Fraedrich:Spuren der Eiszeit

Currently, we have been living in an ice age for about 2.5 million years, a geological epoch characterized by the presence of ice on Earth and significant fluctuations in the curve of global average temperature (current trend: temperature increase). With nearly 16 million square kilometers, about ten percent of the land area is currently covered by glacial ice, which plays a crucial role in shaping landscapes. This compact textbook sharpens the perspective on such landscapes. It explains the forms and formation processes that the author illustrates with numerous regional examples, particularly from Central Europe, such as the North German Plain and the Alpine Foreland, as well as from Iceland. What traces have glaciers and their meltwaters left behind? What formation processes can be inferred? How can the recent climate history, especially that of the ice age, be reconstructed?

An exciting aspect is the examination of current developments in glaciated areas and a look into the (climate) future of the Earth. For instance, the question arises as to what influence glaciers have on sea level and future climate changes. It is important to weigh natural processes, such as the ice age cycles, for which there are various hypotheses regarding the formation of ice ages, against anthropogenic influences in global warming.

Practice questions help deepen understanding.