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Pleistocene glaciations of Czechia

Publication at Faculty of Science |
2011

Abstract

This is a review of current evidence of continental and mountain glaciation in Czechia and provides a closer look at the Pleistocene glacial limits and chronology for the region. It is based on numerous works published during more than a century of research in the Czech territory.

The reference list, therefore, can include only the most important studies or those published in world languages. This chapter is divided into two main parts.

The first part focuses on the products of the continental glaciations, whilst the second part deals with the local mountain glaciations in the Sudetes and the Šumava mountains. Three Northern European ice sheets affected Czech territory during both the Elsterian (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 16 and 12) and older Saalian (MIS 6) glaciations.

They reached as far as northern Bohemia, northern Moravia and Czech Silesia. In contrast, mountain glaciation was limited to the Krkonoše, the Šumava and Hrubý Jeseník Mountains.

The timing of mountain glaciation is still poorly known. Sedimentary and numerical evidence is available for both the Weichselian-age glaciations, but the chronostratigraphical framework of the pre-Weichselian glaciation remains questionable.

Recent geomorphological, sedimentological and chronological studies have substantially improved the understanding of Pleistocene glaciations in Czechia, providing new information on their extent and chronology.