Erciyes Volkani Geç Kuvaterner buzul çökelleri

Mount Erciyes, highest stratovolcano of Cappadocian Volcanic Province, witnessed widespread valley glaciations during Late Quaternary. It is characterized by four valleys and one ridge that contain a small glacier and glacial deposits on its flanks. Aksu Valley is a northwest trending U-shaped valley with an actual glacier descending down to 3400 m of elevation. Few dead ice fragments covered by debris are also present starting from the lower end of the glacier. Lateral and terminal moraines, together with young ablation moraines and outwash plains indicate three glacial epochs. The oldest and most extensive one is characterized by two well-preserved, 100 m high lateral moraines at altitudes 2900-2200 m. A vast outwash plain derived from these moraines contains large andesitic blocks up to 3-4 m in diameter. Another important glacial valley, situated on the eastarn side of the mountain, is Üçker Valley with a wide cirque area originated from a volcanic amphitheatre. It contains a vast terminal moraine complex covering the present ski area. On the southern rim of the mountain, several rock glaciers are also observed. Öksüzdere Valley is a northeast trending narrow glacial valley containing two lateral moraines between 2900-2300 m of altitude. Between these moraines, a younger hummocky moraine complex and an outwash plain are present. There is no glacial valley development on the southern side of the volcano. However, on the Topaktaş Ridge, small lateral and terminal moraines are present at altitudes between 3300 and 2500 m. Kirkpinar Valley, situated to the west of Aksu Valley, is covered by a northwest oriented small terminal moraine complex made up of lateral and hummocky moraines between 2850 and 2600 m of altitude. The data available on the modern glacier situated in the Aksu Valley, indicate that the recent glacier retreat probably started at least at the beginning of the 20th century.