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The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is a global event that occurred 26 to 21 ka BP and was characterized by lower temperatures (3 to 6 °C globally) and different precipitation regimes. The environment was marked by extended glaciers which released a large set of morphologies as the systems of well-preserved moraines in the alpine foreland that testify the advanced phases of the alpine glaciers during the LGM. Mountain glaciers, quickly responding to temperature and precipitation variations, are considered excellent indicators of climate change. Here we focus on the European Alps and attempt to unveil the physical processes that sustained the glacier extent during the LGM using a multiple regional climate model (RCM) nesting approach. Toward this goal, we completed and intercompared two high-resolution (12 km) RCM simulations, one for the steady-state LGM standard (21 ka BP) and one for pre-industrial (PI) conditions. We also calculated the LGM and PI environmental equilibrium line altitude (envELA) for the whole Alpine chain starting from physically-based summer temperature a total annual precipitation. Precipitation and temperature patterns show good consistency with proxy records and other RCM studies. In particular, our results present a predominance of convection over stratiform precipitation during summer, as well as increased southwesterly stratiform precipitation in the southern alpine region compared to the PI. Frequent summer snowfall, extending to low elevations, where caused by this precipitation pattern, along with lower temperatures, and led to a substantial drop in the ELA. Our model-based evaluation of the LGM ELA showed unprecedented consistency with the estimated LGM Alpine glacier reconstructions, further proving the great potential of this method for paleoclimate applications.

Slovenia is situated at the border of the European Alps, the Pannonian Basin and the Dinaric Alps. Over 90 % of its surface is covered by sedimentary rocks, of which nearly half are carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite. During the Quaternary extensive glaciations occurred here which reshaped the surface and formed typical glacial landforms such as moraines, glacial troughs and circular hollows called glacial cirques. Glacial cirques typically form at higher elevations underneath mountain ridges. They are often characterized by an arcuate planform and concave profile. The morphogenesis of glacial cirques is tied to the subglacial erosion of a rotational glacial flow which involves the plucking of underlying bedrock and abrasion of the cirque floor with the entrained sediment. The analysis of morphometric and morphogenetic properties of glacial cirques allows for the interpretation of the type, duration and intensity of glaciation as well as the paleoclimate during the time of the formation of glacial cirques.Glacial cirques in Slovenia have yet to be systematically studied. The first step towards this is the identification and classification of glacial cirques. The identification was performed manually using key morphographic (arcuate planform, location near ridges) and morphometric (slope, curvature) parameters of glacial cirques and using the LIDAR surface data with a spatial resolution of 1x1 m from the Slovenian Environment Agency. In the first stage 129 potential glacial cirques were identified in the three Slovenian mountain ranges (the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Karavanke Mountains). Relevant morphometric data (slopes, curvature, dimensions, aspect, size, circularity…) were then calculated for the identified landforms. Using hierarchical clustering methods (Ward, Gower, minimum linkage, complete linkage…) and morphometric data multiple quantitative classifications of glacial cirques were made.The obtained classification of glacial cirques in Slovenia was objective, statistically supported and founded on quantitative data and as such is potentially applicable to populations of glacial cirques elsewhere. There is still an unsolved dilemma regarding the objectivity and reliability of the manual identification of potential glacial cirques, which could possibly be solved by implementing machine learning. This could lead to a completely automated and impartial identification of glacial cirques.

On a global scale, inventories and databases are gaining value and there is a demand for openly accessible and reusable data. Here presented GIS database of glacial geomorphological evidence is a compilation of all available glacial and other relevant data in the South-Eastern Alps and the Northern Dinaric Mountains in Slovenia, Italy and Croatia. The database contains the following elements: glacial landforms (e.g., moraines, cirques, erratic fields, kame terraces), non-glacial landforms relevant for the interpretation of the glacial environment (e.g., alluvial fans, alluvial terraces, rock glaciers, protalus ramparts, talus cones), outcrop locations, geochronological data, and data on geophysical exploration. The accompanying attribute tables contains some basic information for each feature, such as type and description of a landform, assumed age, reference, etc. In the first step of database creation, the data were digitised, georeferenced (if not already done by the authors themselves) and cited accordingly. In the second step, the input data were revised in the field and topographically adjusted using a high-resolution lidar-based digital elevation model. The GIS database of glacial geomorphological data was used to develop the web map viewer, which also displays empirically reconstructed ice limits for different time spans during the last glacial cycle (130-0 ka). The data stored in the GIS database is available as ESRI shapefile format. Both the GIS database and the map viewer are open access. Disseminating the results of past and ongoing studies on glacial geomorphological evidence in the Alps-Dinarides junction will improve the availability and accessibility of data, build on previous findings and potentially prevent unnecessary repetition of work already done. Improved accessibility of data also offers greater potential for further research in large-scale studies in the area. This work was funded by the Past climate change and glaciation at the Alps-Dinarides junction project (J1-2479) supported by the Slovenian Research Agency.

Although several types of glacial landforms and deposits were described from different parts of the Croatian Dinarides, up to date there are no quantitative glacial chronological data. Here we present the first cosmogenic 36Cl glacial chronology from the Southern Velebit Mt. from a moraine complex known as the Rujanska Kosa. We sampled four limestone boulders and used 20 mm ka−1 erosion corrected ages, as the study area is composed of well-karstified carbonate deposits and located in one of the highest precipitation regions of Europe. The inner Rujanska Kosa ridge yielded an age of 20.7 ± 2.2 ka for the retreat of glaciers in that part of Velebit Mt. A slightly older age was measured from the outer ridge on the left-lateral part of the Rujanska Kosa, which dates back to 22.7 ± 2.7 ka ago. Whilst the ages between inner and outer ridges overlap within error, we can place an age difference between the two moraines to be between 0 and 6.9 ka, supported by the geomorphic evidence that the latter is older. Although we could not perform any geomorphological work higher up in the Rujno paleo-ice field due to the remnant minefields, our results may indicate a Late Pleistocene (i.e. la st glacial maximum) retreat of ice from the Southern Velebit Mt. Despite the small number of valid samples, acquired age data on glacial landforms in Southern Velebit Mt. are in accordance with ages from several other Mediterranean mountain ranges.

The Taurus Mountain Range extends parallel to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It hosts lofty mountains (>3000 m above sea level, a.s.l.) carved by glaciers in the Late Pleistocene. Despite the recent studies in Anatolia, Mt. Davraz (2635 m a.s.l.) has not been studied in detail and its glacial chronology was lacking. This study presents our first findings of the glacial history, origin and geochronology of Mt. Davraz, which is located SW of Eğirdir Lake (915 m a.s.l.), 100 km north of Antalya city. Tectonics, karstification, glaciation, and periglaciation have led a distinctive geomorphology of the area. The main landscape of the area is predominantly shaped by paleoglaciers. Cirques are the dominant glacial erosional landforms, and most of them were developed on the northern slopes of Mt. Davraz. Based on the topographical limitations, cirque paleoglaciers could not to transformed into valley glaciers. Although it is one of the lowest mountains in the Taurus Mountain Range, it has a large hummocky field with an area of about 3 km2 on the northern slope. It was developed by a paleo-ice cap. There is also a smaller hummocky field deformed by a rock glacier advancements on the E-NE slopes of the mountain. In order to understand the timing of paleoglaciations, we obtained 6 cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure ages from the moraine boulders on hummocky field. Based on the preliminary results, Mt. Davraz hummocky field yielded sequential retreat history; the eastern hummocky field deposited their moraines at 21.7 ± 1.5 ka ago, while the western hummocky field at 17.7 ± 1.2 ka ago. Our results show that the glaciers started to retreat by the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and continued to the earlier stages of Late-glacial. This work was supported by TÜBİTAK-118Y052 project.

Deciphering deformation mechanisms within Quaternary sediments in a highly dynamic environment such as the southeast European Alps is often a challenging task that requires the use of a variety of methods. Due to the geohazards involved, the interpretation of deformation mechanisms can have a major impact on society and may enable the preparation of appropriate engineering solutions. We present an example of how deformation structures can be studied by integrating geomorphological, sedimentological and structural geological mapping using photogrammetric and leveling surveys, paleoseismological techniques, optically stimulated luminescence dating and ground penetrating radar surveys. Quaternary deposits on the slopes of the formerly glaciated So?a Valley near Most na So?i are tilted and dissected along numerous faults within the deformation zone of the Idrija Fault, a large, active, dextral strike-slip fault. Reconstruction of deformation history indicates that at least five deformation events occurred during deposition of the glaciofluvial succession interbedded with glaciolacustrine deposits, dated to Penultimate Glaciation. Ground penetrating radar profiles and outcrop observations reveal NE - SW striking faults, which are approximately perpendicular to the primary Idrija Fault. Based on the local geologic setting, we considered glaciotectonics, gravitational faulting due to ice-decay collapse or slope instability, and tectonic faulting as possible deformation mechanisms. Based on detailed documentation and analysis of the geometry and kinematics of the deformations, we interpret the observed deformations as secondary structures that result from paleoseismic activity of the Idrija Fault, and some structures resulting from glaciotectonics and gravitational faulting. The transtensional type of deformations at the studied site shows the local character of the main fault, which occurs here due to geometrical and kinematical changes of the Idrija Fault causing local transtension in the Most na Soci area. The complexity of the fault and the first paleoseismic evidence dating back to Penultimate Glaciation provide valuable new data for understanding the seismic hazard in the region.

The highest parts of the Dinaric Mountains along the eastern Adriatic coast of the southern Europe, known for their typical Mediterranean karst-dominated landscape and very humid climate, were glaciated during the Late Pleistocene. Palaeo-piedmont type glaciers that originated from Cvrsnica Mountain (2226 m a.s.l.; above sea level) in Bosnia and Herzegovina deposited hummocky, lateral and terminal moraines into the Blidinje Polje. We constrained the timing of the largest recognized glacier extent on Svinjaca and Glavice piedmont glaciers by applying the cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure dating method on twelve boulder samples collected from lateral, terminal and hummocky moraines. Using 40 mm ka–1 bedrock erosion rate due to high precipitation rates, we obtained 36Cl ages of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 22.7 ± 3.8 ka) from the hummocky moraines, and Younger Dryas (13.2 ± 1.8 ka) from the lateral moraine in Svinjaca area. The amphitheater shaped terminal moraine in Glavice area also yielded a Younger Dryas (13.5 ± 1.8 ka) age within the error margins. Our results provide a new dataset, and present a relevant contribution towards a better understanding of the glacial chronologies of the Dinaric Mountains. Because our boulder ages reflect complex exhumation and denudation histories, future work is needed to better understand these processes and their influence on the cosmogenic exposure dating approach in a karstic landscape.

Glaciokarst depressions are major glacigenic depocenters in the Dinaric mountain karst areas and often store important information about the timing and nature of glacial processes and paraglacial sediment reworking. This study focuses on Praprotna draga, which is one of the largest glaciokarst depressions in the Snežnik Mountain (Dinaric karst), with an area of ~3.4 km2 and a maximum depth of 140 m. The western slopes of the depression are characterized by undulated moraine morphology and alluvial fans are filling its entire floor. We present the results on the thickness, origin and age of the sediment infill using a complementary geomorphological, sedimentological, geophysical and dating approach. Distribution of moraines point to two glacial advances that were associated with two main alluvial fan aggradation phases recognized using the electrical resistivity tomography measurements. The youngest alluvial deposits were sampled for cosmogenic 36Cl analysis using amalgamated carbonate pebbles. The depth profile of 36Cl concentrations suggests an age of 12.3 ± 1.7 ka when assuming a likely denudation rate of 20 mm ka−1. Since the existence of the Younger Dryas glaciers in the study area is climatically difficult to explain, we tentatively propose that the youngest alluvial deposition in Praprotna draga took place after the glacier retreat during the paraglacial period. Our findings suggest that the time window of paraglacial adjustment in the Snežnik Mountain was brief and likely conditioned by quick recolonization with vegetation and inefficient surface runoff on deglaciated karst terrain.

The distribution of rock glaciers is often used to investigate the occurrence of permafrost in mountain areas and to understand their climate and paleoclimate evolution. This requires the creation of regional and global inventories capable of discriminating active and relict landforms in order to forecast the presence or absence of ice in the ground. In this paper, geomorphological, geophysical and microclimatic surveys are performed on a rock glacier of the Carnic Alps (Eastern European Alps). In the classification currently used for implementing regional inventories of permafrost evidence in the Alps, this rock glacier would be defined as relict. However the geophysical, climatological and geomorphological results indicate that internal ice is widespread in large portions of the rock glacier. These are generally interpreted as ice in pore spaces and local ice lenses, probably without layers of massive ice. Moreover the occurrence of ice during the maximum thawing season at depths

We exploit the attribute analysis of GPR data to analyze the different EM responses of the ice of two alpine glaciers. We focus on frequency-related attributes to identify zones with higher attenuation of EM signal, which could be further related to higher water content and higher electrical conductivity. We succeeded in associating the scattering facies to warm ice zones of the Marmolada glacier, further linked to the thickness of the snow cover, and to a layer of mixed debris and ice of the Eastern Gran Zebrù glacier. Moreover, we conducted automated diffraction hyperbolas analyses to gain insight into the basal thermal conditions and glaciological facies.

Mountain glaciers are key indicators of climate change. Their response is revealed by the environmental equilibrium-line altitude (ELA), i.e. the regional altitude of zero mass balance averaged over a long period of time. We introduce a simple approach for distributed modelling of the environmental ELA over the entire European Alps based on the parameterization of ELA in terms of summer temperature and annual precipitation at a glacier. We use 200 years of climate records and forecasts to model environmental ELA from 1901 to 2100 at 5 arcmin grid cell resolution. Historical environmental ELAs are reconstructed based on precipitation from the Long-term Alpine Precipitation reconstruction (LAPrec) dataset and temperature from the Historical Instrumental climatological Surface Time series of the greater Alpine region (HISTALP). The simulations of future environmental ELAs are forced with high-resolution EURO-CORDEX regional climate model projections for the European domain using three different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways, RCP). Our reconstructions yielded an environmental ELA across the European Alps of 2980 m above sea level for the period 1901−1930, with a rise of 114 m in the period 1971−2000. The environmental ELA is projected to exceed the maximum elevation of 69%, 81% and 92% of the glaciers in the European Alps by 2071−2100 under mitigation (RCP2.6), stabilization (RCP4.5) and high greenhouse gas emission (RCP8.5) scenarios, respectively.

Very small glaciers (&lt, 0.5 km2) account for more than 80% of the total number of glaciers and more than 15% of the total glacier area in the European Alps. This study seeks to better understand the impact of extreme snowfall events on the resilience of very small glaciers and ice patches in the southeastern European Alps, an area with the highest mean annual precipitation in the entire Alpine chain. Mean annual precipitation here is up to 3300 mm water equivalent, and the winter snow accumulation is approximately 6.80 m at 1800 m asl averaged over the period 1979–2018. As a consequence, very small glaciers and ice/firn patches are still present in this area at rather low altitudes (1830–2340 m). We performed repeated geodetic mass balance measurements on 14 ice bodies during the period 2006–2018 and the results show an increase greater than 10% increase in ice volume over this period. This is in accordance with several extreme winter snow accumulations in the 2000s, promoting a positive mass balance in the following years. The long-term evolution of these very small glaciers and ice bodies matches well with changes in mean temperature of the ablation season linked to variability of Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Nevertheless, the recent behaviour of such residual ice masses in this area where orographic precipitation represents an important component of weather amplification is somehow different to most of the Alps. We analysed synoptic meteorological conditions leading to the exceptional snowy winters in the 2000s, which appear to be related to the influence and modification of atmospheric planetary waves and Arctic Amplification, with further positive feedbacks due to change in local sea surface temperature and its interactions with low level flows and the orography. Although further summer warming is expected in the next decades, we conclude that modification of storm tracks and more frequent occurrence of extreme snowfall events during winter are crucial in ensuring the resilience of small glacial remnants in maritime alpine sectors.

Accepted manuscript version, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Abrasion and quarrying are significant processes of subglacial erosion for ice masses in direct contact with hard substrates, yet their relative efficacy and spatio-temporal variability is unclear. Here, we investigate the glacial impact of these processes on a 70 m by 60 m bedrock surface at Moel Ysgyfarnogod in the Rhinog Mountains, Wales, using a combination of high-resolution digital photographs, analysis of a Digital Terrain Model derived from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle survey, and regional ice sheet modelling. We map and analyze the distribution of grooved and striated surfaces, abraded surfaces, quarried blocks and open fractures in addition to the orientation of pre-existing bedrock fractures and joints. The grooves and striations are orientated in a single, consistent direction across the bedrock surfaces related to regional ice flow during the Late Pleistocene. Abraded and smoothed bedrock dominates the proximal edges of the bedrock outcrop and quarrying prevails on the distal edges of the bedrock outcrop, which are dominated by detached and partially detached blocks. We propose these blocks were removed during the final stages of the last glacial cycle when subglacial meltwater was plentiful in this otherwise predominantly frozen subglacial setting. A minimum estimate of 2000 m3 displaced material at this site implies that subglacial quarrying would have been an important erosional process during final stages of deglaciation.

A 10-year-long evolution of ice thickness and volume of the Marmolada glacier is presented. Quantitative measurements have been performed by using two different Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) datasets. A ground-based survey using two different ground-coupled systems equipped with 100 MHz and 35 MHz antennas was performed in 2004. In 2015 the dataset was collected by using a helicopter-borne step frequency GPR equipped with a 100 MHz antenna. Through a critical discussion of the two different methodologies, we show how both approaches are useful to estimate the ice volume within a glacier, as well as its morphological characteristics and changes with time, even if datasets are acquired in different periods of the year. The observed 2004–2014 ice volume reduction of the Marmolada glacier is equal to about 30%, while the area covered by ice decreased by about 22%. The glacier is now splitted in several separated units. It is very likely that the fragmentation of the Marmolada glacier observed in the period 2004–2014 was accelerated due to irregular karst topography. By applying the observed 2004–2014 ice-melting trend for the future although the Marmolada glacier might behave slightly differently compared to glaciers on non-karstic terrains owing to dominant vertical subglacial drainage, it will likely disappear by the year 2050. Only few isolated very small and thin ice patches will eventually survive due to avalanche feeding and shading at the foot of the north-facing cliffs.

International audience

Glaciokarst is a landscape which combines karst features and hydrology as well as inherited glacial features. It is a result of glaciation upon a karst geomorphological system. The relationship between glaciers and karst is rather poorly known and inadequately recognized. This research focuses on three distinct karst areas along the Adriatic coast in the southern Dinaric Alps that were affected by the Quaternary glaciations. An insight into specific glaciokarst processes and surface features was provided through the study of the areas of the Lovcen, Orjen and Velež Mountains. A glaciokarst geomorphology is in general well preserved due to the prevailing vertically oriented chemical denudation following de-glaciation and almost the entire absence of other surface processes. Typical glacial erosional features are combined by a variety of depressions which are the result of a karstic drainage of sub-glacial waters. The majority of glacial deposits occur as extensive lateral-terminal moraine complexes, which are often dissected by smaller breach-lobe moraines on the external side of the ridge. Those moraine complexes are likely to be a product of several glacial events, which is supported by complex depositional structures. According to the type of glacial depositional features, the glaciers in the study areas were likely to have characteristics of moraine-dammed glaciers. Due to vertical drainage ice-marginal fluvial processes were unable to evacuate sediment. Fluvial transport between glacial and pro-glacial systems in karst areas is inefficient. Nevertheless, some sediment from the glacier margin is washed away by the pro-glacial streams, filling the karst depressions and forming piedmont-type poljes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

International audience; The relatively warm climate conditions prevailing today in the Mediterranean region limit cold geomorphological processes only to the highest mountain environments. However, climate variability during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene has led to significant spatio-temporal variations of the glacial and periglacial domain in these mountains, including permafrost conditions.Here, we examine the distribution and evolution of permafrost in the Mediterranean region considering five time periods: Last Glaciation, deglaciation, Holocene, Little Ice Age (LIA) and present-day. The distribution of inactive permafrost-derived features as well as sedimentary records indicates that the elevation limit of permafrost during the Last Glaciation was between 1000 m and even 2000 m lower than present. Permafrost was also widespread in non-glaciated slopes above the snowline forming rock glaciers and block streams, as well as meter-sized stone circles in relatively flat summit areas. As in most of the Northern Hemisphere, the onset of deglaciation in the Mediterranean region started around 19-20 ka. The ice-free terrain left by retreating glaciers was subject to paraglacial activity and intense periglacial processes under permafrost conditions. Many rock glaciers, protalus lobes and block streams formed in these recently deglaciated environments, though most of them became gradually inactive as temperatures kept rising, especially those at lower altitudes. Following the Younger Dryas glacial advance, the Early Holocene saw the last massive deglaciation in Mediterranean mountains accompanied by a progressive shift of permafrost conditions to higher elevations. It is unlikely that air temperatures recorded in Mediterranean mountains during the Holocene favoured the existence of widespread permafrost regimes, with the only exception of the highest massifs exceeding 2500-3000 m. LIA colder climate promoted a minor glacial advance and the spatial expansion of permafrost, with the development of new protalus lobes and rock glaciers in the highest massifs. Finally, post-LIA warming has led to glacial retreat/disappearance, enhanced paraglacial activity, shift of periglacial processes to higher elevations, degradation of alpine permafrost along with geoecological changes.

The study of Pleistocene glaciations in the Dinaric Alps began at the end of the 19th century. Since then, the interpretation of glaciation in this area has not seen much study until the beginning of the 21st century, when a few modern geomorphological studies with numerical dating and equilibrium line altitude (ELA) reconstructions were carried out in the SE part of the Dinaric Alps (where Mount Lovcen is situated). The morphology of Mount Lovcen consists of a karst landscape modified by glacial processes. This paper presents geomorphological evidence of glaciations on Mount Lovcen, along with a reconstruction of paleoglacier dimensions and estimations of the paleo-equilibrium line altitude. Mapping of glacial landforms on Mount Lovcen revealed at least two different glacial events. Only limited patches of older glacial deposits were identified, and therefore the reconstruction of glacier dimensions and ELA were only performed for the younger glaciation. This glacier extended over an area of at least 39.9 km 2 and reached a maximum thickness of about 290 m. The regional ELA for the Mount Lovcen glaciers was calculated as 1259 m.

Trnovski gozd is a high karst plateau situated in the Dinaric Mountains of western Slovenia which was modified by glacial action in the Pleistocene. With our research we concluded that slopes with northern exposure and the footslope of the highest ridge of Golaki had an glacier up to 180 m thick with an area of 4.8 km2. Several outlet glaciers were found to have been drifting over a steep escarpment from the plateau to the valleys of Belca, Trebuša and on the Hudo polje plateau. There was no evidence of glaciation on southern exposed slopes. The equilibrium line altitude was established via the accumulation-area ratio method on an elevation of 1240 m. Trnovski gozd je visoka kraška planota na dinarskem krasu zahodne Slovenije, ki so jov pleistocenu preoblikovali tudi ledeniški procesi. Ugotovili smo, da je severna pobočja in podnožje najvišjega osrednjega grebena Golaki pokrival ledenik s površino 4,8 km2 in največjo debelino okoli 180 m. V več odtočnih ledenikih je padal preko strme reliefne stopnje v dolini Belce in Trebuše ter na Hudo polje. Prisojna pobočja Golakov niso bila poledenela. Z metodama deleža akumulacijskega dela ledenika ter zgornje meje bočnih moren smo izračunali ravnovesno mejo ledenikov na višini 1240 m.

Biokovo massif is situated in the coastal part of the Dinaric Mountains in Croatia. Detailed morphographic and morphometric analysis of the highest parts of the massif were used to determine the extent and characteristics of Late Pleistocene glaciation. The reconstruction of glaciers and calculations of equilibrium line altitude (ELA) were carried out. Our research revealed that on the north-eastern side of the highest peak Sveti Jure two cirque glaciers with an overall area of 1 km 2 were formed and their ELA was 1515 m a.s.l.

The southeastern European Alps represent the spot where mean annual precipitation is at its highest in the entire Alpine chain. Accordingly, the glacial evolution here might have a different spatial and chronological pattern if compared with other alpine areas. This paper discusses geomorphological evidence of three glacial stages from the Krnica Valley in the Julian Alps of Slovenia, and is the first step towards a comprehensive palaeoglaciological studies in this alpine sector. Very well-preserved glacial landforms in the Upper Krnica Valley allowed the reconstruction of glacier surface topographies and corresponding equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) by means of field-based geomorphological and sedimentological data and by using geospatial analysis. The uppermost frontal moraines belong to the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the corresponding ELA is estimated at 1973 m a.s.l. Other two stages with the ELA depressed by 50 m and 161 m compared to the LIA ELA, suggest early Holocene and Younger Dryas ages of the palaeoglaciers, respectively. This assumption ensues from absolute age datings and related ELA depressions observed elsewhere in the European Alps. The presence of buried ice under the debris in the Krnica cirque, imaged through geophysical investigations, point to peculiar microclimatic conditions able to preserve relict glacier ice. This is favoured by the recursive presence of snow on the ground caused by the extreme summer shading and the significant winter snow-recharge triggered by snowblow and avalanche feeding. The possible evolution of such relict ice under the ongoing climate warming is also discussed.

The Stara Galicica Mountain was highly reshaped by glacial processes during the Pleis-tocene. Based on the detailed morphographical mapping of glacial features, the extent of glaciation was determined as being far larger than described in previous references. The in-ner part of the massif was covered with an ice-cap from where outlet glaciers were fowing out. On the basis of morphometrical analysis of glacial features, the altitude of the glacier equilibrium line during the Last Glacial Maximum was established at 1840 m a.s.l.

The Stara Galičica Mountain was highly reshaped by glacial processes during the Pleistocene.Based on the detailed morphographical mapping of glacial features, the extent ofglaciation was determined as being far larger than described in previous references. The innerpart of the massif was covered with an ice-cap from where outlet glaciers were flowingout. On the basis of morphometrical analysis of glacial features, the altitude of the glacierequilibrium line during the Last Glacial Maximum was established at 1840 m a.s.l.

Rock glaciers and protalus ramparts are characteristic landforms of the periglacial domain often used as markers for the occurrence of permafrost in mountain terrains. As such, relict rock glaciers can be used for paleoclimate reconstructions. We present here the first previously unreported rock glacier inventory of the south-eastern Alps (including the north-eastern-most region of Italy and Slovenia), interpreted from high resolution orthophotos and a high resolution digital terrain model interpolated from airborne laser scanning (LiDAR). We mapped 53 rock glaciers covering a total area of 3.45 km(2). The majority of rock glaciers are classified as relict and distributed between 1708 and 1846 m a.s.l. with slope ranging between 19 and 27. In addition to rock glaciers we observed 66 protalus (pronival) ramparts, having median elevation of 1913 m a.s.l. and covering 0.48 km(2). More than half of the inventoried protalus ramparts are located in the more maritime area of the Alps with higher precipitation compared to the location of rock glaciers. Using paleoclimate reconstruction based on the 1981-2010 climatological record of the area, we infer that the rock glaciers formed during one of the dry and cold periods of the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. Possible evolution of the active pronival forms observed in the most maritime area of this alpine sector is also discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Julian Alps (in the southeastern European Alps, Italy and Slovenia) represent an important case study area for the study of small and very small maritime glaciers. High mean annual precipitation results in great snow accumulation during the winter, permitting the presence of ice bodies with the lowest Equilibrium Line Altitudes in the Alps. During the Little Ice Age (LIA) 19 small glaciers (2) existed, covering a total area of 2.4 km2. By 2012, the glacierized area had shrunk by 84% and only isolated glacierets and ice patches survived, each having a total area less than 0.5 km2. We present here a geomorphological and palaeoglaciological map of 8 sections of the Julian Alps related to the late Holocene distribution of glaciers, at a scale of 1:6000. Glacier topography during the LIA maximum was reconstructed on the basis of well-expressed geomorphological features together with historical archive data. The present-day distribution of ice bodies was inferred from orthophotos and 1 m resolution digital terrain models derived from airborne laser scanning. The past and present areal extent and surface morphology of glaciers permits calculation of volume loss since the LIA, which is estimated at 96%.

Blidinje is tectonically derived lowland in the Dinaric Alps within Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is surrounded by Vran, Čvrsnica and Čabulja Mountains. The Blidinje study area is predominantly built of carbonates, where karst, fluvial and glacial geomorphological systems interact. We present a 1:25,000 geomorphological map covering a 100 km2 with an elevation range of 1200–1900 m. The map results from a combination of a fieldwork mapping, interpretation of orthophotos and an analysis of a digital elevation model. This map presents a distribution of landforms and sediments associated with the past and present karst, glacial and fluvial processes, such as different varieties of karst depressions, conical hills, erosional gullies, alluvial fans and large amphitheatre-like moraines. The focus of the presented map is to assist ongoing studies in this part of the Dinaric Alps that seek to understand the dynamics of former glaciers and associated palaeoclimate.

Gomance is a piedmont karst polje in the northern Dinaric Alps presenting geomorphological and sedimentological evidence of past glaciation. During the Pleistocene the polje was situated at the edge of the Snežnik and Gorski Kotar ice fields from where two outlet glaciers reached Gomance. The morphogenesis of the polje was reconstructed by means of geomorphological mapping, sedimentological studies, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements, supported by hand-drillings. With GPR an almost entirely buried moraine system was also imaged and mapped, crucial in reconstructing the polje history. The depression was karstified and well drained without any surface streams before the Last Glaciation. When the glacier front reached the depression, the entire floor became covered by glacial and outwash deposits. Surface runoff dominated over karst drainage in a large part of the polje, particularly where distal outwash deposits with low effective porosity functioned as an aquitard. These deposits diverted surface drainage toward the lowest edge of the polje, which functioned as a ponor front along the entire length. The outwash system of the Gomance polje was active during the Last Glaciation as suggested by radiocarbon-dated outwash deposits.

Snežnik and Gorski Kotar are mountainous areas in the Northern Dinaric Alps. We investigated this remote and densely forested area on the border between Slovenia and Croatia between 2011 and 2014. The result of the fieldwork campaign is a 1:30,000 geomorphological map covering almost 600 km2. The study area mainly consists of Mesozoic age limestone and dolostone. Karstified carbonate lithology results in almost the complete absence of surface run-off and a dominance of typical karst morphology. The extensive karstified area was modified by Quaternary glaciations; therefore, the recent landscape is characterized as a glaciokarst. The focus of the presented map is to provide a basis for further research of Quaternary glaciations in the areas of Snežnik and Gorski Kotar. Along with the map, we propose a legend for glaciokarst landscape mapping.

Rock glaciers in the southeastern Alps of Slovenia and Italy have been mapped in detail using high resolution digital elevation model and orthophotos, supported by field-based observations. A total of 52 rock glaciers with an area of 3.40 km2 have been delineated on a rock glacier map, divided in 18 sections at a scale of 1:15,000. Several geometrical parameters of rock glaciers have been calculated and their activity degree has been inferred. 90% of rock glaciers have been classified as relict, while the rest are assumed to be of uncertain activity and might still contain some ice. The volumetric ice content and water volume equivalent of the studied rock glaciers for the period of their activity has been calculated to 0.055 ± 0.011 km3 and 0.049 ± 0.010 km3, respectively, which is very close to the ice volume of glaciers reconstructed for this area during the little ice age to 0.069 km3.