Revising the Gent Formation: a new lithostratigraphy for Quaternary wind-dominated sand deposits in Belgium

Abstract

ABSTRACT. In Belgian lithostratigraphy, the Gent Formation was previously introduced to encompass all Quaternary sandy aeolian sediments. It has been difficult to apply, however, as it was incomplete, regionally biased, and not based on sediment properties alone. To solve this problem the Gent Formation is revised both in terms of definition and subdivision. Morphological and chronological criteria were omitted to allow ranking strata on the basis of visible lithological properties. The Belgian sand belt is newly introduced to designate the area where these sediments were deposited. The Gent Formation is subdivided into five members based on distinct lithological properties, and as a consequence reflecting different palaeoenvironmental conditions during deposition. Whenever feasible, each member is put in a chronostratigraphical and geomorphical context. The new subdivision is discussed and compared with earlier Belgian lithostratigraphical frameworks, as well as to the most recent one for comparable deposits in the Netherlands.

Ecology and fluvial dynamics of an Early Holocene medium‐sized European lowland river valley (Upper Scheldt, northern Belgium)

“…Location of the study area within the Scheldt Basin, with indication of the Flemish valley (Tavernier & De Moor ), Belgian sand belt and loess area (Beerten et al . ), Early Holocene course of the Lower Scheldt (Kiden ), connection with the Meuse‐Rhine system ~9.1 cal. ka BP (Hijma & Cohen ), and coastline ~9.0 cal.…”

“…Subsequently, the valley sides and floor were covered by aeolian sediments: sand in the Belgian sand belt, north of Oudenaarde (Gent Formation, Beerten et al . ) and silt in the loess area, south of Oudenaarde (Romont Group, Haesaerts et al . ) (Fig.…”

“…Additionally, the results are linked to the Early Holocene climatic context and possible reasons for the scarcity of this type of deposits are explored. (Tavernier & De Moor 1974), Belgian sand belt and loess area (Beerten et al 2017), Early Holocene course of the Lower Scheldt (Kiden 1995), connection with the Meuse-Rhine system~9.1 cal. ka BP (Hijma & Cohen 2011), and coastline~9.0 cal.…”

Cone penetration testing for extensive mapping of deeply buried Late Glacial coversand landscape paleotopography

“…These eolian sediments and the resulting landforms have a spatially and temporally complex accumulation and deflation history due to variable local geomorphological processes (Goździk, 2007; Kolstrup, 2007). In Belgium, these Late Pleniglacial to Late Glacial eolian (primarily) sandy sediments occur mainly in the northern lowlands (Beerten, Heyvaert, Vandenberghe, van Nieuland, & Bogemans, 2017). This paper focuses on Sandy Flanders, situated in the Lower Scheldt basin of NW Belgium (Figure 1a).…”

Understanding a continuous inland aeolian deposition: a closer look into a chronological and sedimentary record of the north-eastern European Sand Belt

“…1A). The north-western and central parts of the ESB have certainly been better recognised, and its numerous stratigraphic subdivisions are apparent through a strong chronological record as obtained both from optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and from radiocarbon dating techniques (Vandenberghe et al 2013;Beerten and Leterme 2015;Zieliński et al 2015;Kalińska-Nartiša and Nartišs 2016a, b;Beerten et al 2017;Sevink et al 2018). Also, the north-eastern part of the ESB has recently gained a primary time frame of deposition (Kalińska-Nartiša et al 2015a, b;Kalińska-Nartiša et al 2016;Nartišs and Kalińska-Nartiša 2017).…”