Stratigraphic and environmental implications of a large ice‐wedge cast at Tjæreborg, Denmark

Abstract Exceptionally large ice‐wedge casts and composite‐wedge casts occur together with involutions (cryoturbations) in a gravel pit near Tjæreborg, western Jutland. The filling reveals distinctly different, vertically‐orientated sedimentary units, suggesting discrete events. Variations in wedge...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
Main Author: Kolstrup, Else
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.479
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fppp.479
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ppp.479
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Summary:Abstract Exceptionally large ice‐wedge casts and composite‐wedge casts occur together with involutions (cryoturbations) in a gravel pit near Tjæreborg, western Jutland. The filling reveals distinctly different, vertically‐orientated sedimentary units, suggesting discrete events. Variations in wedge structure and infill between the different exposures suggest differences with alternating pools and drier conditions over the former wedges. In an attempt to date and correlate crack development a perusal of local glacial history is given and optically‐stimulated‐luminescence (OSL) dates are presented. A review of Saalian and early Weichselian wedge casts and deep involutions in other areas in northwest Europe is provided for correlation. It is suggested that the cracking in Tjæreborg took place during the Saale or/and early Weichselian. The existence of such old wedges shows that the present land surface has probably existed since the Saalian, leaving the ground available for cracking and infilling during succeeding periods of permafrost. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.