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The history of glaciation of the Rolwaling and Kangchenjunga Himalayas

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Abstract

The extent of the Postglacial is characterized by a main end moraine, which is called Great Lateral Moraine. In general its outer slope is very steep and the recent ice terminal retreated inwards and lost much volume. Between this stage of historical/latest Neoglacial an ice marginal position was found, which can only be classified into the earliest Neoglacial because of its glaciogeomorphic position. It lies ca. 5–6 km outside of the historical moraines and leads to snow line depressions of 300–600 m. This stage can not mixed up with the latest Late Glacial stage. Relating to the Late Glacial only moraine terraces or remnants were found in the steep valleys. In the Kangchenjunga Valley there is a large end moraine complex of Late Glacial at 2700 m, 27 km down-valley of the recent glacier termini and in the Yalung Valley (Simbua Khola, Kangchenjunga SW) we found a lateral moraine wall 600 m above the valley bottom of Torontan. In the Rolwaling Valley several indicators imply a former glaciation of the whole valley, which stretches out into the Bhote Kosi. In consideration of the maximum glaciation of Last Glacial (LGM) which has extended lower than 1000 m in the investigated areas it can be assumed that the levels of moraines valley- inwards are younger. Snow line depressions of 300–600 m for the Neoglacial (earliest stage) and 900–1200 m for the Late Glacial can be calculated.

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  1. Department of Geography, University of Goettingen, Goldschmidtstr. 5, 37077, Goettingen, Germany (E-mail

    Sigrid Meiners

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  1. Sigrid Meiners
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Meiners, S. The history of glaciation of the Rolwaling and Kangchenjunga Himalayas. GeoJournal 47, 341–372 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007065727298

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