Deglaciation constraints in the Parâng Mountains, Southern Romania, using surface exposure dating

Cosmogenic nuclide surface exposure ages have been widely used to constrain glacial chronologies in the European regions. This paper brings new evidence that the Romanian Carpathians sheltered mountain glaciers in their upper valleys and cirques until the end of the last glaciation. Twenty-four 10Be surface exposure ages were obtained from boulders on moraine crests in the central area of the Parâng Mountains, Southern Carpathians. Exposure ages were used to constrain the timing of the deglaciation events during the Late Glacial. The lowest boulders yielded an age of 13.0 ± 1.1 (1766 m) and final deglaciation occurred at 10.2 ± 0.9 ka (2055 m). Timing of the Late Glacial events and complete deglaciation reported in this study are consistent with, and confirm, previously reported ages of deglaciation within the Carpathian and surrounding European region.