Abstract: Differences between the 18O/16O ratios of planktonic foraminifera deposited during the last glacial maximum, about 18,000 yr ago, and those deposited during the Holocene show that in the Indian Ocean, the south-west monsoon was weaker than today but that the north-east monsoon was stronger. The upwelling observed in modern conditions along the southern coast of Arabia had disappeared because of the low speed of the southwestern winds during glacial summers. The reduction in rainfall and runoff over the continent caused a reduction of the salinity gradient in the Bay of Bengal and along the western coast of India. Increased precipitation fell on the sea south of 10° N, while strong evaporation over the northernmost Arabian Sea produced an enhanced salinity gradient in that area.

Abstract: Pleistocene alternations of ocean volumes, expressed as relative changes in sea level, are symptomatic of the accumulation and melting of continental ice sheets and resulted in lowstands of sea level during glacial periods and highstands during interglacial periods. A lowstand-highstand couplet constitutes a eustatic cycle. Eight cycles that occurred during the last 2.5 to 3.0 m.y. are recognized in the Gulf Coast region. These cycles are identified by multiple criteria, including paleontologic, sedimentologic, and seismic evidence. Eustatic cycle concepts can be used in seismic stratigraphy to identify seismic (depositional) sequences. Such seismic-sequence analyses are based on identification of discrete stratigraphic units within relatively conformable intervals of str ta by using reflection patterns on the seismogram. For example, glacial periods may exhibit chaotic bedding surfaces on the seismogram, whereas interglacial periods may display parallel bedding surfaces. Seismic sequence analyses provide a sound basis for applying the global system of geochronology to seismic data for the improvement of stratigraphic and structural interpretations. Moreover, seismic sequence analyses in new exploration areas allow for reliable predictions of geologic age ahead of drilling and facilitate preliminary tectonostratigraphic reconstructions.

Abstract: Summary The micromorphology of two late Pleistocene paleosols in the Paris Basin, St. Pierre-les-Elbeuf and Bois du Moulin were studied in order to characterize their pedogenic and sedimentary processes and to reconstruct and interpret the pedosedimentary history and climate of each profile. The micromorphological observations of greatest interpretive value were the types of clayey and silty textural accumulations (argillans and siltans), pedality and porosity; of lesser value were papules, bioactivity and concretions. During the last interglacial period on both profiles developed a sol brun lessive, comparable to those developed during the Holocene. With the onset of cold conditions of the last Glaciation, the two differentiate pedologically and sedimentologically. At Elbeuf, in the Seine Valley, we observe colluviation of silts and the development of grey forest soils with strong textural degradation under cold and moderately dry local conditions. At Moulin, on the plateau the grey forest phase is very weak and probably brief and is followed by a marked phase of churning and eluviation of silt; conditions were wetter than in the valley, such that the upland position protected the profile from colluvial truncation. The advantages of micromorphology in interpreting pedo-sedimentary sequences is discussed.

Abstract: Analyses of the relative abundance of Cycladophora davisiana in 10 northwest Pacific deep-sea cores show that the species exhibits abundance variations during the late Pleistocene (≅450,000 years) comparable to those in the subantarctic and North Atlantic. Comparison of the C. davisiana curves in the cores with tephra-stratigraphic and biostratigraphic datum levels indicates that the major features of the C. davisiana records are synchronous within the northwest Pacific. Calculated ages for the most recent abundance peak and a distinctively low abundance interval of the C. davisiana curve are similar to the estimated ages for the last glacial and interglacial maxima, respectively. With the development of a detailed stratigraphic framework for late Pleistocene northwest Pacific sediments we have been able to revise the estimated ages of the upper limits of Lychnocanium grande , the Rhizosolenia complex, and Druppatractus acquilonius to 49,000, 276,000, and 329,000 y B.P., respectively.

Abstract: Over the last seventy years, European hominid fossils and associated archaeological remains have been dated by reference to the classical, fourfold glacial/interglacial subdivision of the Pleistocene. This method seemed relatively straightforward and precise especially as new discoveries were fitted into the schemes, apparently strengthening the correlations and increasing their validity. However, recent studies of deep-sea cores and terrestrial deposits, combined with new developments in relative and absolute dating, have shown that the fourfold schemes are oversimplified. This paper critically reviews some of the dating evidence from sites with hominid remains generally considered as Middle Pleistocene (ca. 700,000–128,000 BP). The hominid and archaeological remains are shown to require independent dating and a cautious approach is adopted towards the use of mammalian faunal remains as chronological indicators. The techniques and results of absolute dating are discussed with reference to present problems and future prospects. At a time of transition from an old framework to new correlations, it is inevitable that some conclusions seem tentative and others rather negative. Nevertheless, the Middle Pleistocene in Europe is more fully understood and better dated than the equivalent period in other parts of the world.

Abstract: Rates of accumulation of the bulk Sediment and of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, of calcareous and opaline matter, of benthic and planktonic foraminifers and radiolarians, of quartz, mica and residual terrigenous constituents are used to assess the flux of sediments in terms of oceanic and atmospheric processes to a core location off northwest Africa during the past 130,-140,000 yrs. The time resolution between samples is in the order of 500 yrs. during glacial stages and 2000 yrs. during interglacial stages. Changes from the glacial to the interglacial mode of deposition and vice versa explain the dominant part of the variability of the signals. It can be shown that the atmospheric circulation, whose effect is traced by means of accumulation rates of terrigenous components, was strongest during the (glacial) oxygen isotope stages 2 and 6. It also triggered high particle fluxes from primary producers in the photic zone (marine algae) to the sea floor which in turn allowed high Standing stocks of bathyal benthos to build up. Only the Zooplankton, as documented by the fluxes of foraminiferal shells and radiolarian skeletons to the sediments, did not respond to the strong productivity changes in the surface waters. Climatic changes which document to have caused the rapid fluctuations of the accumulation rates of the hemipelagic sediment off northwest Africa, and the periods of transition from the glacial to the interglacial circulation regimes and vice versa, lasted only a few hundred to a thousand yrs. These climatic changes affected both the atmospheric and ocean surface circulation at the same time.

Abstract: The Sankaty Head cliff of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, exposes drift of at least two glaciations and interglacial marine deposits. Radiocarbon, amino-acid-racemization, and uranium-thorium analyses were used to determine the absolute ages of the beds. The results indicate that (1) the Sankaty Sand correlates with oxygen-isotope stage 5 (Sangamonian), (2) the underlying drift is older than stage 5 (Illinoian or older), and (3) the overlying drift is Wisconsinan in age. Ostracodes and molluscs within the Sankaty Sand indicate that the marine climate during deposition of the lower part was somewhat warmer than the present climate off Sankaty Head and that the marine climate during the deposition of the upper part was as cold as or somewhat colder than the present climate. The paleoenvironmental data support a stage 5 (Sangamonian) age for the marine deposits.

Abstract: A brief pulse of ice-sheet growth of enormous amplitude predicted by the theory of Milankovitch is confirmed by oxygen-isotopic and other evidence in Pacific and North Atlantic cores This glaciation bisected “interglacial” isotopic stage 7, lasted no more than 23,000 yr from inception to end, and resulted in a very large ice-volume buildup and a full-glacial climatic response of the North Atlantic Ocean This pulse, along with other episodes of rapid and large-scale ice growth, does not conform to the conventional “sawtooth” model of slow ice accumulation and rapid ice decay Ice-growth rates on such pulses can approach the mean ice-decay rates on isotopic glacial terminations

Abstract: "GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGOY OF THE PLEISTOCENE SEDIMENTS AT PUNTA HERMENGO AREA (MlRAMAR,BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE,ARGENTINE REPUBLIC): PALAEOCLIMATIC ASPECTS".- A profile of sedimentary deposits, with a mean thickess of 5 m, is described. Seven "sectors" have been differentiated in the profile, which are limited by erosional surfaces and/ or discontinuities. The sediments studied in this profile grade from sandy silts to clayey silts. Calcium carbonate hardpan (locally named "tosca") appears throughout all the profile in various shapes and sizes (veins, beds, dolls and angular to rounded clasts). Sometimes, crossbedding (planar or trough) has been observed in these sediments, though much more frequently in those with a higher sand contento Field observations have been done along a 3 km long costal cliff, south of Punta Hermengo. However, most characteristics observed here are common in fue "pampean sediments" of many other localities in Buenos Aires province. For instance, "tosca" appears almost everywhere though it increases its surficial abundance and complexity from NE (Buenos Aires city) to SW and W (Bahia Blanca and La Pampa province, respectively). The vertebrate fossil fauna found within profile "sectors" B, D and G, includes: (a) Aves: sp., seus cf. gonus, Psittacidae sp. indet. 1, Psittacidae sp. indet. 2, Col pest (b) Mammalia: estodelphis cf. , o sp., e s cf. pichi , eutes cf. . p eu s cf. seguini, c c i s, c oc sp., ostoi , gosto s sp., Cteno s sp., itus, o s sp., c ist li leptoceph , Equus s) sp., ptodon cf. cl ipes. Based on the available geological and palaeontological data, it is concluded that: 1) The Punta Hermengo profile sediments extend from Mid to Late Pleistocene in age, i.e., Ensenadan and Lujanian Mammal-Ages. 2) Most of the outcropping sediments were probably deposited under arid to semi-arid clima tic conditions. This is suggested by oligomictic diamicttes, massive siltstones and K-soils horizons (petrocalcic soils). The region was inhabited at this time by a bird- and mammal fauna belonging to Patagonian and Central "stocks" but not to the Subtropical "stock" as in the present-day distribution. 3) More humid conditions may be suggested by (a) coarsely-stratified silty sediments, (b ) lenses of rounded to subrounded "tosca" clasts which were deposited in channel-like depressions, and (c) soil horizons with high clay concentration and dark or black cutans. 4) It .seems likely that arid and semi-arid conditions were accompanied by a general lowering in mean annual temperatures, which at lowermost levels favoured the expansion of Patagonian faunas and at highermost levels induced the distribution of Central and Pampean faunas, being the latter similar to the present living one.5) The absence of articulated fossil skeletons and the existence of diamictitic deposits suggest that erosion-and-transport processes were very significant at some moments. landscape was similar to the present one, though with different climatic conditions. These evidences, together with the faunal analysis, seem to indicate the existence of relatively homogeneous open-space habitats. 7) These remarkable faunal variations were driven by dramatic climatic changes which are probably related with glacial and interglacial epochs. This hypothesis has already been proposed for the Uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene deposits of Buenos Aires province, thus including the latest Great Glaciation and the present Interglacial. Thus, it seems clear that pre-Wisconsinan glacial epochs are represented in the deposits of Punta Hermengo profile.

Abstract: Evidence is presented for the existence of two distinct pre-Flandrian palaeosols at a single site, Kirkhill Quarry, in Buchan, north-east Scotland. This is the first such site reported from Scotland and it is possible that the two palaeosols represent interglacial episodes which are equivalent in age to last interglacial (compare with Ipswichian) and the penultimate interglacial (compare with Hoxnian)—a combination so far unknown in the British Isles. The stratigraphy also demonstrates that the part of the Buchan plateau under study may have been glaciated on at least three separate occasions.

Abstract: It has been widely accepted for seventy years that a high (18-51 m) raised marine shoreline cut in rock in the Inner Hebrides is of 'preglacial' or interglacial age. Critical analysis of the literature and recent work on raised shorelines in Wester Ross shows that this interpretation is untenable. It is argued that the so-called shoreline is a series of isostatically tilted shorelines produced during the last and previous glacials by frost action and wave action. The new interpretation contradicts the long-held view that coastal erosion of bedrock was insignificant during high glacial sea levels. It is shown that this view is based on circular argument. In 1911 Wright described a 'preglacial' rock shoreline in part of the Scottish Inner Hebrides. He used the term 'preglacial' in the sense that the shoreline pre-dated the only apparent glaciation of the area. More recently, following McCann (1964), the shoreline has often been referred to as 'interglacial', an interpretation that has been widely accepted. The paper proposes that this interpretation is incorrect. Although it has been recognized that the interglacial shoreline may be the result of more than one period of marine erosion (e.g. McCann, 1968), it is normally referred to as a single shoreline. Hence this custom is followed here initially. 'High' is placed before 'interglacial' since the feature as described in the literature is at 18-51 m O.D., and since an intertidal rock shoreline interpreted as interglacial in age has been described in western Scotland (Dawson, 1980a). DESCRIPTION OF THE SHORELINE The high interglacial shoreline has been reported as occurring on Colonsay, Oronsay, Islay, Jura, the Treshnish Islands, Mull, Ulva, Gometra, Iona, Rhum, Skye and Raasay, all in the Inner Hebrides, as well as on the mainland coast of Ardnamurchan and Applecross (Wright, 1911; Craig et al., 1911; Bailey et al., 1924; McCann, 1964, 1968; Richards, 1969; McCann and Richards, 1969; Dawson, 1979a). In these areas there occurs occasionally or extensively a raised rock platform backed by a fossil cliff. Frequently the front of the platform is terminated by a cliff that descends to a lower raised marine feature or to the present shore. In north-east Skye the platform is up to 200 m wide. In west Mull the feature extends for many kilometres, the backing cliff being nearly 90 m high at one place. The platform is especially obvious on the Bac Mor, one of the Treshnish Islands, which is commonly called the Dutchman's Cap: here the platform occupies more than two-thirds of the island, surrounding a steep-sided central hill that rises nearly 60 m above it. In Colonsay the platform attains a maximal width of some 800 m and in north Islay exceeds 1 km. The platform in Colonsay and Oronsay is said to be everywhere ice-moulded and in Trans. Inst. Br. Geogr. N.S. 7: 205-216 (1982) Printed in Great Britain This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:34:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

Abstract: A coastal cliff section near Codroy, Newfoundland exposes five distinctive lithologic units, which are defined lithologically and structurally as colluvial, lacustrine, or glacial in origin. They have been preserved in a gypsum karst depression, but continuing karst evolution has disturbed their original attitudes.The two oldest units, 5 and 4, were formed by sidewall slumping of local bedrock and earlier glacial material from the failing rim of a newly formed sinkhole. Unit 3 represents tranquil sedimentation of thin sand and silt–clay laminae, first in a freshwater sinkhole pond, then in brackish marine waters that entered after breaching of its seaward wall, and finally again in fresh water as sea level fell below the sill of the small embayment. Units 2 and 1 are glacial deposits laid down over older units after a second major sinkhole collapse. Collapse has continued to the present day.Pollen and spores from unit 3 indicate that during its deposition regional vegetation changed from tundra (Zone A) t...

Abstract: The foraminiferal content of samples from a 122 m deep borehole in the Statfjord Field of the northern C5 North Sea permitted a biostratigraphical subdivision of the sequence into 11 units. The paleoecology of these units is discussed. Most of them reflect High-Arctic ice age conditions, whereas two of them are of interstadial character. Distinctly ameliorated assemblages occur 20 m below sea floor. They correlate with late Statfjord Interglacial assemblages from a previously described boring and probably originate from the end of the Eemian. An attempt has been made to correlate the units of the present boring with published deep sea oxygen isotope stages.

Abstract: Re-evaluation of 230Th and 231Pa data on 16 sediment cores recovered in the equatorial North Pacific, between the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone and in the Aitutaki Passage, suggests that a major event modifying the sedimentary regime occurred about 70,000 y B.P. The change is recorded in 12 cores either as the onset of sediment accumulation following a period of sediment erosion or as a remarkable increase in the accumulation rate resulting from enhanced accumulation of redistributed sediment in abyssal plains. Both the onset of sediment accumulation and the enhanced accumulation of redistributed sediment could be attributed to bottom water velocities similar to present ones. Erosion, by contrast, is related to a period of maximum bottom water flow at the boundary of interglacial stage 5 and glacial stage 4.

Abstract: The palaeoclimatical interpretation of the sedimentary sequence, and the analysis of fossil fauna according to the assemblages differentiation connected with the environment conditions, allow to establish the stratigraphy of Palaeolithic cave sites of the Cracow Upland. The stratigraphy of the Ioess sites was based on the interpretation of the aeolian sediments sequence and of fossil soils and deformation structures. In both types of sites the archaeological materials of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic were used as dating element supplemented by scarce age determinations (thermoluminescence and radiocarbon methods). Within the investigated profiles, the last cold period (Vistulian), the last interglacial (Eemian) and the decline of the Penultimate Glaciation are recognizable. Within the Vistulian sedimentary sequence, five lithostratigraphical units and five rodent assemblage zones are established.

Abstract: In southern Central Poland the glacial sediments allow to divide the Middle-Polish (Riss) Glaciation into two glaciations: Odranian (= Dnieper) and Wartanian (= Moscow), separated by the Lublinian (= Odintsovo) Interglacial. Within the Odranian Glaciation two pre-maximum stadials were distinguished: Liwiec and Krzna stadials and the maximum Kamienna (= Radomka) Stadial. The stadials are separated by two interstadials (Zbojno, Podlesie) with palynologic records and corresponding in German Democratic Republic to the Damnitz-Warmzeit and Treene(?)-Warmzeit .

Abstract: A reconstructed pattern of main river valleys of the Mazovian (Mindel II /Riss I ; Holstein in Germany) Interglacial for eastern Central Europe is considerably different from those presented previously. This pattern comprises the pre-Vistula and pre-Neman drainage basins, both entering northwards to the Holstein Sea bay and including the Sambia region, as well as of the pre-Warta/Odra and pre-Notec drainage basins, running westwards into the Holstein Sea bay that reached the present-day Lower Elbe area. The development of this valley system depended upon the extent of glacidynamic structures and deglaciation after the Sanian (= Mindel II ) Glaciation as well as upon the results of neotectonic movements.

Abstract: Species lists of Late Pleistocene interglacial molluscan faunas and details of their occurrence are given for four sites in Tasmania. The faunas occur in former shallow coastal ernbayments, and inner and outer estuarine shallow water environments. All of the species are extant.