Reappraisal of lateglacial stadials in the Eastern Alps: the case study of Valparola (eastern Dolomites, Italy)

This study aims to be a reappraisal of the Lateglacial stadials of the Dolomites. This has been accomplished by investigating the stadial moraine deposits in the pilot area of Valparola, in the light of the most recent techniques to reconstruct paleo-glaciers and to calculate their Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA). The use of these techniques in Valparola could rely on a detailed geomorphological survey, in turn aided by the analysis of a LiDAR DEM. The results obtained, in terms of stadial attribution, have been compared to those obtained by a previous author, the last one to study the Lateglacial of the area already half a century ago. The comparison has allowed to verify how much improvement these techniques may offer to the knowledge of the local Lateglacial and their feasibility to extend the analysis to wider areas. Some knowledge gaps have also been highlighted, which should be taken into account in further studies. The analysis procedure tested in Valparola is proposed as a possible reference for the reappraisal of the Lateglacial over the whole Dolomites. Possibly, this could stir up new attention towards the study of the Lateglacial over the Alps, for which a comprehensive picture is still lacking.