Kvartero geologijos tyrimų renesanso link

• Main Author: Baltrūnas, Valentinas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: Greenland
• Online Access: http://lsmu.lvb.lt/LSMU:ELABAPDB5796478&prefLang=en_US

The Quaternary is the youngest period of geological evolution,when the man [Homo sapiens) appeared on the Earth. That's why it is also called the Anthropogenic period.It is characteristic of alterations in colder glacial and warmer interglacial subperiods.The first continental ice cover reached Lithuania c. 600 thousand years ago,and the last one had melted 13-14 thousand years BP.It is not easy to determine how many times the ice covered the area of Lithuania. Nevertheless,it is thought to have been even six times.The investigations of the Quaternary deposits are important for from different viewpoints-evolution of our planet and climate as well as human activitiessince the deposits formed during the geological period under discussion and the landscapes make the environment of humans.Nowadays we should speak, most likely,about two trends in the researches carried on by Lithuanian researchers of the Quaternary. Firstly, they try to elucidate how under natu- ral conditions,the degradation of ice cover and formation of deposits took place;with two expeditions organised to Greenland to deal with this problem. Secondly,the changes in geological environment and cultural landscape taking place now during the postglacial or Holocene time are under the investigation.Young researchers take an active part in these two trends,and dissertations are being prepared and defended.Thus,we can speak about the rebirth in the Quaternary researches. We hope that observations of Quaternary glacial processes and phenomena in Greenland will contribute to the movement towards a new paradigm.In general, the Quaternary researchers in Lithuania can be presented belonging to three generations:the old, the middle and the young ones.The middle generation is successfully represented by Dr. Habil. Valentinas Baltrunas who led recently two expeditions to Greenland.In order to find out where the Quaternary re- searches are proceeding to,we asked Mr. Baltrūnas to share his option with GA.