High-resolution mapping of ice-marginal landforms in the Barnim region, northeast Germany

Abstract

Despite more than a 100-year-long research history, timing and position of the last glacial ice margins in the northeast German lowland are still up for debate. The Barnim region, a till plain in the northeast German young morainic landscape, is traversed by the contradictorily discussed Frankfurt ice marginal position. It is located in a key position to reassess the current state of research with help of a geographic information system (GIS) and field methods.A qualitative geomorphological analysis of a high resolution LiDAR digital elevation model (DEM) in the Barnim area uncovers a variety of landforms that were previously not described. The most prominent discovery is a set of about 10 lobe-shaped ridges in the middle Barnim area. Fieldwork and geophysical measurements were carried out to investigate the structure of the ridges. The ridges are 1000–1500m in length and their widths vary from 10 to 15km. They are raised some 6–10m from their surroundings. The Frankfurt ice marginal position can only partially be traced in the DEM. Sedimentological and geophysical investigations indicate that the ridges are composed of glacial till that was deposited on glaciofluvial sediments. Their formation most probably took place during the ice retreat of the Brandenburg phase (W1B) and hence represents the W1F phase in the region.