Last deglaciation of northern continental Europe

Abstract

Correlation of main ice sheet limits in northern continental Europe during Late Weichselian is presented, based on available data concerning occurrence of ice-marginal formations and their radiometric dating. The Late Weichselian maximum ice sheet limit was time-transgressive in this region what has been primarily caused by diversified dynamics of the ice sheet body, composed of several paleo-ice streams developed to the south of the Baltic Basin. The Late Weichselian maximum ice sheet limit was the earliest in Denmark, Germany and western Poland (24-22 cal kyrs BP) but it was younger to the east and northeast (20-17 cal kyrs BP). Such age difference resulted from demarcation of the ice sheet maximum limit by successive glacial advances. They were partly due to varied distances from the ice divide in Scandinavia, making the ice sheet margin to reach its terminal position in different time. Both during the maximum and the most deglacial phases the glacial limits indicated lobate patterns of marginal formations, reflecting outlets of paleo-ice streams within the southern and southeastern fringe of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet to the south of the Baltic Sea basin. During deglaciation numerous readvances and standstills of the ice sheet margin occurred but due to diversified structure of the ice sheet body, its peripheries behaved differently, even in neighboring regions.

Keywords

• pleistocene, weichselian, scandinavian ice sheet limits, ice-marginal formations, deglaciation.