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The article presents the results of research on the formation conditions and the age of glaciogenic deposits left by the Scandinavian ice sheet in the Eastern Carpathian Foreland, in its part drained by the Dniester River and its tributaries (Black Sea basin). These deposits (till, erratics, glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial sediments), preserved only in some places and occurring in the range of altitudes defined by terrace VI (Early Pleistocene) and terrace V (Middle Pleistocene), are the southernmost traces of the ice sheet in Europe. They are underlain by fluvial deposits and overlain by loess deposits, and locally occur as intraloess layers. The following research methods were used: geomorphological mapping, sedimentological, lithological, micromorphological, palaeopedological, and palaeontological analyses, as well as luminescence dating. The obtained results allowed a reconstruction to be made of the main stages of morphogenesis and the style of the ice-sheet advance at its maximum extent, defined as the Sambor Phase. The area was glaciated during MIS 12 (Elsterian II = Sanian 2 = Okanian), as indicated by the occurrence of a complete Middle/Upper Pleistocene loess–palaeosol sequence. The oldest palaeosol (S4), i.e. Sokal (=Mazovian = Zavadivka) soil that developed directly on the glaciogenic deposits or loess L5 is correlated with the Holsteinian (=Likhvinian) Interglacial (MIS 11). • The study area is the zone of maximum extent of the Elsterian Glaciation in Europe. • Main stages and styles of the Elsterian II ice-sheet advance have been reconstructed. • Pleistocene environments reconstructed based on full sequence of interglacial palaeosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The correlation of loess sequences across global, hemispheric, regional and local scales is one of the most fundamental aspects to loess research. However, despite recent progress in stratigraphic and chronometric methods, the correlation of many loess sequences is often still based on untested assumptions over loess deposition, preservation, soil type and age. As such, the aim of this overview is to provide an adequate framework for evaluation of the accuracy of loess correlations applied on different temporal and spatial scales across Eurasia. This opens up possibilities for detailed temporal and spatial environmental reconstructions across the huge loess provinces of the Eurasia and provides a framework for future extension of this to North America. Additionally, we evaluate the potential development of appropriate sub-millennial scale loess correlations, as well as essentially important chronological approaches for establishing valid correlations between different loess records, such as current improvements in tephrochronology, 14C and luminescence dating techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]