Early Deglaciation in the Tropical Andes

Authors

G. O. Seltzer, Syracuse University
D. T. Rodbell, Union College, Schenectady, NY
P. A. Baker, Duke UniversityFollow
Sherilyn C. Fritz, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
P. M. Tapia, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
H. D. Rowe, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
R. B. Dunbar, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Peter U. Clark, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Date of this Version

October 2002

Comments

Published in SCIENCE VOL 298, 4 OCTOBER 2002. Copyright 2002. Used by permission.

Abstract

Analysis of sediment records from lakes located beyond the glacial limit in the Andes has provided, for the first time, an independent assessment of effective moisture ( precipitation minus evaporation) and the timing of the last glaciation (1). Conditions were wet at the LGM and remained so until approximately 15,000 cal yr B.P. (2). However, deglaciation was under way from the LGM between 22,000 and 19,500 cal yr B.P., which reinforces the observation that deglaciation in the tropical Andes was primarily forced by an increase in mean annual temperature during a wet postglacial interval (3, 4).