Elster glaciation

Controversial correlations

• MIS 12, 478-424 ka ago, is globally the stronger of the two glacials and long the preferred correlation to Elster/Mindel/Anglian. There is strong evidence for widespread glaciation of Great Britain during MIS 12, and only disputed and weak signs of glaciation during MIS 10. Thus, the correlation of the Anglian glaciation to MIS 12 is uncontroversial. The glacial history of Europe is much simplified if also Elster and Mindel are correlated to MIS 12. The Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy of the International Commission on Stratigraphy, a scientific organisation within the International Union of Geological Sciences, correlates both the Anglian and the Elsterian to MIS 12 in the 2011 version of its correlation table.
• MIS 10, 374-337 ka ago, is globally a weaker glacial. A correlation of Elster to MIS 10 implies a complicated glacial history in Europe, with various geographical areas showing evidence from different glacials. However, different chronologies of separate ice strems during the late Weichselian glaciation gives credence to such a scenario. In the Netherlands there is evidence for correlations of Elster to both MIS 12 and MIS 10. A correlation to MIS 10 is given in the comprehensive review of the glaciations of northern Germany by Litt et al.. Version 2016 of the correlation table by the German Stratigraphic Commission correlates both Elster and Mindel to MIS 10.