Introduction

The aim of this book is to synthesise the state of knowledge on the morphology and origin of European Glacial Landscapes in most of their regions and their climatic context. Following the Introduction section, Part II is devoted to the geological, geomorphological, and climatic description of the studied regions; Part III describes the main aspects determining climate variability during the Last Glacial Cycle; Part IV describes glacially sculpted landforms and associated sediments before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM); and Part V describes landforms sculpted during the LGM. Throughout the book the different regions are grouped according to the presence or not of the European Ice Sheet Complex. At the end of Parts IV and V, a concluding chapter synthesises the overall characteristics of the glacial landscapes of each of these periods. Finally, Part VI attempts to correlate the description of the climate in Part III with the extent of the glacial landscapes in Parts IV and V. The ages described in the book and other parameters, as well as the maps, are standardised so that the glacial landforms of different regions and periods can be compared.