Konya’s Geyik Mountains came to the fore with a discovery that excited nature and science enthusiasts. A ‘circus glacier’ dating back 2.5 million years was discovered at the foothills of these 2700-meter-high mountains. This glacier is one of the typical glaciers formed on the slopes of mountains. Prof. Dr. Adnan Pınar stated that this discovery in the Geyik Mountains is an extremely important example.
Nature traveler Hasan Hüseyin Kahriman organized a trip to the 2877-meter-high Geyik Mountains, which determine the borders of Konya, Karaman and Antalya provinces surrounding the Taşeli Plateau in the Central Taurus Mountains. During this trip, Kahriman discovered that there was a glacier bed 2700 meters above the mountain. Necmettin Erbakan University Geography Department Head Prof. examined the glacier bed. Dr. Adnan Pınar described this phenomenon as a circus glacier.
The Glacier Appeared Due to Global Warming
Stating that the glacier may have emerged due to global warming, Prof. Dr. Adnan Pınar used the following statements:
“As far as we understand from the images, the glacier found by our traveler friend in the part of the Geyik Mountains facing Central Anatolia is an old circus glacier. It is a large glacier cover formed by thousands of years of snow falling on top of each other, accumulating in areas we call pit cirques on the northern slopes of the mountain. These are the cirque glaciers that are now exposed as a result of the permanent snow mass melting due to this drought. It is very interesting and really striking; imaging these layers, observing them clearly, reveals that the snow that falls every year glaciates those layers with the snow that falls the next year. “Detailed field work, measurements and examples can reveal information that will enable a much clearer conversation.”
Imaging the Glacier is Scientifically Very Important
Stating that the glacier emerged as a result of global climate change, Prof. Dr. Pınar said:
“As far as we understand from the images, we can see that this is an old cirque glacier area and that as the snow cover on it melted and disappeared due to warming, the rock pieces that broke off from the summit covered this glacier. We do not know what the climate will be like in the future, but depending on the drought, I think this glacier will melt and move to a smaller area without being under permanent snow cover again. The apparent climate we experience today reveals that such a situation will occur. The emergence of this glacier due to the drought and your viewing of it really provides a very good scientific service. “I think scientists will be able to obtain some data through detailed studies here.”
Finding and Viewing This Place is a Very Important Job
Mention the importance of the emergence of the glacier, which is known to have disappeared, Prof. Dr. Pınar said:
“It is a very important job for a nature lover friend of ours to find this place with his own means and to have it viewed thanks to you. In this scientific sense, we know that there are such cirque glaciers in Turkey, which were formed between 2.5 million years and 10-15 thousand years ago, and that there are such cirque glaciers in the regions of our country that have undergone glaciation, especially on the north-facing slopes of the mountains, but most of them have melted and disappeared. When we look at it from this perspective, this is an extremely important sample to be found on the Geyik Mountains. I believe that examining this in detail scientifically will make a very important contribution to science.”
Invitation to Scientists!
Hasan Hüseyin Kahriman stated that he noticed the glacier bed a few years ago, but could not identify it precisely because it was covered with snow.
Kahriman stated that he climbed Geyik Mountain again this year, taking advantage of the low rainfall and the rapid melting of the snow at the top of the mountain, and said:
”Experts said that this year had the least amount of snowfall. Deer Mountains immediately came to my mind and I climbed here. When I came to this area, I noticed from a distance that there was a layer of gravel and there were potholes on it. As I got closer, I saw ice floes under the gravel layer. I was very surprised when I saw it. It was something I saw for the first time in my life. I noticed that there are layers in ice floes. I found this glacier bed with my own means, but I invite scientists here. I found a piece of juniper tree just above the glacier. I want this to be examined as well. I believe it will shed light on the future. I want the Deer Mountains to be protected. This is a place where mountaineer friends come very often, but I warn mountaineers. They shouldn’t come here anymore because when the glaciers appeared, potholes formed. “It became a dangerous area.”
