Cosmogenic Dating

The Eastern Mediterranean region provides significant information on glaciations and climates of the Quaternary. The aim of the study is to determine the distribution of glaciations, its cosmogenic surface exposure ages of glacial deposits exposed on Akdag (Southwestern Turkey). I also analyzed the present human activities in the region. Akdag (36.54 N, 29.57 E, 3016 m) is located at the southwest corner of Turkey, very close to the Mediterranean. During the field trips to the study area, 41 rock samples were collected from the moraine deposits in order to calculate the cosmogenic Cl-36 ages of the moraines in three glacier valleys. The moraines from where the samples were collected were at the altitudes between 2000-2200 meters above the sea level. The ages of moraines are in between 23.3±0.7 ka and 20.4±0.8 ka. Furthermore, pre-LGM glaciers were also determined for the first time in Turkish mountains. Their age results gave about 37.9 ka. Late Glacial moraine deposits were found to be 17.2 ka in the field of study. Dating results show consistency with the mountains in Turkey as well as in other parts of Europe.