The European Alps is the birthplace of glaciology and in particular Quaternary glaciology and for over one hundred years has been a model region for studying mountain glaciations.In this paper,we review the achievements from this region,which will benefit glaciological studies of the Tibetan Plateau,China.According to new evidences of glaciofluvial deposits discovered in valleys and forelands of the Alps,researchers have progressed from an original four Pleistocene glaciations to seven glaciations:Biber,Donua,Günz,Haslach,Mindel,Riss and Würm.The earliest one Biber possibly occurred between the Pliocene and Pleistocene,but the chronology before Riss is still in doubt.Recent years,Riss and Würm glaciations have been supported by a large numbers of cosmogenic exposure dating.In particular,cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating has been carried out for different moraine boulders in numerous valleys,which reveals a series of climatic change events,and they are comparable to post-glacial age records of northern Europe.The advancement of glaciological studies in the Alps is important in promoting glaciological research in the Tibetan Plateau.
