Field Trip D (27 September 2018): characteristics and development of the Mesozoic–Tertiary weathering mantle and Pleistocene periglacial slope deposits in the Hintertaunus mountainous region
2018
Abstract. The Devonian slates and
sandstones of the Rhenish Massif were subject to deep and intensive
weathering under (sub)tropical climate conditions during the Cretaceous, the
Paleogene and the Neogene, which caused the development of a weathering
mantle (regolith) >100 m thick, consisting of kaolinitic saprolite and
paleosols as well as correlated sediments. Especially the tectonic uplift of
the Rhenish Massif and climate change during the Neogene and the Pleistocene
led to a vast denudation of the weathering mantle. Only in less uplifted
areas of the mountainous region did thick remnants of saprolites remain, and
they were covered by Neogene sediments as well as Quaternary periglacial
slope deposits. As the kaolinitic weathering products serve as raw materials
for the clay industry, unique exposures are available in the Hintertaunus
which offer impressive insights into the landscape development of the past
∼80 million years: the excursion proceeds from Giessen to Limburg and
further south and southwest to the eastern and western Hintertaunus area. At
site 1 near the village of Langhecke, characteristics and properties of the
fresh, unweathered slates will be demonstrated. Excursion sites 2 and 3 are
situated near the village of Eisenbach. In two open-cast clay mines, both a
terrestrial and a semi-terrestrial saprolite from silt slate, covered by
periglacial layers, are exposed. Properties and genesis will be discussed on
the basis of morphological characteristics and mineralogical and geochemical
analyses, as well as isovolumetric elemental mass balances. At site 4 a
former basalt quarry near the village of Biebrich exposes a Paleogene
Plinthosol above saprolite. The autochthonous paleosol was preserved below
Upper Oligocene basalt tuff and periglacial layers. Site 5 is situated within
a huge pit for mining of Upper Oligocene to Miocene quartz gravel near the
village of Wasenbach. A Miocene Plinthosol developed from alluvial sediments
on top of the gravel beds and was covered by periglacial slope deposits. At
nearly all sites the basal layers of the periglacial cover beds consist of
kaolinitic paleosol/saprolite material, which has an important influence on
the site properties of the Holocene soils.
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