Morphometric Properties of Glacial Cirques in Zagros Mountain, IRAN

The morphometry of 187 cirques like forms is performed in the selected regions of Zagros Mountain with the use of GIS. The cirques like forms were delimitated manually and their headwall and floor boundaries were modified based on the classified slope map. The power law functions were fitted to 187 longitudinal cross-sections of the cirque like forms and their parameters were analyzed. All the cirques like forms were classified based on results of the power function model and comparison of longitudinal profiles of the cirque like forms with the Vilborg and Evans classification. At least 34 glacial cirques as "Classic" and "Well-defined" were distinguished in selected regions. 15 cirques were also classified as "Definite cirques". Rest of the landforms was considered as "Poor" and "Marginal" cirques. Allometric behaviors of the entire cirque like form were analyzed and compared with the similar researches, too. The allometric coefficients of length and width of 51 glacial cirques are in accordance with Alpine glacial cirques while for 136 cirque like forms are completely different of the similar researches. Result of the study also supported the idea that elevation of the cirque floor does not have a close relationship with ELA during Last Glacial Maximum.