Definizione di alcuni termini in uso nella cartografia dei depositi quaternari continentali in ambito alpino

In the past decade a new approach to cartography and mapping of Quaternary continental deposits allowed the abandonment of the now obsolete "classical model" by Penck & Brückner (1909), which was based on four major glaciations. The new approach utilizes stratigraphic units, which are bounded by discontinuities and defined by following glacial and/or hydrographic basins, framed within a relative chronological scale (Allostratigraphic Units and Unconformity-bounded stratigraphic units). The present paper, which synthesizes different approaches to Quaternary continental stratigraphy, proposes a definition of the terminology used in the Alpine area, in order to make clear the significance of each term, and assess its proper use. The terms Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), post-glacial, and Pre-LGM are here discussed in detail. The term LGM indicates the last local glacial maximum, without any reference to stratigraphic and chronostratigraphic units. The term post-glacial is used to indicate the events which followed the last local glacial expansion. The term Pre-LGM indicates the events that preceded the last local glacial maximum. Furthermore, we here discuss some of the problems of classification that arise following the use of the new terminology, and suggest possible cartographic solutions.