A continent-wide framework for local and regional stratigraphies
Gijssel, K. van
Citation
Gijssel, K. van. (2006, November 22). A continent-wide framework for local and regional
stratigraphies. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/4985
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Institutional Repository of the University of Leiden
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vii Preface / Acknowledgements v Contents vii Summary ix Samenvatting xv 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Scope and objectives 1 1.2 Outline of this thesis 2
2 Quaternary terrestrial stratigraphy and correlation; a multidisciplinary approach 5
2.1 Stratigraphical subdivision: some basic concepts and procedures 5 2.1.1 Material descriptive units 5 2.1.2 Interpretative units 5 2.1.3 Temporal units 6 2.1.4 Correlation 6 2.2 The Quaternary System and Period 8 2.2.1 Terminology and historical background 8 2.2.2 Age and chronostratigraphical status 8 2.3 Nature of the Quaternary terrestrial succession 9 2.3.1 The incomplete terrestrial geological record 9 2.3.2 The interpreted terrestrial palaeoclimatic record 9 2.4 Scale and resolution of research 10 2.4.1 Spatial scale 10 2.4.2 Temporal scale 11 2.5 Aims of subdivision: a global framework for regional stratigraphies 11 2.5.1 A supplementary large-scale stratigraphical framework for regional stratigraphies 11 2.5.2 Interpretation of climate type events 12 2.5.3 Relation of regional terrestrial events to the marine isotope stratigraphy 13 2.6 Procedures and terminology applicable to large-scale interpretation and correlation 14 2.6.1 Unconformity-bounded stratigraphy: subdivision and terminology 14 2.6.2 (Genetic) sequence stratigraphy: subdivision and terminology 15 2.6.3 Event stratigraphy: subdivision and terminology 15
3 Contemporary Middle Pleistocene terrestrial stratigraphy of Northwest and Central Europe; a complex of local
stratigraphies and palaeoclimatic stages 17
viii
3.4 Chronostratigraphical control on terrestrial Middle Pleistocene sequences 36
3.4.1 Relative age markers 36
3.4.2 Palaeomagnetic evidence 37
3.4.3 Geochronometric dating 37
4 A supplementary stratigraphical framework for Northwest and Central Europe on the basis of genetic sequence
and event stratigraphy 39
4.1 Main natural type regions of Northwest and Central Europe 39 4.1.1 Geotectonic type regions 39 4.1.2 Distribution of Pleistocene sediments 39 4.2 Building components of the genetic sequence stratigraphical framework for the Middle Pleistocene terrestrial record of Northwest and Central Europe 42 4.2.1 Wide-spread unconformity-bounded units and genetic sequences 42 4.2.2 Regional-scale unconformity-bounded units and genetic sequences 43 4.2.3 Local-scale unconformity-bounded units and genetic sequences 54 4.3 Interregional correlation of the land-based Middle Pleistocene sequences 54 4.3.1 Glacial stratigraphy of Northwest (and Central) Europe 55 4.3.2 Fluvial terrace and loess stratigraphy of Central Europe 59 4.4 Compilation of an event-stratigraphical framework for the Middle Pleistocene terrestrial record of Northwest and Central Europe 62 4.4.1 Interpretation of the palaeoclimatic event markers 62 4.4.2 Relevant chrono- and biostratigraphical markers of interregional significance 64 4.4.3 Regional geotectonic variability 64
5 Key stratigraphical sequences for the Middle Pleistocene in Northwest and Central Europe: two case studies 67
5.1 Introduction 67 5.2 Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy of the Middle Rhine type region: the sections at Kärlich, Ariendorf and Miesenheim 68 5.2.1 The Kärlich section 70 5.2.2 The Ariendorf section 75 5.2.3 The Miesenheim I section 78 5.3 Correlation of the (Middle) Pleistocene depositional succession in the Middle and Lower Rhine drainage basin and the Anglo-Dutch North Sea sub-basin 79 5.3.1 Middle Pleistocene unconformity-bounded stratigraphical framework 79 5.3.2 Event-stratigraphical correlation of Middle Pleistocene sedimentary sequences and unconformities 82 5.4 Late Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy of the Subhercynic basin type region: the sections at Schöningen 84 5.4.1 The Schöningen sections 84 5.4.2 Interregional correlation of the late Middle Pleistocene sedimentary sequences and unconformities 88
6 Synthesis: event correlation of the Middle Pleistocene terrestrial succession with the marine isotope stratigraphy 91
