Kaja Fenn

University of Liverpool

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Daniel Vereș

Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology

Ian Millar

British Geological Survey

Julie A. Durcan

University of Oxford

Anna Bird

University of Hull

Thomas Stevens

Uppsala University

David S.G. Thomas

University of Oxford

Slobodan B. Marković

University of Novi Sad

Doris Wagner

British Geological Survey

Rachel Smedley

University of Liverpool

Jef Vandenberghe

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Cooperative Institutions

United States Geological Survey

University of Novi Sad

University of Oxford

Denver Federal Center

University of Wrocław

Chinese Academy of Sciences

University of Arizona

Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center

Australian National University

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A tale of two signals: Global and local influences on the Late Pleistocene loess sequences in Bulgarian Lower Danube

Quaternary Science Reviews (2021)

Kaja Fenn David S.G. Thomas Julie A. Durcan Ian Millar Daniel Vereș

Bulgarian

10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107264

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Citations (26)

Cliff-foot sandy cones: A proxy to study the time frames, patterns and rates of sandstone caprock decay?

CATENA (2024)

Filip Duszyński Jarosław Waroszewski Kaja Fenn Andrzej Kacprzak Kacper Jancewicz

Caprock

Cliff

Proxy (statistics)

10.1016/j.catena.2024.108529

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Citations (1)

Provenance of late Pleistocene loess in central and eastern Europe: isotopic evidence for dominant local sediment sources

Scientific Reports (2025)

Kaja Fenn Ian Millar Anna Bird Daniel Vereș Doris Wagner

Abstract Loess profiles along the Danube River provide a record of long-term Quaternary dust (loess) deposition in central-eastern Europe. Here, Sr–Nd isotopic data from four loess-palaeosol profiles (47 samples) spanning the last two-glacial-interglacial cycles are presented. The isotopic compositions generated by this study are compared with bedrock and sedimentary samples from Europe and North Africa to decipher the sources of sediment. The results demonstrate that over the last 300 ka the alluvial plains of the Danube (which are themselves sourced from surrounding mountain belts) are a local source of material and consequently sediment experiences aeolian transport over relatively short distances. The results dispute the commonly held assumption that the Sahara was a sediment contributor to loess in central-eastern Europe as North African contributions are not needed to explain loess signatures. Consequently, the findings suggest a suppressed southerly wind direction and dominance of the westerly and north-westerly wind systems over the entirety of the record.

Bedrock

Deposition

Last Glacial Maximum

Paleosol

10.1038/s41598-024-83698-5

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Re‐analysis of late Quaternary dust mass accumulation rates in Serbia using new luminescence chronology for loess–palaeosol sequence at Surduk

Boreas (2020)

Kaja Fenn Julie A. Durcan David S.G. Thomas Ian Millar Slobodan B. Marković

Despite numerous palaeoenvironmental investigations of loess–palaeosol sequences across the Carpathian Basin, well‐dated high‐resolution records are scarce. This paper presents a new high‐resolution chronology for the loess‐palaeosol sequence at Surduk (Serbia), based on optically stimulated luminescence (quartz) and post‐infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (polymineral) dating. The presented record spans 53–19 ka, with primary loess deposition occurring after 52±2 ka, and differs from previously published chronologies that relied on less precise and now superseded dating protocols. Based on the new chronology, mass accumulation rates ( MAR s) for Surduk were constructed and compared with sites in the Carpathian Basin. The results demonstrate that accumulation periods across this area are not consistent in timing or rates. The high‐resolution dating strategy identifies a disturbance in sediment deposition that occurred after 45±2 ka and implies that site contains a hiatus. Finally, we show samples that failed routine dose recovery and preheat plateau tests, and had low fast ratios. Supported by bulk sample geochemical analysis it is proposed that a potential abrupt source shift, during the Last Glacial Maximum, may be the cause of the anomalous luminescence behaviour.

Chronology

Thermoluminescence dating

Paleosol

Optically stimulated luminescence

Sequence (biology)

Deposition

10.1111/bor.12445

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Citations (18)

The relationship between the loess stratigraphy in the Vojvodina region of northern Serbia and the Saalian and Rissian Stage glaciations – a review

Boreas (2024)

Slobodan B. Marković Philip D. Hughes Randall J. Schaetzl Philip L. Gibbard Qingzhen Hao

The regional loess stratigraphy in the Vojvodina region, in the southeastern Carpathian Basin, has often been successfully correlated to the global palaeoclimate. This is a quasi‐continuous sedimentary record that provides detailed environmental reconstruction during the last four glacial/interglacial cycles. In this study, we present a standardized loess stratigraphy and illustrate how it correlates with the marine oxygen isotope and Chinese loess stratigraphical records. We argue that the loess stratigraphy in Vojvodina region is an important link in the integration of European terrestrial stratigraphical schemes and the deep‐sea stratigraphical model. We highlight how the loess record can better illustrate terrestrial environmental change through multiple glacial cycles than other records, such as glacial records. The investigated loess record enables direct links to be made between the loess sediments and their glacial sources. This reveals evidence of glaciations during every glacial cycle of the Saalian Stage complex, equivalent to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 10, 8 and 6. Therefore, Serbian loess has the potential to provide a direct link between terrestrial glaciations and wider records of global climate change, which is an enigma for many other continental records. These loess records display a strong relationship with the intensity of European glaciations during different glacial cycles. Loess sedimentation rates are highest in the most intensive European glaciation of the Saalian complex (MIS 6) and much lower during the weaker ‘missing’ glaciations equivalent to MIS 8 and 10. A key observation from the Vojvodina loess is the gradual increase in interglacial aridity through the late Middle Pleistocene. The explanation for the progressively increasing aridity in the investigated region at this time is still unclear. However, this trend is consistent with the idea of the Saalian complex as representing a 400 ka mega glacial cycle modulated by shorter classic 100 ka glacial cycles.

Marine isotope stage

10.1111/bor.12646

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Citations (4)

Provenance of late Quaternary loess along the Middle and Lower Danube River, Europe

Kaja Fenn

Source

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Citations (1)

The provenance of Danubian loess

Earth-Science Reviews (2022)

Kaja Fenn Ian Millar Julie A. Durcan David S.G. Thomas Adriano Banak

With one of the largest watersheds in Europe, draining complex geological terrains within the Alps, Bohemian Massif, Carpathians, Dinarides, and the Balkan Mountains, the Danube River valley has long been linked to the formation of thick loess deposits, particularly within the Middle and Lower Danube basins. However, uncertainty over the provenance of loess-palaeosol sequences along the Danube impacts our understanding of sediment generation mechanisms and hinders interpretation of paleoenvironmental proxies preserved in loess. To date, most of the studies investigating loess provenance in Europe have not attempted a standardised characterisation and synthesis of loess deposits with potential source rocks. Further, despite clear links identified between loess and rivers in Asia and Europe, detrital zircons have not yet been used systematically to investigate the relationship between loess and the fluvial sediments of the Danube and its tributaries. Finally, in European loess research, provenance fingerprinting has often been conducted using indirect approaches or bulk sample geochemical analyses, which have been shown to have a limited application in well mixed sedimentary bodies such as loess. This provenance study of loess along the Danube River integrates existing zircon U-Pb ages and Hf datasets for loess, rivers, and bedrock, with new loess zircon U-Pb and Hf results from loess sequences in Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria. The results show that all surrounding mountain belts (i.e. the Alps, Bohemian Massif, Carpathians, Dinarides Alps, and Balkan Mountains) contribute primary sediment to loess deposits in the Danube valley via its modern tributary network. Critically sedimentary sources remain relatively homogenous along the river, with no apparent major change in source with tributary confluence, further highlighting the role of fluvial transport in homogenising sediment prior to final aeolian deposition. Whilst some small site variations can be observed, they are likely explained by contributions restricted to very local rock outcrops. Moreover, geomorphological results support floodplain sediments as the proximal sediment source and suggest that short-distance aeolian transport dominates sediment delivery to loess sequences, challenging distant sources hypotheses such as major Saharan sources. The identification of sediment sourced from lower elevation regions such as the Bohemian Massif, Dinarides, and Balkans, which did not support ice-caps, suggests that the role of glacial action in silt-size sediment production has been previously exaggerated. Therefore, the glacial and desert loess division inadequately separates and describes sediment generation processes. This research supports and furthers previous work, which suggests "mountain sourced and transported by-rivers" as a more appropriate term for the particles forming loess, at least in the Danube basin.

Massif

Bedrock

10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.103920

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Citations (29)

Dust Deposits: Loess

Elsevier eBooks (2020)

Kaja Fenn Charlotte Prud’homme

Paleosol

Stadial

Silt

10.1016/b978-0-12-818234-5.00028-6

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Citations (4)

QUA volume 89 issue 3 Cover and Back matter

Quaternary Research (2018)

Randall J. Schaetzl E. Arthur Bettis Onn Crouvi Kathryn E. Fitzsimmons David A. Grimley

An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. As you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Content (measure theory)

10.1017/qua.2018.44

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Dating Aeolian Deposits

Abi Stone Kaja Fenn

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Citations (1)