Critical remarks on reconstruction of surface geometry of glaciers in the Polish High Tatra Mts.

The paper presents critical remarks on reconstruction by Makos and Nowacki (2009). The authors worked out a model of ice-surface geometry and equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of glacier which existed in the Białka Valley system (High Tatra Mts.) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), utilizing mapped trimlines in accumulation areas and literature data about glacier extent in ablation areas. Some palaeoclimate implications from this study indicate LGM-modern temperature amplitude ca 5.5grade C from ELA depression and prevailing southern atmospheric circulation pattern during the LGM in the Tatra Mts. The reconstruction does not comprise the whole former glacier system of the valley and therefore the use of arbitrary assumed accumulation area ratio (AAR) resulted in considerable error in determinations of ELA. It is concluded that ELA calculated for 1400 m a.s.l. was obtained with AAR 0.77 value instead of intended 0.65–0.67. Critical remarks also concern ice-surface geometry which is in some places inconsistent with glaciological conformities. The LGM modern temperature amplitude was calculated without considering precipitation changes between LGM and modern time and on the basis of questionable position of modern ELA position, therefore it can not be treated as a valuable one. Similarly, the thesis about southern atmospheric circulation is here discussed in detail. It is concluded that the evidences presented by Makos and Nowacki (2009) can not support nor contradict this thesis. It should be treaded as a speculation made under the influence of Alpine results