Sedimentary features reveal transport paths for Holocene sediments on the Kristianstad coastal plain, SE Sweden

Abstract

We have investigated coastal and aeolian deposits on the Kristianstad plain in southernmost Sweden by a combination of methods that has yielded data on sedimentary features such as grain-size variations, shape and character of quartz grain surfaces (determined in light microscope and scanning electron microscope), and mineralogical composition. Such sedimentary techniques have been not applied to coastal deposits in this part of the Baltic Sea region before. The littoral, foredune and parabolic dune sands are sedimentologically similar, only a slight grain-size transformation by aeolian processes in the foredune was observed. Sand in straight-crested dunes, on the other hand, originates from immature glaciolacustrine sediments, seen e.g. through the increase in mineral maturity during active aeolian transport. Finally, a palaeosol, occuring below an aeolian cover, carries both aeolian and glaciolacustrine sedimentary signals.

Keywords:

• Coastal
• aeolian
• grain size
• quartz grain surface
• mineral composition
• Kristianstad plain

Acknowledgements

Anton Hansson (Lund University) is thanked for helping with underwater sampling. Two anonymous reviewers and Dr. Mark Johnson (GFF) provided constructive comments on the manuscript.