PALEOMAGNETIC DATING AND EFFECTS OF WEICHSELIAN PERIGLACIAL PROCESSESON THE MAGNETIZATION OF EARLY PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS (SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS, NORTHERN BELGIUM)

Early Pleistocene deposits of the Dutch-Belgian border area between Br eda and Turnhout have been dated with paleomagnetic methods. Two norma l polarity subzones in the sedimentary sequence are identified as the Olduvai and Jaramillo subchrons. The magnetozones are compared with th e early Pleistocene pollenzones which are based on ecological changes reflecting Quaternary climatic variations. The Olduvai subchron was id entified in pollenzones Tiglian C4 and C5 and the Jaramillo subchron i n pollenzone Bavelian Bv3b. Late Pleistocene Weichselian periglacial p rocesses clearly influenced the remanent magnetization of the early Pl eistocene deposits. Melting of the ice-rich topzone of the Weichselian permafrost apparently modified the original remanence and led to comp lete remagnetization of the upper part of early Pleistocene clay beds.