Geological Survey of Finland, Special Paper 46 - arkisto.gsf.fi

Geological Survey of Finland, Special Paper 46
Valentinas Baltrünas, K´stutis Švedas and Violeta Pukelyt
Many publications have been dedicated to issues of
the Late Pleistocene palaeogeography in Lithuania.
Some of them are theoretical in nature and are confi
ned to general and schematic palaeogeographical
characteristics of the region. The publications served
both as a theoretical and methodological basis for
more recent investigations (Basalykas 1965, Dvareckas
1993). Some other studies were more specifi c
with a special method used for analyzing diverse
geologic and geomorphologic objects and with fundamental
conclusions substantially contributing to
the knowledge of the history of palaeogeographic
conditions of the time (Basalykas et al. 1984, Dvareckas
& Diceviπien 1987, Kabailien 1990, Kon-
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INTRODUCTION
dratien 1996, Komarovsky 1996, Satk0nas 1999,
Gaigalas 2001, Švedas 2001, Švedas et al. 2004).
Furthermore, it should be recognized that a composite
evaluation and more accurate cartographic depiction
of the palaeogeographical conditions were
not fully realized, and the correlation of Pleistocene
stratigraphical events in Lithuania was not associated
with changes in the periglacial conditions.
The purpose of this article is to summarise previous
investigations on the geology and palaeogeography
of the last glaciation and soil permafrost
structures in periglacial areas in southern Lithuania
to obtain a comprehensive model of the evolution of
the area (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1a) Location map of the studied area, b) Deglaciation of the Last (Weichselian, Nemunas) Glaciation in the
South Lithuania (after Gaigalas (2001)): G – Gr0da (Brandenburg) stage, ˘ – ˘iogeliai (Frankfurt) phase, B (EL)
– Baltija (Pomeranian) stage (East-Lithuanian phase), SL – South-Lithuanian phase, ML – Middle-Lithuanian
phase, NL – North-Lithuanian phase; c) Geomorphological regions (compiled according to Atlas of Lithuania
(Drobnys 1981): 1 – Middle Nemunas Plateau, 2 – South Lithuania Upland, 3 – Dainava Plain, 4 – Eišišks
Plateau, 5 – Medininkai Upland.