Extent and age of Middle and Late Pleistocene glaciations andperiglacial episodes in southern Jylland, Denmark

Abstract

New evidence on distribution and chronology of glaciations in southern Jylland is presented. Ten stratigraphic units including four till-formations have been identified in Middle- and Late Pleistocene sediment successions. The timing of successive glaciations and periglacial interludes based on luminescence dating is established for the past c. 200 kyr. The OSL-chronology predicts that deposition of Lillebælt Till (Late Saalian, Warthe Glaciation) occurred at 180-160 kyr. Deglaciation followed and barren periglacial environments existed until beginning of the Eemian. Periglacial conditions were restored c. 115 kyr ago and lasted well into the Middle Weichselian. Expansion of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet through the Baltic depression into southern Jylland caused deposition of Ristinge Klint Till (Ristinge Glaciation) c. 55–50 kyr ago. Glaciers flowed westwards beyond the Main Stationary Line (MSL) and may have terminated along ice showed ridges in the periglacially smoothed landscape east of the present North Sea coast. This traditionally named “Old Baltic”glaciation is now recognized elsewhere in the circum Baltic region besides Denmark. Deglaciation was succeeded by periglacial environments with cryoturbation, ice wedge growth, formation of wind abrasion pavements and low arctic habitats. Approaching the global glacio-eustatic low stand of the Last Glacial Maximum increased cooling and enhanced down slope creep caused widespread solifluction. In a sequence of Late Weichselian glacier advances, Mid Danish Till, East Jylland Till and Bælthav Till was deposited under progressing deglaciation between 25 and 18 kyr ago. Retarded melting of dead ice from the Ristinge Glaciation formed thermo karst depressions on the surfaceof outwash plains in front of MSL.