A Late Pleistocene ice field in the Godeanu Mountains, Southern Carpathians

Abstract

The possible existence of plateau type glaciations – ice caps, ice fields or plateau glaciers - in the Godeanu Mountains, Southern Carpathians during the Late Pleistocene is the main topic of this investigation. The Godeanu Mountains is one of the westernmost mountain range of the Southern Carpathians. It is located north of the River Cerna and south of the Ţarcu and Retezat Mountains. The question about the existence of former plateau type glaciers in the Godeanu Mountains emerged due to the widespread presence of the Borăscu surface in the region. The Borăscu surface, which was described for the first time in the early 20th century by Martonne (1907), is an uplifted peneplain, which could be found in many mountain ranges in the Southern Carpathians. It’s main features are a quite small relief and a high elevation range of 1800- 2200 m a.s.l.. The most typical appearance of it is located in the Godeanu Mountains, where shallow glacial valleys surround the central plateaus.