Late Pleistocene loesses of Midwestern United States of America
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/BP/1963/12/4Keywords:
loess, eolian sediments, Late PleistoceneAbstract
The article describes the formation and structure of Late Pleistocene loess deposits extending from Colorado to Ohio. The authors explain that these sediments were mainly formed by wind, which carried fine material from river valleys filled with glacial outwash. The thickest loess layers occur near these valleys, gradually thinning toward upland areas. Stratigraphic, mineralogical, and palaeontological studies – including analyses of minerals and fossil mollusc assemblages – help determine their age and the climatic conditions during deposition. The findings confirm that the loess deposits are of aeolian origin and closely related to the glacial cycles of the Pleistocene.
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