Flandrian interglacial
Encyclopedia
The Flandrian interglacial or stage is the name given by geologist
s and archaeologists in the British Isles
to the first, and so far only, stage of the Holocene
epoch (the present geological period), covering the period from around 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period to the present day. As such, it is in practice identical in span to the Holocene. Present climatological theory (based on analysis of Milankovitch cycles
) forecasts that the present Flandrian climate should decline in temperature towards a global climate similar to that of the ice age. The current global warming
phenomenon could have the effect of postponing this downturn.
The Flandrian began as a relatively short-lived climate downturn, the Younger Dryas
came to an end. This formed the last gasp of the Devensian glaciation, the final stage of the Pleistocene
epoch and is traditionally seen as the latest warm interglacial
in a series that has been occurring throughout the Quaternary
geological period.
The first part of the Flandrian, known as the Younger Atlantic, was a period of fairly rapid sea level rise, associated with the melting of the Fenno-Scandian, Scottish, Laurentide and Cordilleran glaciers.
Fjords were said to be formed during the Flandrian Transgression when U shaped valleys were inundated with water.
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s and archaeologists in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
to the first, and so far only, stage of the Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
epoch (the present geological period), covering the period from around 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period to the present day. As such, it is in practice identical in span to the Holocene. Present climatological theory (based on analysis of Milankovitch cycles
Milankovitch cycles
Milankovitch theory describes the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements upon its climate, named after Serbian civil engineer and mathematician Milutin Milanković, who worked on it during First World War internment...
) forecasts that the present Flandrian climate should decline in temperature towards a global climate similar to that of the ice age. The current global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
phenomenon could have the effect of postponing this downturn.
The Flandrian began as a relatively short-lived climate downturn, the Younger Dryas
Younger Dryas
The Younger Dryas stadial, also referred to as the Big Freeze, was a geologically brief period of cold climatic conditions and drought between approximately 12.8 and 11.5 ka BP, or 12,800 and 11,500 years before present...
came to an end. This formed the last gasp of the Devensian glaciation, the final stage of the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch and is traditionally seen as the latest warm interglacial
Interglacial
An Interglacial period is a geological interval of warmer global average temperature lasting thousands of years that separates consecutive glacial periods within an ice age...
in a series that has been occurring throughout the Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
geological period.
The first part of the Flandrian, known as the Younger Atlantic, was a period of fairly rapid sea level rise, associated with the melting of the Fenno-Scandian, Scottish, Laurentide and Cordilleran glaciers.
Fjords were said to be formed during the Flandrian Transgression when U shaped valleys were inundated with water.