| 1. |
- Alexanderson, Helena, et al.
(author)
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Buried by sand – the abandoned medieval town at Falsterbo, S Sweden
- 2024
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Archaeological investigations have revealed cultural layers with remnants of houses and streets below up to four metres of sand at the southern end of the Falsterbo peninsula in southernmost Sweden. The cultural layers have been dated to the 15th – 16th centuries, based on finds of, for example, coins and ceramics, and interpreted to represent the medieval town Falsterbo. It has been assumed that the houses in this once central part of town, close to the church, were abandoned due to strong sand drift that eventually buried most of the structures. Here we will present results of luminescence dating, portable luminescence analysis and other geological analyses of the sand below, between and above the cultural layers. The lowermost sand is interpreted as beach sand, while all other sand beds – separating and covering the different phases of houses – are interpreted as aeolian sand. Preliminary results suggest a hiatus between the deposition of the beach sand and the first aeolian sand, followed by relatively rapid sand accumulation after final abandonment.
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| 2. |
- Alexanderson, Helena, et al.
(author)
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Coupled luminescence and cosmogenic nuclide dating of postglacial deflation surfaces and sand drift on a raised ice-contact delta at Veinge, SW Sweden
- 2024
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In: Quaternary Geochronology. - 1871-1014. ; 80
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wind-abraded cobbles (ventifacts) and aeolian sand are known from the sandy-gravelly coastal areas of south-western Sweden, especially in association with raised deltas. Ventifacts are recorded on at least two different stratigraphic levels, at some sites atop glaciofluvial sediment, at other sites atop littoral deposits, and in some places at both levels, while aeolian sand usually forms a surficial cover. The formation of ventifacts has usually been coupled to abrasion due to katabatic winds from the retreating ice sheet or with periglacial climate during the Younger Dryas stadial (12.8–11.7 ka).To determine the timing of these deflation events, we have applied a combination of dating methods to ventifacts and associated sediments on top of an ice-contact delta at Veinge, south-western Sweden. Quartz and feldspar luminescence dating as well as portable luminescence profiling has been used for littoral and aeolian sediments over- and underlying deflation surfaces, while rock surface luminescence burial dating and paired 14C–10Be cosmogenic nuclide dating were conducted on ventifacts. The results show that a first deflation event occurred c. 16.5 ka, just after deglaciation and prior to a regional transgression that peaked around 15.7 ka. At 12.4–11.4 ka, during the Younger Dryas stadial, a new set of ventifacts formed on the surface of the exposed littoral sands and gravels. Some wind abrasion also occurred in the early Holocene, but at c. 8.5 ka the surface was covered by aeolian sand, up to 2.5 m thick.The combination of different dating methods have allowed us to draw more informed conclusions on the timing and duration of these wind abrasion/transport events than would have been possible from the use of only single-method dating. It has also made it possible to infer some environmental conditions during deposition. For example, both glaciofluvial and littoral deposits show evidence of incomplete bleaching of the luminescence signal. This suggests short subaerial transport and brief reworking by waves, respectively, though bleaching conditions improved during shore regression. Rock surface burial luminescence profiles reveal that some ventifacts were repeatedly exposed, but that later event(s) were shorter in duration as indicated by quartz-feldspar age comparisons.
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| 3. |
- Alexanderson, Helena, et al.
(author)
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Late glacial to Early Holocene deflation events and aeolian deposition on a raised ice-contact delta at Veinge, SW Sweden
- 2024
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Wind-abraded cobbles (ventifacts) and aeolian sand are known from the sandy-gravelly coastal areas of south-western Sweden, especially in association with raised deltas. Ventifacts are recorded on at least two different stratigraphic levels, on top of glaciofluvial sediment and/or on top of littoral deposits, while aeolian sand usually forms a surficial cover. The formation of ventifacts has usually been coupled to abrasion due to katabatic winds from the retreating ice sheet or with periglacial climate during the Younger Dryas stadial (12.8-11.6 ka). However, there are very few absolute ages, and the timing of wind deflation has recently been challenged and proposed to be much older (110-70 ka). To determine the timing of these deflation events, we have applied a combination of dating methods to ventifacts and associated sediments on top of an ice-contact delta at Veinge, south-western Sweden. Quartz and feldspar luminescence dating as well as portable luminescence profiling has been used for the over- and underlying sediments, while rock surface luminescence burial dating and paired 14C10Be cosmogenic nuclide dating were done on ventifacts. The results show that a first deflation event occurred c. 16.5 ka, just after deglaciation and prior to a regional transgression that peaked around 15.7 ka. At 12.4-11.4 ka, during and just after the Younger Dryas stadial, a new set of ventifacts formed on the surface of the exposed littoral sands and gravels. Some wind abrasion also occurred in the early Holocene, but at c. 8.5 ka the surface was covered by aeolian sand, up to 2.5 m thick. The combination of dating methods allowed us to extract more information about the timing and duration of these wind abrasion/transport events than we would have if only a single method had been used, and it is also possible to infer some environmental conditions. For example, both glaciofluvial and littoral deposits show evidence of incomplete bleaching of the luminescence signal. This suggests short subaerial transport and brief reworking by waves, respectively, though bleaching conditions improved during shore regression. Rock surface burial luminescence profiles reveal that some ventifacts were repeatedly exposed, but that later event(s) were shorter in duration as indicated by quartz-feldspar age comparisons.
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| 4. |
- Antić, Aleksandar, et al.
(author)
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Loess and geotourism potential of the Braničevo District (NE Serbia) : From overexploitation to paleoclimate interpretation
- 2023
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In: Open Geosciences. - 2391-5447. ; 15:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of loess as a resource for paleoclimatic research is quite well established. In Serbia, a significant number of loess sequences have been preserved in old brickyards. The results of the previously conducted research indicate extremely valuable data that enable a better understanding of the mid- to late Pleistocene climatic evolution in this part of Europe, as well as human dispersal from Africa to Europe via the so-called Danubian migration corridor. The aim of this study is to evaluate the geotourism potentials of the loess profiles in Pożarevac (northeastern Serbia). The goal is to determine their geotourism potential for paleoclimate interpretation. The Modified Geoheritage Assessment Model method has identified exceptional geotourism potentials that can be implemented in the tourism market. Paleoclimatic data can serve as indicators for the development of scientific visitor centers for the promotion and popularization of paleoclimate science and museums, which will affirm sustainable socio-economic development through multidisciplinary interpretation. By combining geological, paleoclimatic, archaeological, biological, and other values that reveal natural and anthropogenic events from the distant past, it is possible to create a very competitive geotourism destination, whose sustainability can be passed on to future generations.
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| 5. |
- Bejarano-Arias, Ingrid, et al.
(author)
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Testing the Applicability of Quartz and Feldspar for Luminescence Dating of Pleistocene Alluvial Sediments in the Tatra Mountain Foothills, Slovakia
- 2023
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In: Geochronometria. - 1733-8387. ; 50:1, s. 50-80
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Luminescence dating is a widely used method in combination with sedimentological analysis for reconstructing the landscape development of the Quaternary period. In this study, quartz and K-feldspar measurements were used to evaluate the luminescence characteristics with the aim of dating the deposits. The sediments were sampled from an abandoned gravel pit in the Biely Váh valley and eight sites in the lower part of the Velická dolina valley, High Tatra Mountains, Slovakia. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) showed that quartz had an unstable weak signal, and standard single aliquot regeneration (SAR) dose estimates were unreliable, as were doses from pulsed OSL and differential OSL. Infrared (IR50) and post-IR IR225 stimulation (pIRIR225) signals from K-feldspar grains, on the other hand, gave stronger signals but were, to various extents, influenced by incomplete bleaching, fading and uncertainty due to high (>2D0) doses. We find the uncorrected pIRIR225 ages most reliable, though modern analogues indicate that there may be significant residual from incomplete bleaching for some of the samples. The results of the luminescence analyses, ages and sedimentology are put in the context of landscape dynamics and compared to the known glacial history of the Tatra Mountains.
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| 6. |
- Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E., et al.
(author)
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Luminescence sensitivity of rhine valley loess : Indicators of source variability?
- 2022
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In: Quaternary. - : MDPI AG. - 2571-550X. ; 5:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Loess provides a valuable terrestrial record of past environmental conditions, including the dynamics and trajectories of air mass circulation responsible for dust transport. Here we explore variations in the luminescence sensitivity characteristics of sedimentary quartz and feldspar as possible tools for identifying changes in source down a loess-palaeosol sequence (LPS). Luminescence sensitivity is a rapidly measurable index which is the product of interplay between source lithology and the history of the quartz or feldspar clasts. Variations in sensitivity of down profile may therefore reflect changes in sediment provenance as well as other factors such as weathering through pedogenesis. We undertake an empirical investigation of the luminescence sensitivity of quartz and feldspar from different grain-size fractions from the Schwalbenberg LPS in the German Rhine valley. We compare samples from a 30 m core spanning the last full glacial cycle with samples of oxygen isotope stage (OIS) 3–2 age exposed within nearby profile. We find an overall inverse relationship between quartz and feldspar sensitivity, as well as variability in sensitivity between different quartz grain sizes. Statistical analyses yield a significant correlation between IR50 sensitivity from unprocessed sediments and clay content, and feldspar sensitivity and Si/Al ratios down the core. Since Si/Al ratios may indicate changes in provenance, the latter correlation suggests that IR50 measurements on unprocessed samples may be used to provide a reliable, rapid scan of source variability over millennial timescales.
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| 7. |
- Mangerud, Jan, et al.
(author)
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Did the Eurasian ice sheets melt completely in early Marine Isotope Stage 3? New evidence from Norway and a synthesis for Eurasia
- 2023
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - 0277-3791. ; 311
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe glaci-lacustrine sediments buried under thick tills in Folldalen, south-east Norway, a site located close to the former centre of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet. Thus, the location implies that the ice sheet had melted when the sediments were deposited. The exposed ground was occupied by arctic vegetation. The best age estimate from 20 quartz luminescence dates is 55.6 ± 4.6 ka. Due to possible incomplete bleaching, an age in the younger part of the time range is most probable. We conclude that the Scandinavian Ice Sheet melted almost completely away early in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Our review shows that the other Eurasian ice sheets also disappeared in that period. In north-western Germany, there were forests, containing warmth-demanding trees early in MIS 3, indicating a summer climate only slightly cooler than at present, thus supporting the evidence that the adjacent ice sheets had melted. The melting of the Eurasian ice sheets contributed to 50–100% of the sea-level rise from MIS 4 to MIS 3, implying that the much larger North American ice sheets did not melt much. In contrast, the Eurasian ice sheets contributed only about 30% to the sea-level drop from MIS 3 to MIS 2, meaning that the North American ice sheets during that period expanded strongly.
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| 8. |
- Marković, Rastko S., et al.
(author)
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Aeolian dynamics at the northern edge of Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, Vojvodina, Serbia, at the time of the last deglaciation
- 2024
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In: Quaternary Research (United States). - 0033-5894.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, which is one of the largest areas of aeolian sand in Europe, is located near the Iron Gate, which marks the crossing of the Danube River through the biggest gorge of this river. Here, Danubian alluvium has served as the sand source for the Banat Sand Sea, which was formed primarily through southeasterly (Košava) winds. Utilizing a multi-proxy approach, the objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the environmental dynamics of the Banat Sand Sea. To achieve this goal, we conducted an analysis of an archive representing an approximately 20-m-thick dune formation on the northern edge of this dune field. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, we calculated aeolian sedimentation rates and dune ages. Sand was deposited here approximately between 17 ka and 13 ka. Magnetic susceptibility, grain size, and colorimetric analyses were interpreted in terms of local paleoenvironmental conditions. Calculated sedimentation rates (SR) indicate intensive aeolian deposition during the study period that range from 483 cm/ka to 502 cm/ka. We compared our data with regional and other European archives, as well as with climatic variations recorded in the Greenland ice core North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP).
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| 9. |
- Markovic, Slobodan B., et al.
(author)
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Geomorphological evolution of the Petrovaradin Fortress Palaeolithic site (Novi Sad, Serbia)
- 2021
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In: Quaternary Research. - : Cambridge University Press. - 0033-5894 .- 1096-0287. ; 103, s. 21-34
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two phases of archaeological investigation were performed in the Novi Sad City Museum at Petrovaradin Fortress. In this study, we summarize the results of geo-archaeological investigations of the second period of excavation inside the Novi Sad City Museum building. The fortress is situated on a Danube terrace with the top of the bedrock at ca.123 m asl. The investigated section consists of undisturbed fine-sandy silt. The grain-size distribution of the sediments indicates clearly its alluvial reworking but shows also a general similarity with typical primary loess in the region. All analyzed proxies indicate slightly stronger weathering in the upper part of the profile. Luminescence ages suggest that the investigated sequence covers the last glacial period and the terrace presumably formed during MIS 4. Subsequently, the Danube started its incision at the start of the next warmer period (MIS 3) onward. This terrace age and elevation enable us to derive an uplift rate of the terrace of ca. 0.73 mm/a for the last 60 ka, which seems to increase towards the present. Basal loessic material, in which artifacts occur, likely in the reworked position, indicate that the area close to today's Petrovaradin Fortress was already inhabited in MIS 5.
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| 10. |
- Marković, Slobodan B., et al.
(author)
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Local Differentiation in the Loess Deposition as a Function of Dust Source : Key Study Novo Orahovo Loess Paleosol Sequence (Vojvodina, Serbia)
- 2023
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In: Quaternary. - : MDPI AG. - 2571-550X. ; 6:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Typical patterns of the Late Pleistocene loess–paleosol units are preserved in the Novo Orahovo brickyard, Northern Serbia. Presented preliminary luminescence chronology supports the chronostratigraphic interpretations of global isotopic marine climate reconstructions. Magnetic susceptibility and sedimentological evidence exhibit general similarities with the marine oxygen-isotope stratigraphy. These records provide new insights into the dust accumulation regimes over the eastern side of the Bačka loess plateau and offer new paleoenvironmental information for the region. They represent an important step forward towards the establishment of a catena from the thin loess-like sediments of the Banat foothills in the east towards the thicker and seemingly more complete loess sections of the southeastern and central Carpathian Basin. Grain-size data from the loess record of Nova Orahovo explain the regional differentiation in dust deposition.
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