Danube Loess Magnetostratigraphy: a Perspective from Ukraine

Abstract

SUMMARY A first palaeomagnetic study has been carried out on a new section with a potential lower boundary interval for the Quaternary, Dolynske 3 (Lower Danube, southern Ukraine). Recently, the Matuyama–Brunhes boundary (at 780 ka) was detected in the adjacent section of Dolynske 2. The current study focuses on the hydromorphic clays and pedosediments of the Bogdanivka to Kryzhanivka units (S13–S8). Samples from the Upper Bogdanivka (S11) and Upper Berezan (L9L1) subunits show a clearly defined reversed polarity related to the Matuyama chron; some samples from other layers were uninformative due to hydromorphic features and were rejected from the interpretation. Given the unsuitability of hydromorphic palaeosols and loesses for magnetostratigraphic studies, the determination of the Gauss–Matuyama boundary requires additional, including methodological, research on other sections of Ukraine. The stratigraphic completeness of the composite Dolynske section, its geomorphological location within the Pliocene Danube terraces and convenient geographical setting allow offering it for study as a reference section for the loess/soil formation in the Lower Danube basin. Furthermore, tentative stratigraphic correlations of loess-palaeosol sequences in south-eastern Europe require revision and adaptation in view of new magnetic data from the more complete Ukrainian loess sequences.