Transitional deposits between the end moraine and outwash plain in the Pomeranian glaciomarginal zone of NW Poland: a missing component of ice-contact sedimentary models

Abstract

The study area near Chelm in Western Pomerania, NW Poland, is located between the end moraine and outwash plain of the glaciomarginal zone of the Pomeranian Phase (Weichselian glaciation) Four assemblages of deposits are exposed in the Chem pits: gravelly diamictons derived from debrisflows, sandy diamictons derived from hyperconcentrated flows, alternating sand and gravel deposited by sheetflows and sandy deposits filling shallow, braided-stream channels. The first facies association predominates in the proximal part of the transition zone and the last one in the distal part. This spectrum of facies associations, some resembling those of the end moraines and others those of the adjacent outwash plain, is considered to be unique, and is attributed to the formation of an array of coalescent ice-contact fans (‘transition’ fans). Architectural element analysis highlights the southwards change from debrisflow processes accompanied by sheetflows to hyperconcentrated flows and further to channelized streamflow. This transition zone in the present case is c. 1–km wide. It is suggested that analogous transitional zones, with similar or different widths, may have been developed in other glaciomarginal belts and remain to be recognized.