The Classical European Glacial Stages: Correlation with Deep-Sea Sediments

Four glacials and three interglacials, recognized by classical Alpine and North-European subdivisions of the Pleistocene, were cor related with continuous oxygen-isotope records from the oceans using loess sections and terraces as a link (Fig. 15). It was found that the Alpine "glacial" stages are represented by sediments formed during both glacial and interglacial climates, that the classical Alpine "inter glacial" stages do not represent episodes of interglacial climate but probably intervals of accelerated crustal movements, and that the physical evidence on which the North-European classical subdivision is based is misinterpreted due to lengthy gaps in the record. It is recommended to discontinue the use of classical terminol ogy in all interregional correlations and to base the chronostratigraphic subdivision of Pleistocene on the 0 18 record of deep-sea sediments. It is believed that, as in Europe, the loesses and terraces in Ne braska will eventually provide the link needed for correlation of deep sea sediments with the classical American glacial stages.