The Romont tephrostratotype of the Rocourt Tephra, a widespread chronostratigraphic marker in western Europe

2026/06/14 by André Pouclet, Jacques‐Marie Bardintzeff, Stéphane Pirson +1 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis #Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils

paper · pdf · doi:10.20341/gb.2026.002

openalex publication_date 2026/06/14 · openalex created_date 2026/06/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22

Abstract

In the loess stratotype of Belgium, in Romont quarry (Bassenge), minerals of a volcanic ash-fall deposit are dispersed in large quantities as a cryptotephra within a fossil humic horizon dating back to the end of the Weichselian Early Glacial. Chemical analysis of pyroxenes and amphiboles indicates that those minerals belong to the Rocourt Tephra as described in another four reference localities. The stratotype of this tephra is thus maintained in this quarry, as it is the only site of high chronostratigraphic value where it is still accessible.

Citations

• Upper Pleistocene loess-palaeosol records from Northern France in the European context: Environmental background and dating of the Middle Palaeolithic
• An Excel spreadsheet to classify chemical analyses of amphiboles following the IMA 2012 recommendations

Discussions

• 📢NEW article published by André Pouclet et al. entitled "The Romont tephrostratotype of the Rocourt Tephra, a widespread chronostratigraphic marker in western Europe Mark". Minerals of a volcanic ash [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]

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