditions (among others: den Interpretationen über die paläoklimatologischen B 2001). Verhältnisse. Es ist im Augenblick jedoch schwierig In a study of climate change during the Qua- die im Gelände unterscheidbaren Moränensequen- ternary Period, Anatolia merits special attention zen mit den klassischen Vereisungsstadien (Letztes for several reasons. Anatolia is situated in the Glaziales Maximum, Jüngere Dryaszeit, Kleine Eis- Eastern Mediterranean region (located between zeit) zu verknüpfen. 36o–42oN and 26o–45oE). As it lies between generally humid and generally arid areas, this peninsula is extremely sensitive to even minor changes in precipitation. In addition, Anatolia Introduction is located in a tectonically and seismically ac- tive zone and it has experienced continuous Th e Earth’s climate has always been chang- settlement at least for 10,000 – 12,000 years, ing and the magnitude of these changes has and possesses a rich record of human occupa- varied from place to place and from time to tion, in the form of both archeological remains time (G B 1985). Th e term and written documents (E 1978). Th e “climatic change” is a general expression that geological records of paleoglaciations in the encompasses all forms of climatic inconsistency, high terrains of Anatolia are key archive to regardless of their statistical nature or physical quantify paleoclimate change in the Eastern causes (M 1966). An abrupt climate Mediterranean region. Currently, there is no change is a discontinuity in climate caused by suffi cient information about the paleoglacia- abrupt and, apparently, permanent changes tions in Anatolia. during the period of record from one average Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is a period of value to another (G B 1985). time during which the most recent glaciation Present climatic conditions are the key to un- cycle was at its peak with maximum global derstand past climates. Th e physical principles ice volume during Marine Isotope Stage 2 and rules which apply today, and which form (MIS2). Th is glaciation is extensively mapped the basis for our understanding of the climate and referred to as Wisconsinian, Weichselian or system, we assume, apply equally well to the Würmian, depending on the location of studies past. Because of this, the large-scale features of in North America, northern Europe, or the Alps. today’s atmospheric circulation patterns were Due to the lack of detailed mapping and dating almost certainly present in the past, although in paleoglaciation studies in Turkey, the timing they may have been geographically displaced, of the LGM remains still open there. We follow of diff erent intensity, or subject to diff erent here, as a hypothesis to the LGM during MIS2. seasonal or inter-annual changes (W Th e aim of this paper is to portray a schematic F 1982). More important variations in summary of glacial geological studies in Turkey, these features must have occurred in the past, the current atmospherical circulation patterns especially in response to the dramatic changes and thus climate in the Eastern Mediterranean 104 N A C S region and Anatolia. Furthermore we aim to 1955, 1955a, 1955b, 1957, 1959, 1978; E map and date the LGM – Younger Dryas – Lit- et al. 1955, 1961), including the discovery tle Ice Age paleoglacial sequence with an exam- of the glaciers in Mount Kaçkar and Mount ple from the Kavron Valley, (Kaçkar Mountains, Süphan. By the 1960’s foreign scientists became NE Turkey). more and more interested in the previously stu- died areas and Turkish scientists started to study this subject. Apart from local studies, several scientists have made observations in a regional Glacial Geology in Turkey: context about the glaciers and glacial deposits A Schematic Summary in Turkey and/or Mediterranean region (L 1938, 1944; E 1952a, 1952b, 1953; Glacial geological studies in Turkey have started B 1958; K 1965; M in the late 19th century. Th e fi rst observations 1967, 1980; B 1968; K 1969, 1977, on the presence of glaciers and glacial deposits 1978; H 1975; K 1980, 1991; are made in the 1840’s in the southeastern part S 1989; W F 1991; of the Taurus (A 1842) and Eastern Z et al. 2001; Ç 2004). All these Black Sea Mountains (K 1846). In fact, the studies are mainly qualitative geographical and scientifi c studies did not begin until the 20th geomorphological fi eld descriptions. Except century. Penther’s photographs of the glacier on for some pioneering work, age determinations Mount Erciyes and his high-resolution map are remained relative. Th e most recent study on the oldest known documents about a glacier in occurrence and genetic facies analysis of glacial Turkey (P 1905). However additional deposits is by Ç et al. (1999) for the Cen- studies in the other parts of the country did not tral Taurus Mountains. However, the age of the follow these early initiatives. During the period investigated deposits remains still unknown. from the 1905’s until the foundation of the Glacial deposits are found mainly in the eastern, Turkish Republic including the 1st World War, northeastern and southern part of the Anatolian there was a considerable hiatus before additional Peninsula (Fig. 1, Tab. 1). Th ey are located in studies were carried out. Th e description and the eastern part of the Black Sea Mountains mapping of glaciers and glacial deposits began