Recent studies have shown that the low seismicity of northern Germany is characterized by fault activity caused by the decay of the Late Pleistocene (Weichselian) ice sheet. Several faults and fault systems show evidence of neotectonic activity, all of which are oriented parallel to the margin of the Pleistocene ice sheets. The timing of fault movements implies that the seismicity in northern Germany is likely induced by varying lithospheric stress conditions related to glacial isostatic adjustment, and the faults thus can be classified as glacially induced faults. For the Osning, Harz Boundary and Schaabe faults, this is supported by numerical simulation of glacial isostatic adjustment-related stress field changes. Glacial isostatic adjustment is also a likely driver for the historical and parts of the recent fault activity. Glacial isostatic adjustment is also described for the Alps, but it is difficult to clearly distinguish between reactivation of faults in the foreland of the Alps due to the Alpine collision and glacial isostatic adjustment.

This chapter reviews the results of studies of late- and postglacial faults in the Russian part of the Fennoscandian Shield (Kola Peninsula, Karelia, Sankt-Petersburg region). It provides a brief overview and description from north to south of the main seismic lineaments (Murmansk and Kandalaksha) as well as results from a study of some secondary lineaments, individual late- and postglacial faults and seismic dislocations. The obtained data allowed defining a decrease in seismic activity from the Late Glaciation to the present times. It is due to the fading glacial isostatic uplift of the shield and the change of the leading role from the vertically directed forces of glacial isostasy to horizontal compressive strains. Glacial isostasy as a factor giving rise to stresses has nearly exhausted itself by the present time, while the tectonic factor continues to be felt.

Poland is in an intraplate area characterized almost everywhere by low recent tectonic activity. This does not imply, however, that earthquakes have not affected it, even in the – geologically speaking – recent geological past. This is due to Pleistocene glaciations, which left traces in the form of earthquake-induced deformed layers. The strongly deformed layers (seismites) as well as some fault zones with significant offsets crossing also Quaternary sediments can indicate fault (re-)activation due to glacial isostatic adjustment. We inventory and describe the five sites/areas in the intraplate northern and central parts of Poland where traces of glacial isostatic adjustment occur. We do not deal, however, with the mountain areas of southern Poland, because Alpine pressure and glacial isostatic adjustment may each, possibly jointly, have acted there as a trigger; distinguishing between traces left by them is not yet viable.

This section presents a detailed overview of soft-sediment deformation structures of possibly seismic origin in the Eastern Baltic Region. Recent studies of soft-sediment deformation structures discovered in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus and the Kaliningrad District of Russia demonstrated that their formation could have been caused by fluidization and liquefaction of sediments possibly triggered by palaeoearthquakes; thus, they could be interpreted as seismites. An identification of corresponding seismogenic faults is complicated though due to the rather small scale of the tectonic dislocations in the intracratonic area with up to 2.5-km thick Phanerozoic sedimentary cover. Nevertheless, a part of soft-sediment deformation structures can be interpreted as seismites and attributed to the seismic events triggered by glacial isostatic adjustment of the lithosphere during the Last (Weichselian) glacial advance and subsequent deglaciation.

This chapter gives an overview of the use of soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS) as palaeoearthquake indicators in formerly glaciated and periglacial areas. We review the most important processes of soft-sediment deformation and the different nomenclature used in the scientific communities.

So-called seismites are beds with SSDS that formed because of seismic shaking. However, in regions that were affected by glacial and periglacial processes, the use of SSDS as palaeoearthquake indicator is challenging and interpretation must be done with care. Earthquakes are only one trigger process of many that can cause liquefaction and/or fluidization of sediments, leading to the formation of SSDS. Ice-sheet loading, glaciotectonism and freeze and thaw processes in glacial and periglacial environments are also potential trigger processes that can cause the formation of similar types of SSDS, which can be easily mistaken for seismites. Therefore, we provide clear criteria to recognize seismites in the field. The combination of deformation bands that occur in the vicinity of basement faults with carefully evaluated SSDS is a robust indicator for palaeoearthquakes.