The Swiss northern Alpine Foreland has been sculpted by at least 15 glacier advances during the Quaternary. To trace the pace of the Early Pleistocene glaciations, Deckenschotter deposits are investigated as they are considered to be the oldest Quaternary deposits being preserved as relict mesa-type hilltops in the northern Alpine Foreland. This MSc topic consists of fieldwork, laboratory work, and interpretations. The focus of this MSc thesis is on determining the timing of the Deckenschotter glaciations and reconstructing the landscape evolution during the Early Pleistocene. The Deckenschotter site, at which the study will be conducted, will be up for discussion. The objective is to first identify the origin, transport mechanism, and depositional environment of the Deckenschotter and second to select one or two suitable outcrops to collect samples for isochron-burial dating to determine the timing and finally to integrate all the obtained results into a landscape evolution history. To achieve this, the MSc student will perform sediment analysis, including clast petrography, morphometry, and fabric. Furthermore, the student will collect samples in the field and process them in the lab to analyze 10Be and 26Al in order to determine the deposition age using isochron-burial dating.
The MSc student will present their findings at national conferences and submit their thesis in manuscript format, aiming to publish in an open-access scientific journal.
Advisors: Prof. Naki Akçar
Specialities: PAQS
University: BE