The Balta Alba Kurgan loess-paleosol sequence - Chronology and paleoclimate in the northern Lower Danube Basin, Romania

<p>Loess-paleosol sequences are widely spread across central and southeastern Europe and are studied intensively, as they are important terrestrial archives that preserve paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic information. In the Lower Danube Basin large areas are covered by loess, loess derivates, sandy loess, and sand dunes (Lehmkuhl et al., 2021). The exposed loess deposits reach several decameters in thickness. In contrast to other well-studied sites in the Lower Danube area, the investigated Balta Alba Kurgan (BAK) sequence is located close to the forelands of the Eastern Carpathians, an area that is largely underrepresented in loess research. High-resolution geochemical analyses identified the Eastern Carpathians as a main source region of the loess at this site (P&#246;tter et al., 2021). The BAK sequence consists of loess with several intercalated paleosols and weaker pedogenetic horizons, reflecting Late Pleistocene environmental conditions. Furthermore, the Campanian Ignimbrite/Y-5 tephra is preserved that serves as a chronological marker horizon and which had severe ecological impact in southeastern Europe. A robust age model was established for the upper 10&#160;m using a multi-method approach (luminescence dating, radiocarbon dating, magnetic stratigraphy, and tephrochronology) which shows that this part of the sequence covers the MIS 3/2 transition up to present (Scheidt et al., 2021). Here, we present further geochronological data obtained from luminescence dating and more detailed paleoenvironmental proxy data, widening our understanding of Late Pleistocene climate and environmental conditions in the northern Lower Danube Basin.</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>References</p> <p>Lehmkuhl, F., Nett, J.J., P&#246;tter, S., Schulte, P., Sprafke, T., Jary, Z., Antoine, P., Wacha, L., Wolf, D., Zerboni, A., Ho&#353;ek, J., Markovi&#263;, S.B., Obreht, I., S&#252;megi, P., Veres, D., Zeeden, C., Boemke, B., Schaubert, V., Viehweger, J., Hambach, U., 2021. Loess landscapes of Europe &#8211; Mapping, geomorphology, and zonal differentiation. Earth-Science Reviews 215, 103496. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103496</p> <p>P&#246;tter, S., Veres, D., Baykal, Y., Nett, J.J., Schulte, P., Hambach, U., Lehmkuhl, F., 2021. Disentangling sedimentary pathways for the Pleniglacial Lower Danube loess based on geochemical signatures. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, 1&#8211;25. doi:10.3389/feart.2021.600010</p> <p>Scheidt, S., Berg, S., Hambach, U., Klasen, N., P&#246;tter, S., Stolz, A., Veres, D., Zeeden, C., Brill, D., Br&#252;ckner, H., Kusch, S., Laag, C., Lehmkuhl, F., Melles, M., Monnens, F., Oppermann, L., Rethemeyer, J., Nett, J.J., 2021. Chronological Assessment of the Balta Alba Kurgan Loess-Paleosol Section (Romania) &#8211; A Comparative Study on Different Dating Methods for a Robust and Precise Age Model. Frontiers in Earth Science 8, 598448. doi:10.3389/feart.2020.598448</p>