- Email: [email protected]
Origins of the Magdalenian in Western Europe
Abstracts / Quaternary International 279-280 (2012) 346–461
Paleotsunami is one of the indicators for reconstruction of paleoearthquakes and is important for and understanding Holocene coastal evolution. Although Taiwan is known as tectonically active area, no documents exist on the occurrence of tsunami through rather short written historical time. It is generally considered that the east coast of Taiwan was never attacked by tsunami. We considered the possibility of paleotsunami on the east coast of Taiwan and found two kinds of geological data which suggest the occurrence of paleotsunami. One is the stratigraphical evidence from the Chenggong site, and the other is the huge boulders sitting on the Holocene coral terraces. Chenggong site is located on the Holocene terrace, 18-20 m amsl. We excavated the terrace deposits by hand auger and Geoslicer. Two sudden environmental changes from marine to terrestrial condition are recognized at 2300 -2200, cal yr BP and at 3000- 2800 cal. yr BP. We assume that these events probably were caused by tsunami. It is difficult to distinguish if these events are resulted by tsunami or by storm, however. Huge coral boulders are found at two sites, south of Taitung and east coast of Green Island, off shore from Taitung. On both sites, coral boulders, ca. 5m across, are sitting on the Holocene coral terraces at about 4-5 meters amsl. It is certain that these boulders are not derived by the landslide behind the coast, but transported from offshore. The dating of coral terraces and boulders are now under the process. HOLOCENE GLACIER HISTORY AT DAMMA, CENTRAL SWITZERLAND Andrea Ott. University of Bern/Institut für Geologie, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected]
BIGLINK is a multi-disciplinary project on initial ecosystem development, soil formation and mineral weathering in the Dammagletscher forefield (Canton of Uri, Switzerland). To reconstruct the time when the BIGLINK sample sites became ice-free, as well as to decide about new sample locations, a geomorphologic mapping of the area was prepared. Additionally, a map of the glacier’s terminus oscillations since 1840 was created using annual sketches of the glacier terminus, old topographic maps and aerial photos. In order to construct the absolute chronology of the Holocene lateral moraines, eleven rock samples were taken for surface exposure dating with 10Be. These moraine walls consist of a set of different moraine ridges of the same height and the sample locations are evenly distributed over the different ridges. The combination of the glacier terminus history and the geomorphologic map lead to a detailed record of the glacier fluctuations since the Little Ice Age (LIA). The terminal moraines of the LIA are still preserved and they recorded small oscillations. After its maximum extension during LIA, the glacier retreated until shortly before 1925, when an advance period began and led to the formation of a small terminal moraine. The following retreat phase was interrupted by an advance beginning in 1972 and ending in 1991. Another moraine was formed. Today, the Damma glacier is subsequently retreating. For instance, the lower part of the debris-covered tongue was disconnected in 2003 from the main glacier in the steep slope behind. ORIGINS OF THE MAGDALENIAN IN WESTERN EUROPE Marcel Otte. Université de Liège, Belgium E-mail address: [email protected]
Magdalenian civilization originated clearly in Western Europe and extends to the north and east as shown by the development of technological and spiritual advances as shown in the succession of lithic and bone industries and artistic patterns. The Cantabrain region is the most likely candidate for the origin of the classic Magdalenian (e.g., El Miron), but other components also played a role, such as the Perigordian VI (Laugerian) and the Badegoulian. The Magdalenian is an excellent example to address the development of a civilization, its technological developments, extension of its art and finally, demographic developments at the origins of Western European populations. The Magdalenian is the basis for the development of the local Mesolithic and the last prehistoric populations, except for the regions east of the Balkans and in the Urals. This coherence and continuity places the Magdalenian within a fundamental historical phenomenon of long duration and examined in
363
all aspects. It can be seen as a model for the reconstruction of the history of a Paleolithic people.
ESTIMATION OF MINIMUM QUARTERNARY ICE SHEET THICKNESSES AND RELATIVE CHRONOLOGY OF INTERSECTING BURIED VALLEYS IN THE SOUTHERN NORTH SEA Daniel Otto. Geo-Engineering.org GmbH, Germany E-mail address: [email protected]
In the course of geophysical and geotechnical investigations for a planned offshore wind farm in the German Bight, Southern North Sea, three glacial buried valleys were discovered. Two parallel trending valleys are E-W oriented and one N-S trending valley crosses both, indicating at least two phases of valley forming and filling. Most of the dated glacial buried valleys in the Southern North Sea are supposed to be formed during the Elsterian glaciation. Unfortunately the seismic interpretation and the lithology provides no clear indication of the absolute or relative age of the valleys. The valleys were postglacially filled with clastic sediments ranging from sands to clay. The state of clay samples is mainly determined by the maximum effective overburden stress which they experienced since their sedimentation. In the North Sea region high total overburden stress was caused by overlying ice sheets during the Quarternary glaciations. Oneaxial compression tests (Oedometer) were used to determine the maximum effective overburden stress of samples from different clay deposits of the three buried valleys. The clay samples from the three valleys cluster around three differing preconsolidation stresses, thus a chronological order of valley formation is established and the valley formation is tentatively correlated to known ice advances. The maximum experienced effective stress in this region gives a lower bound of the ice sheet thickness since their sedimentation. The valley orientation gives evidence for the ice flow directions. FIRST RESULTS FROM THE ENSEMBLE OF PMIP3 SIMULATIONS AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE IPCC AR5 ASSESSMENT Bette Otto-Bliesner. Climate and Global Dynamics Division, National Cen, United States E-mail address: [email protected]
The coordinated paleoclimate modeling and data activities of the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP) have provided valuable information on the mechanisms of climate change, the identification of feedbacks operating in the climate system and the capability of climate models to reproduce climates different from today. The Coupled Modeling Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) has recognized this importance for future international assessments of climate science, such as the IPCC AR5. For the first time, international modeling groups have been asked to perform simulations for three past time periods with the same model and same resolution as their 20th century and future projection simulations. Modeling centers are completing CMIP5 Tier 1 Last Glacial Maximum (21,000 years ago) and Mid-Holocene (6000 years ago) simulations and a Tier 2 Last Millennium (850-1850AD) simulation. The purpose of the Last Glacial Maximum simulation is to compare the model responses to ice-age boundary conditions with paleodata as well as to attempt to provide empirical constraints on global climate sensitivity. Similarly, the midHolocene simulations will assess the model responses to changes in orbital forcing and greenhouse gas concentrations. The ensemble of Last Millennium simulations will provide a longer-term perspective for detection and attribution studies. These simulations will be analyzed to evaluate the ability of models to capture observed variability on multidecadal and longer time-scales and to determine what fraction of the variability is attributable to “external” forcing and what fraction reflects purely internal variability. In this talk, we will present a multi-model analysis of the robustness across models of simulating the large-scale features of these three past time periods. We will also consider the range of model responses and note where the models differ in their responses. Emphasis will be on the simulation of features relevant for future climate change.
Paleotsunami is one of the indicators for reconstruction of paleoearthquakes and is important for and understanding Holocene coastal evolution. Although Taiwan is known as tectonically active area, no documents exist on the occurrence of tsunami through rather short written historical time. It is generally considered that the east coast of Taiwan was never attacked by tsunami. We considered the possibility of paleotsunami on the east coast of Taiwan and found two kinds of geological data which suggest the occurrence of paleotsunami. One is the stratigraphical evidence from the Chenggong site, and the other is the huge boulders sitting on the Holocene coral terraces. Chenggong site is located on the Holocene terrace, 18-20 m amsl. We excavated the terrace deposits by hand auger and Geoslicer. Two sudden environmental changes from marine to terrestrial condition are recognized at 2300 -2200, cal yr BP and at 3000- 2800 cal. yr BP. We assume that these events probably were caused by tsunami. It is difficult to distinguish if these events are resulted by tsunami or by storm, however. Huge coral boulders are found at two sites, south of Taitung and east coast of Green Island, off shore from Taitung. On both sites, coral boulders, ca. 5m across, are sitting on the Holocene coral terraces at about 4-5 meters amsl. It is certain that these boulders are not derived by the landslide behind the coast, but transported from offshore. The dating of coral terraces and boulders are now under the process. HOLOCENE GLACIER HISTORY AT DAMMA, CENTRAL SWITZERLAND Andrea Ott. University of Bern/Institut für Geologie, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected]
BIGLINK is a multi-disciplinary project on initial ecosystem development, soil formation and mineral weathering in the Dammagletscher forefield (Canton of Uri, Switzerland). To reconstruct the time when the BIGLINK sample sites became ice-free, as well as to decide about new sample locations, a geomorphologic mapping of the area was prepared. Additionally, a map of the glacier’s terminus oscillations since 1840 was created using annual sketches of the glacier terminus, old topographic maps and aerial photos. In order to construct the absolute chronology of the Holocene lateral moraines, eleven rock samples were taken for surface exposure dating with 10Be. These moraine walls consist of a set of different moraine ridges of the same height and the sample locations are evenly distributed over the different ridges. The combination of the glacier terminus history and the geomorphologic map lead to a detailed record of the glacier fluctuations since the Little Ice Age (LIA). The terminal moraines of the LIA are still preserved and they recorded small oscillations. After its maximum extension during LIA, the glacier retreated until shortly before 1925, when an advance period began and led to the formation of a small terminal moraine. The following retreat phase was interrupted by an advance beginning in 1972 and ending in 1991. Another moraine was formed. Today, the Damma glacier is subsequently retreating. For instance, the lower part of the debris-covered tongue was disconnected in 2003 from the main glacier in the steep slope behind. ORIGINS OF THE MAGDALENIAN IN WESTERN EUROPE Marcel Otte. Université de Liège, Belgium E-mail address: [email protected]
Magdalenian civilization originated clearly in Western Europe and extends to the north and east as shown by the development of technological and spiritual advances as shown in the succession of lithic and bone industries and artistic patterns. The Cantabrain region is the most likely candidate for the origin of the classic Magdalenian (e.g., El Miron), but other components also played a role, such as the Perigordian VI (Laugerian) and the Badegoulian. The Magdalenian is an excellent example to address the development of a civilization, its technological developments, extension of its art and finally, demographic developments at the origins of Western European populations. The Magdalenian is the basis for the development of the local Mesolithic and the last prehistoric populations, except for the regions east of the Balkans and in the Urals. This coherence and continuity places the Magdalenian within a fundamental historical phenomenon of long duration and examined in
363
all aspects. It can be seen as a model for the reconstruction of the history of a Paleolithic people.
ESTIMATION OF MINIMUM QUARTERNARY ICE SHEET THICKNESSES AND RELATIVE CHRONOLOGY OF INTERSECTING BURIED VALLEYS IN THE SOUTHERN NORTH SEA Daniel Otto. Geo-Engineering.org GmbH, Germany E-mail address: [email protected]
In the course of geophysical and geotechnical investigations for a planned offshore wind farm in the German Bight, Southern North Sea, three glacial buried valleys were discovered. Two parallel trending valleys are E-W oriented and one N-S trending valley crosses both, indicating at least two phases of valley forming and filling. Most of the dated glacial buried valleys in the Southern North Sea are supposed to be formed during the Elsterian glaciation. Unfortunately the seismic interpretation and the lithology provides no clear indication of the absolute or relative age of the valleys. The valleys were postglacially filled with clastic sediments ranging from sands to clay. The state of clay samples is mainly determined by the maximum effective overburden stress which they experienced since their sedimentation. In the North Sea region high total overburden stress was caused by overlying ice sheets during the Quarternary glaciations. Oneaxial compression tests (Oedometer) were used to determine the maximum effective overburden stress of samples from different clay deposits of the three buried valleys. The clay samples from the three valleys cluster around three differing preconsolidation stresses, thus a chronological order of valley formation is established and the valley formation is tentatively correlated to known ice advances. The maximum experienced effective stress in this region gives a lower bound of the ice sheet thickness since their sedimentation. The valley orientation gives evidence for the ice flow directions. FIRST RESULTS FROM THE ENSEMBLE OF PMIP3 SIMULATIONS AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE IPCC AR5 ASSESSMENT Bette Otto-Bliesner. Climate and Global Dynamics Division, National Cen, United States E-mail address: [email protected]
The coordinated paleoclimate modeling and data activities of the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP) have provided valuable information on the mechanisms of climate change, the identification of feedbacks operating in the climate system and the capability of climate models to reproduce climates different from today. The Coupled Modeling Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) has recognized this importance for future international assessments of climate science, such as the IPCC AR5. For the first time, international modeling groups have been asked to perform simulations for three past time periods with the same model and same resolution as their 20th century and future projection simulations. Modeling centers are completing CMIP5 Tier 1 Last Glacial Maximum (21,000 years ago) and Mid-Holocene (6000 years ago) simulations and a Tier 2 Last Millennium (850-1850AD) simulation. The purpose of the Last Glacial Maximum simulation is to compare the model responses to ice-age boundary conditions with paleodata as well as to attempt to provide empirical constraints on global climate sensitivity. Similarly, the midHolocene simulations will assess the model responses to changes in orbital forcing and greenhouse gas concentrations. The ensemble of Last Millennium simulations will provide a longer-term perspective for detection and attribution studies. These simulations will be analyzed to evaluate the ability of models to capture observed variability on multidecadal and longer time-scales and to determine what fraction of the variability is attributable to “external” forcing and what fraction reflects purely internal variability. In this talk, we will present a multi-model analysis of the robustness across models of simulating the large-scale features of these three past time periods. We will also consider the range of model responses and note where the models differ in their responses. Emphasis will be on the simulation of features relevant for future climate change.