Investigating the
sensitivity
of glaciers to
climate variability

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MIS-2 in the upper Ganga catchment
(Saraswati valley), Central Himalaya
August 2019
Naresh Rana
Sheikh Nawaz Ali
Sunil Singh
Anil D. Shukla
Shubhra Sharma

The Saraswati valley has preserved evidence of four glacier advances

Moraines, outwash gravel terraces, fluvial drapes and lacustrine sequences are used to infer the pattern of glacial fluctuations in the Saraswati valley (upper Ganga catchment).hese are identified as the Saraswati Glacial Stage (SGS)-1 (oldest) to SGS-4 (youngest).
Based on the relative dating and luminescence ages obtained on younger advances, the SGS- is ascribed to pre-Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS)-2. The SGS-2 is dated to the MIS-2 (24.5 ± 2.8–21.2 ± 2.0 ka); the SGS-3 is speculatively ascribed to the Younger Dryas (YD) and the SGS-4 is suggested to be of the mid-Holocene (~6 ka) age. The deglaciation is represented by outwash gravel terraces, impounded sedimentary (lacustrine) sequences and fluvial drapes overlying and abutting the moraines are dated to early/ mid (11.9 ± 0.9–7.5 ± 0.6 ka) and late Holocene (3.3± 0.2–1.7 ± 0.3 ka) intensified/moderate Indian Summer Monsoon. Considering the timing of glacial advances and stand-still condition, it is proposed that across the orographic barrier (rain shadow valleys)
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Moraines, outwash gravel terraces, fluvial drapes and lacustrine sequences are used to infer the pattern of glacial fluctuations in the Saraswati valley (upper Ganga catchment).hese are identified as the Saraswati Glacial Stage (SGS)-1 (oldest) to SGS-4 (youngest). Based on the relative dating and luminescence ages obtained on younger advances, the SGS- is ascribed to pre-Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS)-2. The SGS-2 is dated to the MIS-2 (24.5 ± 2.8–21.2 ± 2.0 ka); the SGS-3 is speculatively ascribed to the Younger Dryas (YD) and the SGS-4 is suggested to be of the mid-Holocene (~6 ka) age
More on Glaciers
it is proposed that across the orographic barrier (rain shadow valleys), glaciers responded sensitively to the intensified anticyclonic flow of the cooler Mid-latitude Westerlies; implying that in a monsoon dominated transient climatic zone, even the rain shadow valleys responded sensitively to temperature changes.