Nonlinear forcing of climate on mountain denudation during glaciations

Denudation is one of the main processes that shapes landscapes. Because temperature, precipitation and glacial extents are key factors involved in denudation, climatic fluctuations thought to exert a strong control on this parameter over geological timescales. However, direct impacts variations denudation remain controversial, particularly those involving Quaternary cycles mountain environments. Here we measure situ cosmogenic 10Be concentration quartz marine turbidites two high-resolution cores collected Mediterranean Sea, providing near-continuous (temporal resolution ~1–2 kyr) reconstruction Southern Alps since 75 kyr ago (ka). This palaeo-denudation record can be compared with well-constrained last cycle. Our results indicate total rates were approximately times higher than present during Last Glacial Maximum (26.5–19 ka), component being $$1.5_{ - 1.0}^{ + 0.9}$$ mm yr?1. moderately glaciated (74–29 similar today (0.24 ± 0.04 yr?1). suggests nonlinear forcing climate mainly controlled by interplay between glacier velocity basin topography. Hence, onset glaciations, 2.6 million years ago, did not necessarily induce synchronous global pulse. Constraints cycle influence landscape evolution areas, according beryllium isotope measured from sequence turbidites.