Cosmogenic 10Be dating of Guxiang and Baiyu Glaciations

Guxiang and Baiyu Glaciations are two previously recognized local glaciations of the Tibetan Plateau. They have been widely used as the reference standard for classifying Late Quaternary glaciations on the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountains. However, the numerical chronologies of both glaciations have been lacking. In this study, cosmogenic 10Be dating was undertaken to define the timing of these two glaciations. The surface boulders deposited by the glaciers of the Guxiang and Baiyu Glaciations have exposure ages of 112.9±16.7–136.5±15.8 ka BP and 11.1±1.9–18.5±2.2 ka BP, respectively. It is likely that the Guxiang and Baiyu Glaciations correspond to marine isotope stages 6 and 2, respectively.