The Garding Trough in northwest Germany: A high resolution record of Quaternary glacial and interglacial cycles for scientific drilling
Abstract
In this study we will present major aims, expected outcomes and first preliminary results of the scientific drilling project Garding located in northwest Germany. The organic rich layers like peat, mud and fine grained minerogenous sediments will be investigated by pollen analysis in more detail. First preliminary results are presented here. The aim of this 500 meter deep drilling project is to get a comprehensive record of Quaternary sediment successions in northwest Germany and to reach the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary. The Garding Trough is a terrestrial climate archive of protruding importance for Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphic correlations in the Northern Hemisphere. It is located in the north western part of Germany in Schleswig-Holstein. The trough developed as a rim syncline of the salt dome Oldensworth. This syncline contains the thickest and most complete Cenozoic sediment succession in northwest Germany. The adjacent position to the North Sea renders the identification of sea level fluctuations possible. A speciality of this location is the superposition of the stratigraphic units and the availability of different types of material like peat and sand suitable for geochronological and paleomagnetic investigations. With a first exploration drilling close to the final drilling position a 40 m sequence of alternating sand and clayey layers was recovered. Radiocarbon dating of a Cardiidae shell shows Holocene age for these deposits. This indicates a high resolution of the stratigraphic succession at this place. The same high resolution for the older and deeper parts is expected. The succession of glacial and interglacial sediments will be used to answer questions concerning the Quaternary geology, stratigraphy and climate history of northern Germany and Europe.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFMPP21A1319K
- Keywords:
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- 1105 GEOCHRONOLOGY / Quaternary geochronology;
- 1620 GLOBAL CHANGE / Climate dynamics;
- 9335 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION / Europe;
- 9604 INFORMATION RELATED TO GEOLOGIC TIME / Cenozoic