The origin and age of coversand in north Lincolnshire, UK

Coversand deposits are prevalent across much of central and eastern contine ntal Europe as distinct sedimentary units, but in comparison UK coversands are fragmented and relatively thin. Arguably the best exposures of UK cover sands are to be found in northern Lincolnshire, west of the Lincolnshire We lds, where there are extensive coversand deposits up to 7 m thick. Stratigr aphic, sedimentological, geomorphological and biological evidence show that the Lincolnshire coversand is composed predominantly of a cold climate aeo lian sandsheet. The same evidence also indicates provenance and westerly pa laeowinds associated with coversand deposition. For the first time, through the application of both thermoluminescence and radiocarbon dating, a good chronological framework for coversand deposition in Lincolnshire has been e stablished. This shows the main phase of coversand deposition took place be tween c. 12,500 to 11,400 calendar years ago during the Younger Dryas clima tic oscillation. The north Lincolnshire coversands are therefore contempora ry with the Younger Coversands found in The Netherlands and Denmark. (C) 19 98 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.