Introduction

David Palacios, Nuria Andrés, Philip Hughes, Jose Maria García Ruiz

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Throughout the Quaternary, glaciers tended to extend across the north of the large continents of the Northern Hemisphere. This trend of ice expansion was interrupted by abrupt and rapid melting of the ice, called deglaciation or termination. The Last Deglaciation started between 21 and 18 ka and ended between 12 and 9 ka depending on the regions. In this book, the period from 18.9 to 11.7 ka has been selected to study the effects of deglaciation on the European landscape, which is its main objective. Part I justifies the need for this book and its characteristics, in addition to studying the origin of these terminations and analysing the few previous studies that have tried to synthesise these studies. Part II examines the climate of Europe during the Last Deglaciation, its abrupt changes in trends and the possible origin of these changes. Part III studies the landscapes of Europe shaped during the first period of the deglaciation or main deglaciation (18.9–14.6 ka) with special attention to the cold phase of Heinrich Stadial 1. Part IV looks at the landscapes of Europe shaped during the second period, the Bølling–Allerød Interstadial (14.6–12.9 ka) which was dominated mainly by a warm climate. Part V analyses the last period of the deglaciation interval, the cold Younger Dryas Stadial (12.9–11.7 ka) and its effects on the European landscape. Part VI attempts to correlate the evolution of the climate described in Part II with the extent of the glacial landscapes in Parts III–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.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEuropean Glacial Landscapes
Subtitle of host publicationThe Last Deglaciation
EditorsD. Palacios, P. Hughes, J.M. García-Ruiz, N. Andrés
Place of PublicationAmsterdam
PublisherElsevier BV
Chapter1
Pages3-9
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)9780323918992
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2022

Keywords

  • European glacial landscapes

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