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Pleistocene Deposits in Pierre Saint-Martin Cave, French Pyrenees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Yves Quinif  and
Richard Maire
Yves Quinif
Affiliation:
CERAK, Faculté Polytechnique de Mons, B-7000, Mons, Belgium
Richard Maire
Affiliation:
URA DYMSET du CNRS, Maison des Suds, Université de Bordeaux 3, F-33405, Talence cedex, France
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Abstract

Pleistocene deposits in alpine Pierre Saint-Martin cave are preserved in an abandoned river gallery. The deposits, 300 m long and 25 m high, are composed of a lower unit of fallen blocks overlain by debris flows, a main unit of laminated clay, and a series of river terraces inset into these units. The lower and main units are each overlain by speleothems. The lower unit represents a cold period, probably isotope stage 10. Corroded speleothems above it have given U/Th ages greater than 300,000–330,000 yr B.P. The main unit, with carbonate-rich varves devoid of pollen, represents a glaciation that occurred before 225,000 yr B.P. and probably correlates with stage 8, even though such a glaciation has not been previously recognized in the Pyrenees. The river terraces, covered by many noncorroded speleothems, probably formed during stage 7 (U/Th ages between 194,000 and 211,000–225,000 yr B.P.). Subsequent sinking of an underground river protected the deposits from erosion.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , January 1998 , pp. 37 - 50
Copyright
University of Washington

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