Quaternary lithostratigraphic units (Belgium)

Abstract

The lithostratigraphic classification of the Quaternary deposits is based on the genesis of the sediments. The distinguished environments are marine - estuarine, fluvial, eolian and slope. The marine - estuarine deposits are restricted to certain time-intervals within the Quaternary and are limited to the northern part of Belgium. Fluvial deposits are found throughout the Quaternary. On the basis of the sedimentological - lithological differentials within the Meuse basin and the Schelde basin a bipartite subdivision of the fluvial deposits is introduced. Eolian deposits are differentiated on the basis of their grain size distribution, namely sand and silt. The sandy deposits are accumulated in the northern part of Belgium, whereas loess is deposited in the more southern part of the country. Slope deposits are not restricted regionally neither temporally.