Weichselian glaciation

The last major glaciation in northern Europe, when the Scandinavian ice sheet expanded during the Late Pleistocene. It shaped landscapes and ecosystems around the Baltic and North Sea.

Scandinavian Ice Sheet: The ice sheet that covered much of Scandinavia and adjacent regions during Pleistocene glaciations. Its expansion defined the Weichselian glaciation across northern Europe.
Weichselian glacial maximum: The interval of greatest Weichselian ice extent, reached about 20,000 years ago. It marks the glaciation’s farthest major expansion across northern Europe.
Pleistocene: The geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, marked by repeated glaciations. The Weichselian was the latest major northern European glaciation within this epoch.
Baltic Sea: A brackish inland sea in northern Europe connected to the North Sea by narrow straits. Its basin was repeatedly covered by ice and reshaped during deglaciation.
Glacial advance: The growth and outward movement of a glacier or ice sheet. Repeated advances carried Scandinavian ice into northern Europe.
Baltic Ice Lake: A large freshwater lake occupying the Baltic basin during the final retreat of Scandinavian ice. Its changing outlets record a major phase of deglaciation.
Last Glacial Period: The most recent glacial period, lasting from about 115,000 to 11,700 years ago. The Weichselian was the northern European expression of this global glacial period.
North European Plain: A broad lowland stretching from France and Belgium through Germany and Poland toward Russia. Weichselian ice and meltwater shaped much of its northern landscape.
Glacial retreat: The shrinkage and landward withdrawal of a glacier or ice sheet. Retreat ended regional ice cover and exposed landscapes shaped during the glaciation.
Moraine: An accumulation of sediment deposited directly by a glacier or ice sheet. Moraine belts mark former positions of the Weichselian ice margin.

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