Articles | Volume 35, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-35-193-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-35-193-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Science report
| 
29 Sep 2026
Science report |
| 29 Sep 2026
| 29 Sep 2026
Where are the lake deposits? Two atypical overdeepening fills from the Rhine Glacier lobe in southwestern Germany
Johannes E. Pomper
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Christian Zeeden
LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics, Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, Germany
Frank Preusser
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Ulrike Wielandt-Schuster
Regierungspräsidium Freiburg, Landesamt für Geologie, Rohstoffe und Bergbau (LGRB), 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Lukas Gegg
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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William McCreary, Venera May, Daniela Mueller, Elena Serra, and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 131–162, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-131-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-131-2026, 2026
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This paper provides a review of numeric dating methods for the Quaternary, which is unique in its focus on applications of the methods to volcanism. The methods included are K/Ar and Ar/Ar, radiocarbon, uranium series, cosmogenic nuclide exposure, and luminescence dating, each with a section on extra concerns for application to volcanic products. The paper’s objective is to serve as a resource for researchers using these methods or using dates produced by these methods for further research.
Marie-Luise Adolph, Junbo Wang, Liping Zhu, Leon J. Clarke, Andrew C. G. Henderson, Hendrik Vogel, Gerhard Daut, Peter Frenzel, Jianting Ju, Qiangqiang Kou, Dierk Michaelis, Olga Schmitz, Anja Schwarz, Volkhard Spiess, Arne Ulfers, Cidan Zhaxi, Daniel Ariztegui, Natasha Barbolini, Thorsten Bauersachs, Erwin Braun, Giulia Ceriotti, Brian Grivna, Marlene Hoehle, Rolf Kipfer, Wilhelmine Klamt, Cindy Kunkel, Aliisa Laakkonen, Minghui Li, Qingfeng Ma, Paul Moser Röggla, Kaja Müller, Anders Noren, Ryan O'Grady, Santiago Otero, Maïlys Picard, Anna Pint, Camille Thomas, Jerome Van der Woerd, Mathias Vinnepand, Claudia Wrozyna, Christian Zeeden, Xinghuan Zhu, and Torsten Haberzettl
Sci. Dril., 35, 99–117, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-35-99-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-35-99-2026, 2026
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We drilled deep into sediments beneath a large lake on the Tibetan Plateau, Nam Co, to learn how climate and environments have changed over multiple ice age cycles. The recovered sediments show repeated shifts between major changes in lake conditions, water chemistry, and ecosystems. These findings help clarify how wind systems responded to natural climate cycles and improve understanding of how high mountain regions may react to future climate change and environmental stress.
Charlotte E. Engelmann, Frank Preusser, Alexander Fülling, Jakob Wilk, Elisabeth Eiche, Dennis Quandt, Stefan Hergarten, and Jan H. Blöthe
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 235–262, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-235-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-235-2025, 2025
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It is unclear since when and how meso-scale central European river systems have been dominated by human instead of natural influences. Here, the floodplain sediments of the Kinzig River, southwestern Germany, were studied as they recorded natural and human landscape changes. Sediment deposition phases were found, the modern phase of which coincides with increased deposition and heavy metal contaminations that correlate with mining records, indicating that the river system has shifted intensely over 1000 years.
Madhurima Marik, Elena Serra, Gilles Rixhon, and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 169–192, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-169-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-169-2025, 2025
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This study examines the evolution of the lower Bruche River valley in north-eastern France through its fluvial terraces, reflecting past river dynamics and environmental changes. Terrace formations are dated using luminescence to ~ 12–14 ka, ~ 27–35 ka, and at least 200 ka. Methodological improvements over conventional luminescence dating techniques are also discussed and refined in this study.
Lukas Gegg
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 125–127, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-125-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-125-2025, 2025
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Drillings, outcrops, and seismic data provide insights into a glacial basin and a former river channel in northern Switzerland. Both are infilled with diverse (glacial, lacustrine, fluvial, colluvial) sediments attributed to three separate glaciations. The depth of the glacial basin depends strongly on the underlying rock type, which together with (hydro)fractures provides evidence on the conditions and erosion processes at the ice–rock interface.
Felix Martin Hofmann and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 1–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-1-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-1-2025, 2025
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Previous reconstructions conclude that the southern Black Forest, south-west Germany, temporarily hosted four ice caps during the Late Pleistocene (129 000–11 700 years before present). This work reviews existing studies on glacial landforms north-east of its highest summit, Feldberg (1493 m above sea level), in the light of new observations. Whilst this study largely confirms previous work, we reject and newly describe several glacial landforms.
Lukas Gegg, Felicitas A. Griebling, Nicole Jentz, and Ulrike Wielandt-Schuster
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 239–249, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-239-2024, 2024
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The subdivision and distinction of gravel units is an important tool in terrestrial Quaternary stratigraphy but can be challenging. Here, we investigate the glaciofluvial infill of the Upper Rhine Graben as an archive of recurring Alpine glaciations. With the help of statistical approaches, we identify differences in petrographic compositions, thereby differentiating two units that are likely representative of the last and penultimate glaciation, which have previously been difficult to pinpoint.
Alexander Fülling, Hans Rudolf Graf, Felix Martin Hofmann, Daniela Mueller, and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 73, 203–216, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-203-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-73-203-2024, 2024
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The Mühlbach series has been given as evidence for a Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene Aare–Rhine fluvial system in northern Switzerland and southwest Germany. We show that these deposits represent a variety of different units. At the type location, luminescence dating indicates an age of 55 ka, and we interpret the deposits as slope reworking. Beside methodological implications, our studies recommend caution regarding the interpretation of stratigraphic units for which limited data are available.
Bennet Schuster, Lukas Gegg, Sebastian Schaller, Marius W. Buechi, David C. Tanner, Ulrike Wielandt-Schuster, Flavio S. Anselmetti, and Frank Preusser
Sci. Dril., 33, 191–206, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-33-191-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-33-191-2024, 2024
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The Tannwald Basin, explored by drilling and formed by repeated advances of the Rhine Glacier, reveals key geological insights. Ice-contact sediments and evidence of deformation highlight gravitational and glaciotectonic processes. ICDP DOVE 5068_1_C core data define lithofacies associations, reflecting basin infill cycles, marking at least three distinct glacial advances. Integrating these findings aids understanding the broader glacial evolution of the Lake Constance amphitheater.
Felix Martin Hofmann, Claire Rambeau, Lukas Gegg, Melanie Schulz, Martin Steiner, Alexander Fülling, Laëtitia Léanni, Frank Preusser, and ASTER Team
Geochronology, 6, 147–174, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-147-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-147-2024, 2024
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We determined 10Be concentrations in moraine boulder surfaces in the southern Black Forest, SW Germany. We applied three independent dating methods to younger lake sediments. With the aid of independent age datasets, we calculated the growth of 10Be concentrations in moraine boulder surfaces.
Lukas Gegg and Johann Gegg
Sci. Dril., 32, 55–59, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-32-55-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-32-55-2023, 2023
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Geoscientists working with drill cores often struggle with proper photo documentation. We present a simple smartphone-based setup for acquiring high-resolution undistorted core pictures as an alternative to state-of-the-art commercial line scan imaging systems that are typically expensive and inflexible. It makes use of the phone's panoramic picture mode while being guided along the core in question on a rail, and the resulting images are of similar quality to classic line scan photos.
Lukas Gegg and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 72, 23–36, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-23-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-23-2023, 2023
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Erosion processes below glacier ice have carved large and deep basins in the landscapes surrounding mountain ranges as well as polar regions. With our comparison, we show that these two groups of basins are very similar in their shapes and sizes. However, open questions still remain especially regarding the sediments that later fill up these basins. We aim to stimulate future research and promote exchange between researchers working around the Alps and the northern central European lowlands.
Lea Schwahn, Tabea Schulze, Alexander Fülling, Christian Zeeden, Frank Preusser, and Tobias Sprafke
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 72, 1–21, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-1-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-72-1-2023, 2023
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The loess sequence of Köndringen, Upper Rhine Graben, comprises several glacial–interglacial cycles. It has been investigated using a multi-method approach including the measurement of colour, grain size, organic matter, and carbonate content. The analyses reveal that the sequence comprises several fossil soils and layers of reworked soil material. According to luminescence dating, it reaches back more than 500 000 years.
Flavio S. Anselmetti, Milos Bavec, Christian Crouzet, Markus Fiebig, Gerald Gabriel, Frank Preusser, Cesare Ravazzi, and DOVE scientific team
Sci. Dril., 31, 51–70, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-31-51-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-31-51-2022, 2022
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Previous glaciations eroded below the ice deep valleys in the Alpine foreland, which, with their sedimentary fillings, witness the timing and extent of these glacial advance–retreat cycles. Drilling such sedimentary sequences will thus provide well-needed evidence in order to reconstruct the (a)synchronicity of past ice advances in a trans-Alpine perspective. Eventually these data will document how the Alpine foreland was shaped and how the paleoclimate patterns varied along and across the Alps.
Mubarak Abdulkarim, Stoil Chapkanski, Damien Ertlen, Haider Mahmood, Edward Obioha, Frank Preusser, Claire Rambeau, Ferréol Salomon, Marco Schiemann, and Laurent Schmitt
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 191–212, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-191-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-191-2022, 2022
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We used a combination of remote sensing, field investigations, and laboratory analysis to map and characterize abandoned river channels within the French Upper Rhine alluvial plain. Our results show five major paleochannel groups with significant differences in their pattern, morphological characteristics, and sediment filling. The formation of these paleochannel groups is attributed to significant changes in environmental processes in the area during the last ~ 11 700 years.
Tabea Schulze, Lea Schwahn, Alexander Fülling, Christian Zeeden, Frank Preusser, and Tobias Sprafke
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 145–162, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-145-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-145-2022, 2022
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A loess sequence in SW Germany was investigated using a high-resolution multi-method approach. It dates to 34–27 ka and comprises layers of initial soil formation. Drier conditions and a different atmospheric circulation pattern during the time of deposition are expected as the soil layers are less strongly developed compared to similar horizons further north. Dust accumulation predates the last advance of Alpine glaciers, and no loess deposition is recorded for the time of maximum ice extent.
Frank Preusser, Markus Fuchs, and Christine Thiel
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 70, 201–203, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-201-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-70-201-2021, 2021
Frank Preusser, Markus Fuchs, and Christine Thiel
DEUQUA Spec. Pub., 3, 1–3, https://doi.org/10.5194/deuquasp-3-1-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/deuquasp-3-1-2021, 2021
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Short summary
The research focuses on overdeepenings in the former Rhine glacier domain north from Lake Constance in southwestern Germany. We expand the current knowledge of the Quaternary stratigraphy of the Lake Constance Amphitheatre by revealing two new drill cores, both reaching the quaternary base of two different overdeepened basins. As a result, we show that our investigated sediment successions are quite atypical for alpine foreland overdeepenings.
The research focuses on overdeepenings in the former Rhine glacier domain north from Lake...
