TITLE:
Investigation of Glacial Effects and the Permanent Snow Lines on the Southern Slopes of the Hamadan Alvand Kuh
AUTHORS:
Abdullah Seif, Ali Bazvand
KEYWORDS:
Serkan and Mobarak Abad Valleys of Alvand Kuh, Kuhle Method, Glacial Cirque, Quaternary Snow Line, Glacial Geomorphology Map
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.6 No.6,
June
28,
2018
ABSTRACT: One of the issues that geomorphology researchers have focused on is to trace
the geomorphic effects and the snow lines in the Quaternary glaciers in Iran.
This research has been carried out in the valleys of the southern slopes of Alvand
Kuh Mountains, namely the Serkan and Mobarakabad valleys. The equilibrium
line altitude between current and ancient glaciers is one of the parameters
that is used as a variation indicator of climate. There are several ways
to rebuild this parameter (Ancient ELA). Equilibrium Line altitude requires
the accurate knowledge of glacial geomorphic landforms and evidence. According
to Kuhle, Hofer and Luis methods, providing and estimating the ancient
and permanent snow lines were carried out in this research during field
operations within several intervals and the glacial geomorphic evidences were
identified such as circuses, sidebar moraines and terminal moraines. The six
glacier subwatersheds were developed in a study area based on Kuhle, Hofer
and Luis methods in which only two valleys of Serkan 3 and Mubarak Abad 3
had a high degree of accuracy in their ELA drop rate and old snow lines. It
should be noted that the current snowlines of the current study area are 4400
m and 1400 m (based on the Schweitzer map). The results of the estimated
snow lines for each of the six valleys are shown in Table 4. At the present
study, the main of the Mobarak Abad valley area was divided to six glacial
valleys which are called Serkan 1, 2, 3 and Mobarak Abad 1, 2, 3 and then several
layers were provided, including cirque layers, moraine layers, primary
and secondary crest layers, high crest layers, 10-meter DEM layer, highlight,
different contour line layers and valleys profiles and finally, the ultimate
map of glacial geomorphology of Serkan and Mobarak Abad valleys was
prepared.