Are talus flatirons from central Spain related with Heinrich events?

Abstract

Talus flatirons generate in slopes of arid and semiarid areas by the alternation of accumulation and incision periods. In the Iberian Peninsula, talus flatirons are relatively common in the Duero, Tajo, and Ebro Tertiary Basins. In these Tertiary Basins, talus flatirons have been found in numerous places and up to five stages of slope evolution have been recognized at some locations. Ashes and charcoal remains from the inside of the slope accumulations were dated with 14C and AMS in order to obtain an absolute chronology of the flatiron stages. The second stage (S2) dated in several places of the Ebro and Duero Basins by 14C range from 2529 ± 52 BP to 3590 ± 40 BP, corresponding to the Iron and Bronze Cold Stages. The third stage (S3) has yielded 27862 ± 444 BP in the Ebro Basin and 28550 ± 130 BP in the Duero Basin and can be correlated with Heinrich event H3. The fourth stage (S4) has been dated in the Ebro Basin giving an age of 35570 ± 490 BP, correlative to Heinrich Event H4. The obtained temporal data seems to indicate the global cold periods (Heinrich events) control the talus flatirons origin in the studied sector of Spain.