Vol. 31 No.2 June 2008

Journal of International Geoscience

Published by the International Union of Geological Sciences

by Thomas Litt and Philip Gibbard

A proposed Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Upper (Late) Pleistocene Subseries (Quaternary System/Period)

Abstract

      Following the precedence already established during the INQUA Congress in 1932, the Middle/Upper (Late) Pleistocene boundary is defined at the base of the Last Interglacial, the Eemian Stage. It is proposed that a high-resolution core sequence from the Amsterdam Terminal (the Eemian Stage parastratotype) should constitute the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Upper (Late) Pleistocene Subseries (Quaternary System/Period). The core contains a proxy climate record across the Middle/Upper (Late) Pleistocene boundary as indicated by different biotic and abiotic parameters reflecting the first signs of climate warming at the end of the Saalian cold Stage. For the beginning of the Eemian Stage in Europe, the date of 127.2 ka from the varved-dated record of Monticchio in Italy can be taken as the best estimate of age.

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