Magnetic property analysis as palaeoenvironmental proxy: a case study of the Last Interglacial Middle Palaeolithic site at Neumark-Nord 2 (Germany)

Abstract

The so-called Blake Event, an event of the geomagnetic fi eld, was identifi ed in the Middle Palaeolithic Neumark-Nord 2 (NN2) site in Germany by Sier et al. (2o11). These authors discussed the implications for the positioning of the Eemian in the Marine isotope stage (MIS) scale in northern-central Europe. The NN2 data showed a lagtime of ~5ooo years between the MIS 5e peak and the start of the Eemian in central Europe. This increased lagtime forces us to rethink the terrestrial- marine climatic relationships for this part of Europe during the last interglacial. Here we analyse the magnetic properties of the sedimentary sequence at the NN2 site, and correlate these data to the pollen zonation established for the same site. This enables an assessment of the magnetic property expression of Eemian climatic and environmental changes. Our study demonstrates that the expression of the magnetic properties at NN2 is closely related to variability in open or closed environments during the Eemian in the catchment area of the NN2 basin. It indicates the presence of a wet to dry climate transition in the NN2 deposits (top pollen zone IVb3) which is typical of this period of the Eemian in Europe. Moreover, the magnetic property study supports our claim of having found a primary palaeomagnetic signal of the Blake Event at NN2.