Formation of aeolian dunes on Anholt, Denmark since AD 1560: a record of deforestation and increased storminess

Lars B Clemmensen; Mette Bjørnsen; Andrew Murray; Karsten Pedersen

doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2007.01.025

Formation of aeolian dunes on Anholt, Denmark since AD 1560: a record of deforestation and increased storminess

Lars B Clemmensen, Mette Bjørnsen, Andrew Murray, Karsten Pedersen

Geology

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Sand dunes on the island of Anholt (Denmark) in the middle of Kattegat form a relatively barren, temperate climate Aeolian system, locally termed the "Desert". The dunes have developed on top of a raised beach ridge system under the influence of dominant winds from westerly directions. They are relatively coarse-grained with an average mean grain size of 480 µm. The last phase of aeolian activity and dune formation on Anholt started after AD 1560, when the local pine forest was removed. Historical sources report intense sand mobilization in the 17th century, and new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates indicate that dune formation continued until the end of the 19th century. This period of sand drift and dune formation took place during the later part of the Little Ice Age, which is characterized by increased (summer) storminess in large parts of NW Europe. Dune stabilization in the beginning of the 20th century probably records a temporary decrease in storminess. Ground-penetrating radar mapping of the internal structures in two dunes in the western part of the Desert (a parabolic dune and a linear dune) indicates the importance of north-westerly (storm) winds during dune formation

Original language	English
Journal	Sedimentary Geology
Volume	199
Pages (from-to)	171–187
ISSN	0037-0738
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2007.01.025
Publication status	Published - 2007

Keywords

Faculty of Science
aeolian dunes
Denmark
optically stimulated luminescence dating
ground-penetrating radar
wind climate

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Access to Document

10.1016/j.sedgeo.2007.01.025

Cite this

@article{0c41b2a0a4aa11dcbee902004c4f4f50,

title = "Formation of aeolian dunes on Anholt, Denmark since AD 1560: a record of deforestation and increased storminess",

abstract = "Sand dunes on the island of Anholt (Denmark) in the middle of Kattegat form a relatively barren, temperate climate Aeolian system, locally termed the {"}Desert{"}. The dunes have developed on top of a raised beach ridge system under the influence of dominant winds from westerly directions. They are relatively coarse-grained with an average mean grain size of 480 µm. The last phase of aeolian activity and dune formation on Anholt started after AD 1560, when the local pine forest was removed. Historical sources report intense sand mobilization in the 17th century, and new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates indicate that dune formation continued until the end of the 19th century. This period of sand drift and dune formation took place during the later part of the Little Ice Age, which is characterized by increased (summer) storminess in large parts of NW Europe. Dune stabilization in the beginning of the 20th century probably records a temporary decrease in storminess. Ground-penetrating radar mapping of the internal structures in two dunes in the western part of the Desert (a parabolic dune and a linear dune) indicates the importance of north-westerly (storm) winds during dune formation",

keywords = "Faculty of Science, Danmark, aeolian dunes, Denmark, optically stimulated luminescence dating, ground-penetrating radar, wind climate",

author = "Clemmensen, {Lars B} and Mette Bj{\o}rnsen and Andrew Murray and Karsten Pedersen",

year = "2007",

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language = "English",

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T1 - Formation of aeolian dunes on Anholt, Denmark since AD 1560

T2 - a record of deforestation and increased storminess

AU - Clemmensen, Lars B

AU - Bjørnsen, Mette

AU - Murray, Andrew

AU - Pedersen, Karsten

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Sand dunes on the island of Anholt (Denmark) in the middle of Kattegat form a relatively barren, temperate climate Aeolian system, locally termed the "Desert". The dunes have developed on top of a raised beach ridge system under the influence of dominant winds from westerly directions. They are relatively coarse-grained with an average mean grain size of 480 µm. The last phase of aeolian activity and dune formation on Anholt started after AD 1560, when the local pine forest was removed. Historical sources report intense sand mobilization in the 17th century, and new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates indicate that dune formation continued until the end of the 19th century. This period of sand drift and dune formation took place during the later part of the Little Ice Age, which is characterized by increased (summer) storminess in large parts of NW Europe. Dune stabilization in the beginning of the 20th century probably records a temporary decrease in storminess. Ground-penetrating radar mapping of the internal structures in two dunes in the western part of the Desert (a parabolic dune and a linear dune) indicates the importance of north-westerly (storm) winds during dune formation

AB - Sand dunes on the island of Anholt (Denmark) in the middle of Kattegat form a relatively barren, temperate climate Aeolian system, locally termed the "Desert". The dunes have developed on top of a raised beach ridge system under the influence of dominant winds from westerly directions. They are relatively coarse-grained with an average mean grain size of 480 µm. The last phase of aeolian activity and dune formation on Anholt started after AD 1560, when the local pine forest was removed. Historical sources report intense sand mobilization in the 17th century, and new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates indicate that dune formation continued until the end of the 19th century. This period of sand drift and dune formation took place during the later part of the Little Ice Age, which is characterized by increased (summer) storminess in large parts of NW Europe. Dune stabilization in the beginning of the 20th century probably records a temporary decrease in storminess. Ground-penetrating radar mapping of the internal structures in two dunes in the western part of the Desert (a parabolic dune and a linear dune) indicates the importance of north-westerly (storm) winds during dune formation

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Danmark

KW - aeolian dunes

KW - Denmark

KW - optically stimulated luminescence dating

KW - ground-penetrating radar

KW - wind climate

U2 - 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2007.01.025

DO - 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2007.01.025

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0037-0738

VL - 199

SP - 171

EP - 187

JO - Sedimentary Geology

JF - Sedimentary Geology

ER -