ON THE RIVER TERRACES AND CLIMATIC SUCCESSION OF THE LAST GLACIAL IN EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE —A REVIEW—

Abstract

Geomorphological researches done in Eastern and Central Europe are reviewed in terms of the climatic river terrace development under the periglacial environment with special reference to the Last Glacial, since the problem of climatic terrace has been one of the most important ones in the geomorphology of Japan. First, the terrace landforms, the constituent materials and their chronology are introduced with regard to the Rhein, Donau, Elbe, Weser river systems and the Carpathian rivers. It is stressed that the terrace landfor ms and terrace gravel beds dating in the Last Glacial can be divided into two levels. Secondly, some periglacial phenomena such as slope deposits, ice-wedge casts and erosional phases observed in loss sections are noted in relation to the chronology of the river erosion and accumulation. Thirdly, a variety of opinions concerning the origin of the river erosion and accumulation is introduced. Lastly, the Last Glacial climatic succession is briefly described mainly on the basis of the works in Netherlands, because it should have exerted a great effect on the history of the river terrace development.