SIGNIFICANCE OF SNOWBLOW IN THE GENERATION OF LOCH-LOMOND-STADIAL (YOUNGER DRYAS) GLACIERS IN THE WESTERN PENNINES, NORTHERN ENGLAND

Geomorphological mapping has identified the former existence of five c irque glaciers that formed during the Loch Lomond Stadial in the weste rn Pennines, northern England. Landforms in Mallerstang, which previou sly have been interpreted as moraine ridges, are shown to be better ex plained as large complex landslides. Reconstruction of these former gl aciers has allowed the calculation of the former equilibrium line alti tudes (ELA) by a number of different methods. Values for the ELA show a range across the area from 311 m to 608 m OD, but with low values (3 11 m and 428 m) for the two western glaciers. These are explained by t he existence of large plateau areas adjacent to the former glaciers, w hich contributed additional mass to the glaciers by snowblow on to the glacier surfaces. Delimitation of the potential snowblow area for eac h glacier shows that it has a distinct orientation, with the western s ector (225-315 degrees) being statistically significant with the ELA i ndicating the importance of winds from this direction in determining t he existence of these palaeoglaciers. The significance of snowblow for the generation of small glaciers in marginal areas means that such lo cal factors must be investigated before regional firn line trends are determined in former glaciated areas.