What’s on : Cafe-scientifique

The Late Pleistocene Glacial History of the Vale of York

Cafe-scientifique
Date
2 May 2018
Start time
7:30 PM
Venue
City Screen Basement Bar
Speaker
William Fairburn
The Late Pleistocene Glacial History of the Vale of York

Event Information

The Late Pleistocene Glacial History of the Vale of York

William Fairburn

During the last glaciation in the Vale of York, commonly referred to as ‘The Great Ice Age’, the British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) attained its overall maximum size by 27 ka before present (BP). During the demise of the BIIS a number of proglacial lakes were formed due to blockage by ice. The single most prominent of these was Proglacial Lake Humber, which formed to the south of the Vale of York BIIS ice lobe and to the west of the North Sea BIIS ice lobe.
Landform mapping in the Vale of York, over the past 10 years, has led to the recognition that terracing on the York and Escrick between 10 and 40m above OD are shorelines marking the retreat of Lake Humber punctuated by stillstands. The lake probably existed from about 17 ka to about 15.5 ka BP.

The presentation will include an account of the acceptance of terrestrial glaciation in the mid-19th century, by early Geologists, and will be illustrated by some remote imagery of the preserved shorelines.

Sources of information include Clark, C.D. et al. (Boreas, 33), Clark, C.D. et al. (Quaternary Science Reviews, 44) and Fairburn, W.A. (Boreas, 44).

Wednesday 2nd May in City Screen Basement
Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm presentation

Tickets are free and can be pre-booked by phone or on-line with City Screen (0871 902 5726).

Alternatively tickets are available on the night of the event at the City Screen Ticket Desk.