ALBERT

Description: The study deals with the influence of the Weichselian periglacial shaping on the modification of older moraine areas; the basin of Uelzen, which is part of the North German lowland, has been taken as an example. It was by the inland-ice of the Warthe-period that this area was fundamentally formed, and during the Weichselian period it was subject to periglacial processes. Two examples of a small-scale relief inversion caused by fluvial and soliflual processes are demonstrated. A calculation of the dimension of denudation in the basin itself, which has taken place 1.) since the retreat of the Warthe-glaciers and 2.) since the Eem interglacial stage, is possible; it is based 1.) upon the inversion of the drainage after the shrinkage of the ice and 2.) on the altitude of Eem interglacial sediments above the present basin bottom. According to these data an average degradation of the basin bottom of about 20 metres since the late Warthe period must be assumed; about 10 metres of this account are due to the Weichselian denudation exclusively.

Description: Between the Saale and Warthe stages no real interglacial age existed. It was a time, where a reforestation took place, but only with coniferous, not with warmth-loving deciduous trees. In the northern areas which were still depressed by the ice load, early-interstadial marine ingressions of short duration occurred. There existed, however, no high-interglacial transgressions of a warm sea. The interval between Drenthe and Warthe could be named a "Super-Interstadial".

Description: A review is given on the results of researches which were undertaken in the Pleistocene of the eastern foot-hills of the Harz. A terrace could be detected where the gravels have been accumulated during a cold period in the Holstein stage. The main terraces of the rivers, corresponding in age to the early Saale stage, indicate two sedimentary cycles. Two sequences of loess can be correlated with the sedimentary cycles of the rivers; the loess is of equal constitution. An interstadial soil-formation can be observed in between both cycles. Maximum ice advance of the Saale glaciation came to an end at the eastern foot-hills of the Harz. This zone locally can be subdivided by minor movements of the ice sheet. A terrace and loess can be correlated with the Warthe glaciation. Inbetween both the Saale and the Warthe glaciation a temperate period caused formation of soils. The proposal is made to avoid terms like glacial and interglacial, when dealing with Pleistocene stratigraphy. In such a case only terms like Holstein stage, Saale stage etc. should be used.

Description: Stratigraphy and exposure of beds along the bluffs of the river Elbe west of Lauenburg are described. Deposits dated as Miocene, Elster Ice Age and Holstein Interglacial have been encountered in borings only. The bluff is prevailingly composed of rocks belonging to the Drenthe stage. The latter is represented by at least three different ground moraines, apart from intercalated basin silts, basin sands and glacial-fluviatile sands. According to the dimensions, the three ground moraines may correspond to three different phases. In the intervals peaty basin sands were deposited. Samples of glacial drift indicate that the Warthe stage is represented by just minor remains of ground moraine. The gravels of which the Hasenberg is composed, however, belong into the same stage. The boulder clay widely distributed on the uplands and underlying the Eem-„Kuhgrund"-peats belong to the Drenthe stage. This joungest Drenthe boulder clay is undisturbed and covers strongly faulted old and middle Pleistocene deposits. Therefore these dislocations occurred before the Warthe stage; even the „Lauenburger Stauchmoräne" can no longer beassigned to the Warthe stage.

Description: At the beginning of the Holocene the glaciofluvial sands of the Elbe glacial stream valley were traversed by channels of melting waters, through which the old arms of the river Elbe were flowing. The winds accumulated these sands to dunes, on the top of which podzols were formed. During the whole of the Holocene the river Elbe deposited loamy-sandy sediments on the higher zone near the banks, but clayey sediments in the lower zone of the back land. These clayey sediments alternate with peat layers in dead channels of the river Elbe and in the back land. General sedimentation ended through diking during the Middle Ages. Only fan-like sandy layers were deposited locally where dikes were broken. The ages of peat layers and „Humusdwögen" (humic horizons of fossil soils) between clay sediments, and also of charcoal in the dune podzols were determined by the 14C method.

Description: The interglacial marine beaches (Sicilian, Milazzian etc.) are mostly explained as signs of ancient higher ocean levels. But where we can prove the height of ancient ocean levels, this is not very different from the present one. The ancient beaches cannot be explained by sinking of the ocean level, but only by rise of the continents. Thus they are really „raised beaches".

Description: The volcanic rocks of the Laacher-See-area in the Eifel can be correlated chronologically with the formation of terraces by the River Rhine. Thus the sequence of these rocks becomes stratigrafically determinable. This offers a possibility for testing the K-Ar-dating-method with samples of Pleistocene age and for checking the correspondance of the physically determined sequence and the geological sequence. Specimens of 13 sanidines, 7 biotites, 2 augites, 14 rocks of the Eifel, and — in addition — 6 rocks of the environment of Agde, Dept. Hérault, in southern France were dated with geological likely ages resulting in most cases. In the Eifel they reach from 570.10³a to 100.10³a, at Agde from 1400.10³a to 640.10³a. Experiments of diffusion with sanidines and biotites demonstrated, that atmospheric Argon cannot be sufficiently removed by heating without loss of radiogenic Argon. A control-sample of the heated radiogene gas with radioactive Ar(39) was tested and proved to be a usful correction-factor.

Description: The first indications of the existence of fluviatile terraces in E. Anatolia were reported recently by Izbirak (1962) and Ketin (1962). The present authors have made a rapid and superficial exploration of a terrace system containing a maximum of five to seven different levels along the upper reaches of the great Kizil Irmak or Red River between Sivas and Kayseri in E. Anatolia. This region partly overlaps, but lies mostly to the North of the region described by Izbirak. It appears that the terrace levels are fairly constant along the mentioned stretch of the river. They disappear suddenly farther downstream. With Izbirak the present authors are of opinion that the formation of these terraces is probably due to tectonic activities in the first place and only secondarily to climatic influences. One terrace level, the third (counting from the lowest level) consistently contained a very limited number of what the authors suppose to be primitive artefacts, among which there are some pebble-tools. These are described in the paper; they may indicate the presence of hominids in Turkey during the earliest part of the Pleistocene. In one case a fossil molar of a Hipparion was found in this third level in situ, partly covered by the same petrified red loam which also enveloped some of the supposed artefacts. No exact dating of the terraces is as yet possible, but it may be inferred that the oldest and highest ones are Tertiary, the one containing the artefacts perhaps lowermost Pleistocene, and the lowest ones young Pleistocene or even Holocene. Some time ago Izbirak (1962) published a geomorphological study of part of the region along the upper reaches of the Kizil Irmak in Turkey. Without being aware of the results of this study, the present authors made some observations in almost the same area. Although of a different nature these coincide very well with Izbirak's conclusions. Thanks to a grant-in-aid assigned to one of us by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research at New York, the voyage, and the collecting of material in Turkey, was made possible. We would like to thank the authorities of this Foundation for the rendering of this financial aid; the authorities of the Netherlands Embassy at Ankara, and Professor A. A. Cense at Istanbul, should receive our thanks and gratitude for the aid and advice given us during our stay The region visited by us was part of the upper valley of the Kizil Irmak, the Halys river of ancient times, lying between the cities of Sivas and Kayseri. Our observations began immediately downstream from Sivas at both sides of the river over a continuous stretch of approximately 20 kilometres. Lower downstream a number of traverses at right angles to the river valley's axis was made.

Description: At present, the view is generally adopted that loess does not originate only by the accumulation of wind-borne dust, but also by a particular soil-forming process (loessification), that impresses to dust-accumulations typical features of loess, especially the structure, calcareous-ness and colour. Loessification effects the entire area of suitable regions, but requires special environmental conditions, which are not available in present-day Europe. This hypothesis is fully supported by the loess molluscan fauna showing a peculiar composition and including several species and races confined to loess deposits. Therefore, we are justified in speaking about loess assemblages in the ecologic sense and about loess environment, distinguished by specific climatic, sedimentation and soil conditions, as well as by a characteristic fauna and flora. The period of loessification, which could be called loess phase, differs sharply from other sections of the Quaternary climatic cycle. Eolian deposition and loessification are almost contemporaneous. The wind redeposits materials that are already partly loessified and undergo further loessification during and after their accumulation. This also holds for fine-grained deposits of non-eolian origin, particularly for slope and proluvial deposits; these assume a number of features consistent with those of loess, so that they can be termed loess-like (= loessoid) sediments. The malacofaunal contents of loesses and loess-like deposits are the same. It should be emphasized that during the loess phase sedimentation of eolian dust fully prevails, even in places where during other phases quite different processes, e. g. deposition of coarse screes, exist. This phenomenon along with a typical fauna evidences the particular natural conditions of the loess phase. In the higher altitudes and more humid areas loess is substituted by non-calcareous loams belonging to a different soil zone of the loess phase. In considering the sediments of the loess phases, distinction should be made between true eolian loesses and loess-like deposits originated either by loessification of fine-grained non-eolian deposits or by redeposition of loesses. The correlation of malacologic and sedimentologic results witnesses to the Tightness of V. A. Obrucev's hypothesis on the loess origin.

Description: 72% of the present total world precipitation falls between the parallels of 40° N and 40° S. On the assumption that during the last glaciation evaporation, and therefore precipitation, was 20% less than now, it is shown that a pluvial period in middle and low latitudes could not have occurred at that time.

Description: Some observations and remarks about the climate and paleoclimate of New Zealand, founded on journeys and the work of New Zealandic geologists. Some peculiarities of the climate (fig. 1). New Zealand has a relatively cool and wet climate (similar to Tasmania at the present). There is a very conspicious difference between the very humid windward side and the arid lee-side of the Southern Alps (also in the vegetation, fig. 2). „Edaphically caused deserts" begin to develop in the volcanic area of the North Island (fig. 3). The glaciers on the western coast of New Zealand (fig. 4), especially Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, are impressive examples for the coexistence of lush, nearly subtropical rainforests (with tree-ferns) with glacier ice (figs. 6, 8). Therefore they are especially important for paleoclimatologists and for the interpretation of climatic indicators. Both glaciers have their tongues near the sea, nearly 2000 mts. below snow-line. Their recession (fig. 7) was 1200 and 1800 m respectively in 21 years. The cause for the low position of the tongues is to bee seen in high precipitation in connexion with the altitude and steepness of the mountains. Climatic history of New Zealand. The Quaternary is not treated; it only is referred to the influence of recent tectonic movements on the terraces. — The climate of the Tertiary was temperate to subtropical and humid. Maximal temperatures did not occur (as in Europe and North America) in the older, but (as in Australia) in the middle Tertiary (fig. 9). The author tries to explain this difference by the combination of 2 curves (fig. 10): one is the curve of changing latitude, caused by drift, the other is the general trend of the decline of temperature in Tertiary time. Because Australia obviously moved towards the equator, but Europe (if at all) towards the pole, the resulting curve is different in both continents. — Also the Mesozoic climate was neither tropical nor arid. Perhaps the Permian was a little warmer than in Australia. Compared with Australia, the climatic history is distinctly different. Australia changed from a polar climate to a subtropical and tropical one since the Carboniferous-Permian period, but New Zealand seems to have remained more or less in the same climatic zone during this long time. We don't yet know whether the difference between New Zealand and Australia is only apparent (caused by gaps in our knowledge), or is caused by an independent northward drift of both regions (Australia quickly, New Zealand more slowly).

Description: In order to clarify the Pleistocene successions present in the clay-pits at Herxheim, Jockgrim and Rheinzabern in Vorderpfalz, a pollen analysis has been made of peat and silt deposits. The following results have been obtained: 1) The Herxheim peat-layers can be assigned to a subarctic phase, which may belong either at the beginning or end of any Interglacial or Interstadial. The pollen diagrams do not permit a definite dating. 2) The clay-pits of Jockgrim and Rheinzabern are located not far apart and the peat- and silt-layers are of the same age. They contain pollen of the Tertiary forms: Tsuga, Castanea, Pterocarya and Carya and also some Fagus. These indicate a lower Pleistocene age for the deposits. Up to now, no complete pollen diagrams are available for the southern German area. Therefore it is not possible at present to date definitely the deposits of Jockgrim and Rheinzabern.

Description: The stratigraphic position of the "Varta Stadium" is defined by the following facts in Middle Poland: 1) End-moraines of the "Varta Stadium" are located 50-120 km. northward from maximal extension (Radomka Stadium) of the Middle polish glaciation (R, Saale glac); these moraine deposits cover organogenic deposits of the penultimate interglaciation (M/R; Holstein Intgl.). 2) Last interglacial deposits are known from many places in depressions without outflow and which are distributed on the surface of moraines from Varta stadium. 3) The morainic horizon of the Varta stadium is separated from the one of the maximal extension of the Middle Polish glaciation by erosive valleys 15-20 m. deep and filled with deposits representing one cycle of fluvial accumulation (Pilica interstadial). These deposits, covered by varved clays or in other places by loess, may be traced as far as 100 km. north from the maximal reach of the "Varta Stadium". 4) The "Varta Stadium" was followed (in the region between 20°-23° E) by the Bug-Narev Interstadial, then by the ice advance of the Vkra Stadium followed by an additional interstadial (Regimin Interstadial) and then by the last advance of the penultimate glaciation - Mlavastadium. Northward from the area where the "Mlava Stadium" deposits occur on the surface, interglacial series of that age are covered by morainic deposits of the last glaciation (W, Weichsel glac, Baltic glac). 6) The fossil soils of podzol type, which are connected with Pilica Interstadial and covered by moraines of the Varta Stadium, are known in lower Pilica region. But organogenic deposits of that age, separating the Radomka and Varta Stadium (morainic horizons!) are not known until now. Peats found at Brzozowica near Bedzin some 80 km. south of the maximal extension of the Varta Stadium which show palynological features of an interstadial character, are most probably of that age. The Varta Stadium represents in writer's opinion one of the three recessional stadia of the penultimate glaciation, which are separated by well marked interstadials corresponding to climatic oscillations of similar order of magnitude. The limit of occurrence of the brown Baltic porphyry, which was regarded by V. and K. Milthers as a dead line of their "Varta Glaciation", runs discordantly with the end-morainic zones of that age through Middle Poland. In the region between 19°-22° it is shifted southward, up to the maximal reach of the Middle Polish glaciation. To the west and to the east from the mentioned region the occurrence of the brown porphyry is coextensive with the reach of the Varta stadium. The large quantities of local Jurassic and Cretaceous flints (to 80% within 0,5—5,0 cm. grain size) in moraines of older stadia make it impossible to apply K. Richter's boulder coefficient method.

Description: Das Untersuchungsgebiet umfaßt die westlichen und südlichen Teile der Aosta-Region vom Hauptkamm der M. Blanc-Gruppe bis zum nach N entwässernden Teil der Paradiso-Gruppe. Die Untergrenze bildet das Moränengebiet von Aymavilles-Sarre, etwa 5, km westlich Aosta. Verfolgt werden die durch Moränen gekennzeichneten Gletscherstände vom „Aymavilles" (= „Gschnitz") bis zur Gegenwart und die Vermessungsergebnisse ab 1929—31 (Karte 1 : 25 000); die letzten genaueren Höhenwerte liegen für 1950—53 vor. Moränen aus historischer Zeit gibt es etwa von 1600, 1680, 1770, 1820, 1860 und 1920. Nur wenige Gletscher weisen deutliche noch jüngere Moränen auf. Tiefliegende Moränen aus dem 17. und 18. Jahrh. lassen sich leider nicht immer eindeutig einem der drei Stände dieses Zeitraumes zuordnen. Innerhalb der bisher als „Courmayeur" bezeichneten und dem „Daun" gleichgesetzten Moränen kann man deutlich zwei Gruppen unterscheiden. Es wird deshalb vorgeschlagen, die Bezeichnung „Courmayeur" durch zwei neue Lokalnamen aus der Umgebung von Cogne, „Epinel" (= „Daun") und „Valnontey" (= „Egesen"), zu ersetzen. Zum Schluß wird versucht, die Geschichte der Gletscher im Untersuchungsgebiet kurz darzustellen.

Description: The loess soils of the Lower Rhine area and of Westphalia partially present deep humic horizonts, the genesis of which was unknown. By the evaluation of elaborated soil estimation maps (M. 1 : 5000), the distribution of the deep humic soils could be identified with the loess distribution. A connection to the existing chernozem areas was possible. Grounded on climate theories, nontree pollen analyses, interstadial chernozem formation and the history of vegetation of this area the deep humic soils are recognized as relics of a late glacial zonal chernozem formation. The conclusion from this late glacial zonal chernozem formation for plalaeosoil science and soil development are discussed.

Description: The present paper deals with the geology and the paleontology of the Baraolt and Sf. Gheorghe Basins, that are part of the Brasov Depression lying in the south-eastern part of Transylvania. This structural depression represented a big lacustrine basin almost during the whole Pleistocene. The deposits were laid down on a Mesozoic floor and are to be divided into four horizons in accordance with a same number of phases of the basin developement. Mammalian faunas of these horizons were grouped into three main complexes corresponding to the Lower, Middle and Upper Pleistocene. The first faunal complex comprises two phases, the second three and the last only one.