TIBETAN GLACIERS · Constraints on the extent and timing of glaciations, and tectonics, in South Central Tibet, using cosmogenic radionuclide dating methods
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2006-10-18 → 2009-10-17
- EU contribution
- €250,231
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- OIF
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Project objective
The extent and timing of glaciations in the interior of the Tibetan Plateau provides important information about recent climate changes in this area, and offset glacial deposits place important constraints on tectonic rates along strike-slip and normal faults in the Plateau.In particular, the reconstruction and dating of the former extent of glaciers is essential for paleoclimatic modeling that are used to predict future climate change. In addition, glacial deposits have been used to constrain tectonic off sets, and by assigning ages to these features, slip rates are inferred.Importantly, these slip rates have been used to test different models of how continent-continent convergence is accommodated along the Indo-Eurasian plate boundary in central Asia. The Nyainqentanghula and Ama Zhuma Ranges provide an excellent opportunity to constrain the timing of glaciations in south central Tibet.Radiocarbon dating is difficult or impossible because of the lack of organic material in these regions thus, the accumulation of 10Be and 26Al cosmogenic radionuclides may be used to constrain the timing of moraines emplacement.We will focus on timescales ranging from present up to 300000 years. Determining the spatial and temporal extent of Late-Quaternary glaciations in Southern Tibet is timely for several reasons.First, the results of this study will add new data on climatic events in Tibet, which is still poorly known. Second, the timing of glaciations in Southern Tibet may be used to reaffirm or revise tectonic slip rates along faults that cut glacial deposits in these areas.Thus, this project will provide important information to inform both climatic and tectonic models of this region.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- INSTITUT DE PHYSIQUE DU GLOBE DE PARIS · PARISCoordinatorFrance
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY · STANFORDCity levelUnited States
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union