Magnetostratigraphy of the Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequences in Ukraine and Moldova: a historical overview and recent developments

Abstract

The loess-palaeosol sequences of Ukraine and Moldova contain one of the longest and most complete terrestrial records of Pleistocene climate change in Europe. Magnetostratigraphic studies provide a first-order chronological framework for loess sequences. The literature on loess magnetostratigraphy by Ukrainian authors from the 1960s to present is vast; however, it is rather inaccessible to international readers. In this review, we summarize historical stages of the magnetostratigraphic studies in Ukraine and Moldova, and present recent developments in loess magnetic stratigraphy, including pedostratigraphy based on magnetic susceptibility variations. We highlight recent progress in the determination of the Matuyama–Brunhes boundary in the Ukrainian loess and discuss future prospects for studies of loess magnetism. In particular, mismatches between the positions of palaeomagnetic reversal boundaries (e.g., the Matuyama–Brunhes boundary, the Gauss–Matuyama boundary) and the corresponding pedostratigraphy are discussed in detail.