Electrical resistivity tomography as a modern tool for identifying loess covers - case study the Magdalenian site Wilczyce 10 (Sandomierz Upland, Poland)

This research utilises electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in geophysical surveys conducted in the vicinity of a Magdalenian (Up per Palaeo lithic) site in Wilczyce, Po land, fo cus ing on loess cov ers and their litho- and pedological for ma tion in re la tion to bed rock. The study yields sev eral key find ings: ERT ef fec tively de ter mines the depth of the rock mass. Mea sure ments were made along two 200 m long mea sure ment lines. Highres o lu tion ERT se quences en able pre cise boundary delineation between layers, uncovering distinct palaeorelief and identifying large palaeo-cavities. Achieving reliable re sults re quires well-de signed re search plans and the use of the Schlumberger-Wenner or gra di ent ar ray. The study also con firms the con ti nu ity of the L1 loess cover, vari able thick ness (rang ing from 5 to 15 metres), and lithological iden ti fi ca tion through elec tri cal re sis tiv ity im ag ing. The pres ence of a wavy palaeosurface be neath the loess layer in di cates past land scape un du la tions, of fer ing in sights into geomorphological evo lu tion and soil trans for ma tions in the pres ence of the loess man tle. While inter gla cial palaeosol (S1) was re li ably de tected, iden ti fy ing lower-ranked mid-loess palaeosols posed chal lenges, highlighting complexities in soil formation processes and limitations in discerning underdeveloped horizons with electrical resistivity cross-section. The study specifically examines the sequence of loess-palaeosol S0-L1-S1, providing valu able in sights into the geo log i cal and palaeoenvironmental con text of the Late Mag da lenian site.