Subdivision of Late Pleistocene Moraines in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, Based on Rock-Weathering Features, Soils, and Radiocarbon Dates

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The progressive development of unusual rock-weathering features and soils and minimum-limiting radiocarbon dates provide a basis for subdividing four groups of late Pleistocene moraines on the west side of the Cordillera Blanca, northern Peru (9°20′1°000′S, 77°10′-77°30′W). Boulders on the youngest late Pleistocene moraines have 10 to 14-cm-tall weathering posts; soils on these moraines yield mean profile development index (PDI) values of 0.05 ± 0.04 (±1σ). These moraines date between ca. 13,500 and 9700 ± 500 yr B.P., older than previously postulated. The next older moraines have boulders with weathering-post heights between 20 and 25 cm and soils with PDI values of 0.08 ± 0.07, and were deposited prior to 13,280 ± 190 yr B.P., probably during the last glacial maximum (marine isotope stage 2). Moraines from an older glaciation have boulders with weathering posts between 39 and 50 cm high, soils that yield PDI values of 0.21 ± 0.07, and are older than 19,700 ± 340 yr B.P. Boulders on moraines from a still older glaciation have lost ca. 50% of their above-ground volume, and have weathering posts between 62 and 70 cm high. PDI values for soils on these moraines are 0.32 ± 0.06. Linear and logarithmic models of weathering-post and soil development with time are used to estimate minimum and maximum ages for the two oldest moraine groups. Linear models suggest that the second oldest moraines are between ca. 20,500 and 46,500 yr B.P., and that the oldest moraines are between ca. 29,000 and 72,000 yr B.P. In contrast, logarithmic models suggest ages of greater than ca. 75,500 yr B.P. and greater than ca. 500,000 yr B.P., respectively.