Last Glacial Maximum to early Holocene - ice sheet extent and landscape development in the Western Danish North Sea

The Weichselian Ice sheet extent during the Last Glacial Maximum has not been thoroughly described for the Danish North Sea. Particularly towards the western sector, where studies have tended to focus on the deeper geology. With offshore activities related to the renewable energy transition, focus on quaternary glacial landscape evolution, its geological history and the associated geotechnical challenges has risen.    

Regional high resolution seismic mapping combined with conventional and high-resolution vintage seismic data has revealed glaciotectonic thrusting in glacio-lacustrine deposits in the western part of the Danish North Sea. The glacio-lacustrine deposits are part of a laterally extensive unit that covers the entire southern part of the western Danish North Sea revealing evidence of a   large ice-dammed lake in front of the Weichselian ice sheet. Deformation of glaciolacustrine sediments has been observed providing geomorphological evidence of the approximate position of the Weichselian ice sheet in the Danish North Sea.  Additionally previous ice sheet positions have been identified, revealing a retreat pattern characterized by at least three phases of ice marginal lake development. The drainage of the glacial lake is recorded in the sediments as erosional channels which appears to drain through a prominent landscape feature known as the Elbe Paleo valley. This study presents the geological landscape evolution from the last glacial maximum to the early Holocene with emphasis on the glacial processes that have shaped the area.