The information on this page is a summary description.
The full formal description is available here: Arenberg Formation
Abbreviation
Ab
Parent unit
Child units
Lithological description
The Arenberg Formation consists of siliciclastic sediments, organic – rich accumulations and tufa deposits often showing a typical depositional sequence. In general, the lowermost part of the formation comprises fine grained siliciclastic sediments, followed by organic rich clastic and/or peaty deposits. Within the latter unit tufa accumulations are common. These deposits are overlain by predominantly fine siliciclastic deposits which contain peaty or organic horizons, calcium carbonate concentrations and tufa in the lower part. In general the upper part of the stratigraphic sequence is made up of fine clastic sediments devoid of organic material except roots or remnants of the current vegetation. Locally the latter two units are separated by sand deposits, with laminae and beds of sandy clay or peat detritus. The deposits of the Arenberg Formation form the infill of the fluvial valleys incised during the Late-Weichselian in the Schelde basin. Although the lowermost part of the valley fills is generally composed of sandy deposits, these are often difficult to differentiate from underlying sandy units and are therefore not incorporated in the Arenberg Formation but in the underlying Eeklo Formation. The Arenberg Formation overlies the fluvial deposits of the Eeklo Formation or aeolian deposits of the Gent Formation or Gembloux Formations. The transition to these underlying units is sharp. Usually the top of the Arenberg Formation is situated at the surface but it may be covered locally by slope deposits or by recent sediments of the Gent Formation or the Vlaanderen Formation.
Age
Lateglacial and Holocene.
Thickness
from less than 2 m to a maximum of 15 m.
Area of occurrence
Schelde basin.
Type locality
Alluvial plain of the Dijle River around Werchter.
Alternative names
Authors
Bogemans, F., Kiden, P., Huybrechts, W., Notebaert, B., Beerten, K., Lanckacker, T., Rixhon, G. & Heyvaert, V.
Date
01/01/2017
Cite as
Bogemans, F., Kiden, P., Huybrechts, W., Notebaert, B., Beerten, K., Lanckacker, T., Rixhon, G. & Heyvaert, V., 2017. The Arenberg Formation, 01/01/2017. National Commission for Stratigraphy Belgium. http://ncs.naturalsciences.be/lithostratigraphy/Arenberg-Formation
