The behaviour of intertidal sandwaves during neap-spring tide cycles and the relevance for palaeoflow reconstructions

Variations in migration distances and shape characteristics of sandwaves in relation to flow conditions were studied on the Ossenisse intertidal shoal in the Westerschelde estuary. The purpose was to analyse bedform behaviour, to establish the threshold and the time lags involved, to find differences in two- and three-dimensional sandwaves and to determine the implications for palaeoflow reconstructions. Sandwave migration is well correlated with the peak depth-averaged flow velocity of the dominant tide. Thus the latter parameter may be estimated from the thickness of the tidal bundles. Other flow parameters such as shear velocity, Chezy C or roughness length do not show a correlation with the migration and cannot be used in palaeoflow analysis. Flow depth does not correlate with sandwave height or with length. Consequently, neither sandwave height and length nor set height and length can be used for palaeoflow depth determination. Sandwaves start moving when the peak dominant flow velocity exceeds 0.5–0.6 m s^?1, and appreciable changes in shape occur at 0.75–0.8 m s ^?1. Complete reversal of sandwaves is accomplished if both the dominant and subordinate peak depth-averaged current velocities exceed 0.85 m s^?1. Two- and 3-D sandwaves appeared to have different stability fields in the velocity-depth diagram and in the diagram of the Froude number versus the depth-grain-size ratio. In addition the distinction between 2-D and 3-D sandwaves appeared to be related to a variability in current direction during periods of appreciable sand transport. There are also differences in sedimentary structures between the two types of sandwaves.     

Position of the palaeontological site Aven I des Abîmes de La Fage, at Noailles (Corrèze, France), in the European Pleistocene chronology

Mourer-Chauviré, C., Philippe, M., Quinif, Y., Chaline, J., Debard, E., Guérin, C. & Hugueney, M. 2003 (September): Position of the palaeontological site Aven I des Abîmes de La Fage, at Noailles (Corrèze, France), in the European Pleistocene chronology. Boreas , Vol. 32, pp. 521–531. Oslo. ISSN 0300–9483.
The palaeontological locality of Aven I des Abîmes de La Fage, at Noailles, Corrèze, France, is a limestone swallow hole filling which includes a rich fauna of micro- and macromammals, and one of the most complete Pleistocene avifaunas in the Palearctic. According to the mammal fauna and to the sedimentological study, the filling was previously assigned to the penultimate, Saalian, glaciation. U/Th datings made on a stalagmitic floor deposited in a lateral gallery on top of the filling confirm this previous attribution. Revised lists of the mammal and bird faunas are provided. The comparison of the La Fage fauna with that of other European localities, radiochronologically or biostratigraphically dated, leads to the conclusion that most of the fossiliferous layers were deposited during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 (242 to 301 ka).