The glacier advance at the onset of the Little Ice Age in the Alps: New evidence from Mont Miné and Morteratsch glaciers

The term ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA) is classically used to define a period of repeated and extensive glacier advances during the last millennium. In meanwhile, this also address relatively low temperatures between Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA), or Warm Period, present-day warming. end LIA generally set mid late 1800s CE, however, published onset dates are more variable from 1200s 1500s. At Mont Miné Morteratsch glaciers, Swiss Alps, we sampled subsequently analysed detrital as well in situ tree remnants early period. both trees with lifespans up about 400 years were buried at various lateral moraine sites. corresponding advance glaciers can be traced 1280s until 1310s. glacier, phase culminated likely around 1375 CE. Evidence collected indicates that ice surfaces least c. 12–15 m crests deposited maximum extent LIA. This suggests similar (though very slightly weaker) magnitude than later our coincide cool summer 1300s. Taken together, Little Age Alps considered 1260 was not uniform period, but had several phases derived records Alpine temperatures. We propose subdivision European into an (1260–1380 CE), intermediate (1380–1575 CE) main (1575–1860 phase.