Climatic conditions between 19 and 12 ka in the eastern Pyrenees, and wider implications for atmospheric circulation patterns in Europe

The chronology of the most extensive Late Pleistocene glaciation in eastern Pyrenees is now well established, but climatic variations during subsequent Last Glacial-to-Interglacial Transition (LGIT) are much less documented. aim this research to fill that gap. We present a new series 22 10Be exposure ages from sequence moraines upper Ariège catchment, and update 64 previously published seven other valleys. Based on (i) geomorphological maps successive generations ice-marginal deposits (ii) their age distributions, followed by (iii) glaciological modeling infer corresponding mass-balance gradients equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs), we reconstruct glacier behaviour LGIT retrieve paleoclimatic parameters for each glacial stillstand. Results document rapid deglaciation involving four relative stillstands, with an ELA rise ?410 m increases temperature precipitation ?4 °C ?40%, respectively, between ?18 ka (Greenland Stadial GS-2.1b) ?14.5 Interstadial GI-1). A cold dry environment prevailed onward, was almost complete GI-1. Only small glaciers persisted as late ?12.3 cirques where local conditions allowed it. These patterns compatible transient Polar Front Jet Stream repositioning latitudes 40–42°N 18 16 ka, Westerlies-dominated circulation not yet feeding mountain belt abundantly northwest, outbursts polar air meeting cool sea waters western Mediterranean mostly suppressing sources.