Limited glacial erosion during the last glaciation in mid-latitude cirques (Retezat Mts, Southern Carpathians, Romania)

The studied dataset from the Southern Carpathians permitted quantification of a considerable amount inherited 10Be in glacial boulders and bedrock samples cirque area. phases largest extension display no signs significant inheritance, enabled establishment deglaciation chronology southern valleys Retezat Mts. timing maximum glacier extent (20.6+0.8/−1.3 ka) coincided with Last Glacial Maximum, which was followed by five during Lateglacial having partly overlapping ages due to fast retreat (at 18.4+0.7/−1.1 ka; 16.9 ± 0.9 ka, 15.8+0.9/−0.6 15.6+0.8/−0.8 ka 14.4 0.5 but could be distinguished position their terminal moraines. currently available geochronological data do not support assumption any major re-advance after Greenland Stadial 2.1a Given lack independent data, cosmogenic nuclides is tentatively estimated accepting youngest cosmic ray exposure age(s) as time moraine deposition abandonment glacier. calculated enables estimation erosion depth 1.1–1.6 m for 1.4–1.8 boulders. duration ice-covered ice-free periods adjusted relation paleoenvironmental paleoclimatological data. denudation rate cirques at 19–28 mm/kyr 24–33 boulders, respectively. limited last glaciation attributed frozen-bed conditions deepening more extended phases. Only when warming led glaciers cirques, they become steeper shift being warm-based thus erosive. However, spent under these appears too short remove material floors sufficient (>3 m) reset clock. This suggests that development must have taken place several subsequent phases, providing an indirect confirmation repeated Quaternary glaciations