Würm glaciation

E309210

The Würm glaciation was the last major glacial period of the Pleistocene in the Alps, marked by extensive ice coverage and shaping much of the region’s modern landscape.

All labels observed (4)

Label Occurrences
Würm glaciation canonical 3
Weichselian glaciation 2
Devensian glaciation 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (54)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Pleistocene glaciation
Quaternary glacial period
glaciation
associatedWith expansion of continental ice sheets
lowered global sea levels
periglacial processes in areas beyond the ice margin
caused deepening of Alpine valleys
formation of U-shaped valleys in the Alps
formation of glacial lakes in the Alpine region
formation of moraines in the Alpine foreland
overdeepened lake basins such as Lake Constance
overdeepened lake basins such as Lake Garda
overdeepened lake basins such as Lake Geneva
characterizedBy extensive valley glaciers
large piedmont glaciers
thick ice caps over the Alps
climate cold glacial climate
correspondsTo Devensian glaciation
linked to: Last Glacial Period

Last Glacial Period
Weichselian glaciation
linked to: Last Glacial Period

Wisconsin glaciation
countryContext Austria
France
Germany
Italy
Switzerland
endedWith transition to Holocene
endTime approximately 11,700 years ago
end of Pleistocene
evidence glacial striations on Alpine bedrock
outwash plains in front of Alpine glaciers
terminal moraines in Alpine foreland
follows Riss glaciation
linked to: Saalian glaciation
hasPart Last Glacial Maximum in the Alps
early Würm
late Würm
middle Würm
influenced distribution of sediments in the Alpine foreland
drainage patterns in and around the Alps
modern Alpine landscape
maximumExtentTime around 24,000–20,000 years ago
namedAfter River Würm
linked to: Würm River
occursIn Alps
partOf Pleistocene epoch
Quaternary period
precededBy Riss glaciation
linked to: Saalian glaciation
region Central Alps
Northern Alps
linked to: Alps

Southern Alps
linked to: southern Alps
startTime approximately 115,000 years ago
studiedIn Quaternary geology
geomorphology
paleoclimatology
timeEquivalent Marine Isotope Stages 5d–2

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Wisconsin glaciation correlatesWith Weichselian glaciation
linked to: Würm glaciation
Wisconsin glaciation correlatesWith Devensian glaciation
linked to: Würm glaciation
Wisconsin glaciation correlatesWith Würm glaciation
Fennoscandian Ice Sheet majorGlaciation Weichselian glaciation
linked to: Würm glaciation
Last Glacial Maximum alsoKnownAs LGM
linked to: Würm glaciation
Wisconsin Stage correlatesWith Würm glaciation
Würm namedAfter Würm glaciation