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Stratigraphy and origin of New Forest brickearths, England
Author(s) -
REYNOLDS P. J.,
CATT J. A.,
WEIR A. H.,
FISHER G. C.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1417(199605/06)11:3<203::aid-jqs243>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - geology , loess , pedogenesis , moraine , geochemistry , paleosol , isotopes of oxygen , terrace (agriculture) , river terraces , stratigraphy , quaternary , holocene , aeolian processes , overbank , geomorphology , paleontology , glacial period , soil water , archaeology , fluvial , soil science , geography , tectonics , structural basin
The thin, loamy brickearth deposits overlying the flinty terrace gravels of the New Forest are divided into older and younger members. The Lower (older) Brickearth includes sediments thought to be mainly loess, with some aeolian sand and possible river floodloam (overbank sediment). These share the common feature of palaeo‐argillic soil horizons in their upper layers. Two separate phases of pre‐Holocene temperate pedogenesis often can be distinguished in the palaeo‐argillic horizons. The Lower Brickearth is the most extensive pre‐Devensian loess in Britain. The Upper (younger) Brickearth consists mainly of Late Devensian (Oxygen Isotope Stage 2) loess, but its lower layers also contain fine sand derived mainly from local Tertiary strata. Both brickearths occur on all the terrace surfaces of the New Forest and indicate that the terraces date from Oxygen Isotope Stage 6 or earlier.