Recent tropical Andean glacier retreat is unprecedented in the Holocene

Andrew L. Gorin; Jeremy D. Shakun; Andrew G. Jones; Tori M. Kennedy; Shaun A. Marcott; Brent M. Goehring; Lucas K. Zoet; Vincent Jomelli; Gordon R.M. Bromley; Emilio I. Mateo; Bryan G. Mark; Donald T. Rodbell; Adrien Gilbert; Marc W. Caffee

doi:10.1126/science.adg7546

Recent tropical Andean glacier retreat is unprecedented in the Holocene

Andrew L. Gorin, Jeremy D. Shakun, Andrew G. Jones, Tori M. Kennedy, Shaun A. Marcott, Brent M. Goehring, Lucas K. Zoet, Vincent Jomelli, Gordon R.M. Bromley, Emilio I. Mateo, Bryan G. Mark, Donald T. Rodbell, Adrien Gilbert, Marc W. Caffee

Geography

Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Tropical glaciers have retreated over recent decades, but whether the magnitude of this retreat exceeds the bounds of Holocene fluctuations is unclear. We measured cosmogenic beryllium-10 and carbon-14 concentrations in recently exposed bedrock at the margin of four glaciers spanning the tropical Andes to reconstruct their past extents relative to today. Nuclide concentrations are near zero in almost all samples, suggesting that these locations were never exposed during the Holocene. Our data imply that many glaciers in the tropics are probably now smaller than they have been in at least 11,700 years, making the tropics the first large region where this milestone has been documented.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	517-521
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	385
Issue number	6708
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adg7546
Publication status	Published - 2 Aug 2024

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title = "Recent tropical Andean glacier retreat is unprecedented in the Holocene",

abstract = "Tropical glaciers have retreated over recent decades, but whether the magnitude of this retreat exceeds the bounds of Holocene fluctuations is unclear. We measured cosmogenic beryllium-10 and carbon-14 concentrations in recently exposed bedrock at the margin of four glaciers spanning the tropical Andes to reconstruct their past extents relative to today. Nuclide concentrations are near zero in almost all samples, suggesting that these locations were never exposed during the Holocene. Our data imply that many glaciers in the tropics are probably now smaller than they have been in at least 11,700 years, making the tropics the first large region where this milestone has been documented.",

author = "Gorin, \{Andrew L.\} and Shakun, \{Jeremy D.\} and Jones, \{Andrew G.\} and Kennedy, \{Tori M.\} and Marcott, \{Shaun A.\} and Goehring, \{Brent M.\} and Zoet, \{Lucas K.\} and Vincent Jomelli and Bromley, \{Gordon R.M.\} and Mateo, \{Emilio I.\} and Mark, \{Bryan G.\} and Rodbell, \{Donald T.\} and Adrien Gilbert and Caffee, \{Marc W.\}",

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doi = "10.1126/science.adg7546",

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T1 - Recent tropical Andean glacier retreat is unprecedented in the Holocene

AU - Gorin, Andrew L.

AU - Shakun, Jeremy D.

AU - Jones, Andrew G.

AU - Kennedy, Tori M.

AU - Marcott, Shaun A.

AU - Goehring, Brent M.

AU - Zoet, Lucas K.

AU - Jomelli, Vincent

AU - Bromley, Gordon R.M.

AU - Mateo, Emilio I.

AU - Mark, Bryan G.

AU - Rodbell, Donald T.

AU - Gilbert, Adrien

AU - Caffee, Marc W.

PY - 2024/8/2

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N2 - Tropical glaciers have retreated over recent decades, but whether the magnitude of this retreat exceeds the bounds of Holocene fluctuations is unclear. We measured cosmogenic beryllium-10 and carbon-14 concentrations in recently exposed bedrock at the margin of four glaciers spanning the tropical Andes to reconstruct their past extents relative to today. Nuclide concentrations are near zero in almost all samples, suggesting that these locations were never exposed during the Holocene. Our data imply that many glaciers in the tropics are probably now smaller than they have been in at least 11,700 years, making the tropics the first large region where this milestone has been documented.

AB - Tropical glaciers have retreated over recent decades, but whether the magnitude of this retreat exceeds the bounds of Holocene fluctuations is unclear. We measured cosmogenic beryllium-10 and carbon-14 concentrations in recently exposed bedrock at the margin of four glaciers spanning the tropical Andes to reconstruct their past extents relative to today. Nuclide concentrations are near zero in almost all samples, suggesting that these locations were never exposed during the Holocene. Our data imply that many glaciers in the tropics are probably now smaller than they have been in at least 11,700 years, making the tropics the first large region where this milestone has been documented.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85200427519

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DO - 10.1126/science.adg7546

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VL - 385

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JO - Science

JF - Science

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Recent tropical Andean glacier retreat is unprecedented in the Holocene

Abstract

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