2026 Articles

Comparison of high resolution XRF and downhole geophysical scanning of Nussloch loess records, Germany, with field observations

Rousseau, Denis-Didier; Antoine, Pierre; Pezard, Philippe Adrien; Henry, Gilles; Augustin, Laurent; De Moya, Alain; Moine, Olivier; Ardito, Luigi; Löscher, Manfred; Le Moal, Frédéric

Nussloch (Germany) is a distinctive site of interest, particularly as a reference sequence for Late Pleistocene European loess, because it provides a comprehensive record of millennial climate variability. A notable feature of this site is its location within an active quarry. Consequently, the stratigraphic profiles documented constitute an ephemeral record, susceptible to rapid disappearance or brief accessibility, contingent on the operational status of the quarry. In order to guarantee the maintenance of a complete record of the sequence, three separate cores were collected and labelled S1, S2, and S3. The results of core S2, which is the most complete and thoroughly examined, are presented here. A comparison is drawn with the most recent P8 profile that is currently available. XRF measurements, conducted after the cores had been opened and described, are also presented. Borehole logging was carried out in the field after core retrieval, and the resulting measurements are also presented. The findings of this study demonstrate that a high degree of correlation can be established between the records from outcrop investigations and core studies, demonstrating the importance of preserving such archives for future research.

Keywords: Nussloch, loess cores, XRF scanning, borehole logging, Upper Pleistocene, Europe