Geoscience

Intact Quaternary Glacier Relics Discovered

Recently, scientists from the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS found a large number of typical relics of the Quaternary glaciers in Diebu County, Gansu Province. Analysis showed that this landform was left by glacial erosion at the Quaternary period. The erosion started 2 million to 3 million years ago and ended about 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. It covers a very wide area and left a large number of relics of glaciers on the earth’s surface. Due to high altitude, the Zhagana Mountain generally has an elevation of above 3,500m and a large proportion of it has an elevation of above 4,000m. Therefore, one can clearly see the glacier valley and glacial mélange above the snow line, including horn peak, arête, cirque, cross-wall, glacial trough, roche moutonnee, glacial striation and other wind erosion landforms. Their shape is very unique and beautiful. Scientists said the typical glacier landform on the Zhagana Mountain was developed completely and its unique cause of formation is rare in China and seldom in the world. It is an important symbol for the identification of the scope and nature of glaciation and is of great significance to the research on paleogeography, paleoclimate change and landform of glacial deposits.