Multi-proxy analysis of two loess-paleosol sequences in the northern Harz Foreland, Germany

In general, loess-paleosol-sequences represent valuable terrestrial archives of regional environmental and climatic conditions during past glacial periods. The study area is part of the northern European loess belt and was in the vicinity of the Scandinavian ice sheet during the Weichselian.

Aiming towards a better understanding of the paleoenvironmental conditions during the Weichselian in an area close to the Scandinavian ice sheet, results from grain-size, geochemical (XRF, CNS), color and magnetic susceptibility measurements are combined. The findings demonstrate an increased input of aeolian material during the last glacial maximum and the last cover loess period, which is in accordance to the theory of drier and colder conditions during this time frame.