Late Quaternary Climate Reconstruction Using Rock - Magnetism in Loess on Portelet, Jersey

Abstract: Loess is a very fine aeolian sediment that can be used as a proxy for stadial and interstadial glacialperiods. To understand how Earth’s climate have changed and what effects that change have had on theplanet and life on it we can use climate archives. The composition of loess and soil often contains asmall amount of magnetic minerals which can be used for identifying warmer and colder periods. Theclimate is recorded in the soil as it is deposited and climate changes. By examining loess as a climatearchive, we can increase our understanding of past climate, with this increased understanding inferencesabout changes to future climate and climate changes can be made. The aim of this study has thereforebeen to understand the depositional environment of the loess sequences on Portlet, Jersey in the EnglishChannel. This was done by examining the magnetic susceptibility of 173 samples taken from the unitsin the sequency of Portelet and interpreting the variations of magnetic susceptibility in them. Thelocation of Portelet on the edge of the glacial maximum and next to the Atlantic Ocean makes it aninteresting study area in connection to climate change. The magnetic susceptibility measurements showa variation in warmer and colder periods during the deposition of the sediments in the sequency and theunits vary in the type of enhancement model that can be applied to them. The study provides a clearerpicture of the depositional environment during the stadial and interstadial during the late Quaternary.