| Glaciation in the Pleistocene was a series of glacials and interglacials, stadials and interstadials, mirroring periodic changes in climate. |
| In glacials a and c are stadials and b and d are warmer interstadials. |
| There is a general correspondence between glacials in different regions. |
| There is no systematic correspondence of pluvials to glacials, however. |
| This then provides the opportunity for Milankovich cycles to become the pacemaker of the ice ages, causing alternating glacials and interglacials. |
| The interglacials and glacials coincide with cyclic changes in the Earth's orbit. |
