Geomorphology of Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği (Ağri Daği Milli Parki, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey)

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a geomorphological map of Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey). Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği is a volcanic complex covered by a unique ice cap in the Near East. The massif is the result of multiple volcanic phases, and present day landforms are the result of subsequent and overlapping glacial, periglacial, and slope processes. The geomorphological mapping of Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği was firstly performed on the basis of desktop studies, by applying remote-sensing investigations using high-resolution satellite imagery (PLEIADES and SPOT images). A preliminary draft of the map was crosschecked and validated in the field as part of an interdisciplinary campaign carried out in the 2014 summer season. All the collected data suggest that the Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği glaciation played a crucial role in the evolution of the landscape and that even today glaciers are significant features in this area. Currently, ice bodies cover 7.28 km² and include peculiar glacier types. Among these are three well-developed debris-covered glaciers, flowing down along the flanks of the volcano.

KEYWORDS:

• Geomorphological mapping
• remote sensing
• glacial and periglacial landforms
• Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği
• Eastern Anatolia (Turkey)

Acknowledgements

This geomorphological map was produced as part of the activities of the 2014 ARARAT Expedition, organized by the Central Scientific Committee of the Italian Alpine Club (CSC-CAI); researchers from the University of Milano, University of Milano-Bicocca, Politecnico of Milano, University of Florence, University of Pisa, personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA-Lombardia, Centro Nivometeorologico Bormio), and from the Medical Commission of the Italian Alpine Club who were part to the expedition. RSA, RC, EM, and CAG took part in the expedition. The authors are grateful to all the people who participated in the field campaign; in particular, we would like to acknowledge Giulia Enrione and Luigi Vanoni for medical support, Andrea Franzetti, Riccardo Avanzinelli, Simone Tommasini, Daniele Bocchiola, and Burhan Cevarun for help with field activities. The Pleiades and SPOT data were provided by the European Space Agency (ESA, project: Geomorphological mapping and recent glacier evolution of the Mount Ararat volcanic complex through SPOT and PLEIADES images; ID-32011). We thank the Editor C.R. Stokes and the reviewers J. Abraham, P. Hughes, and S. Mills for useful comments that helped to improve the clarity of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Roberto Sergio Azzoni http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5931-486X

Andrea Zerboni http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6844-8528

Manuela Pelfini http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3258-1511

Carlo Alberto Garzonio http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2689-8192

Raffaello Cioni http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2526-9095

Claudio Smiraglia http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6635-2074

Guglielmina Adele Diolaiuti http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3883-9309

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by DARAS (Department of Regional Affairs, Autonomies and Sport) of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Italian government through the GlacioVAR project (P. I. G. Diolaiuti). Publication costs are supported by Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondi Potenziamento della Ricerca Linea 2, 2016 (P. I. A. Zerboni).