Loess in 'The Quaternary Era': a study of 'a study of'' by J.K.Charlesworth. It seems amazing that all aspects of the Quaternary might be included in one book (even a vast 2 volume work like JKC's amazing opus). Maybe that was just possible in 1957; it would be hard to achieve now, 60 years later in 2017.
J.K.Charlesworth 1957. The Quaternary Era: with Special Reference to its Glaciation. in 2 vols. Edward Arnold London .
[LPB 177] Loess in vol.1 pp.511-558, 709 references
Some of the references are multiple so there are in fact probably about 1000 references attached to the Loess section- this is one of the most interesting loess bibliographies. Loess-A Partial Bibliography [LPB] (Smalley 1980) which is totally devoted to Loess has just over 1000 references. Actually a comment is required at this point. The Charlesworth reference system is ridiculous; using it was an absolute mistake and its use may have reduced the appreciation and effectiveness of the great volumes.
The Loess section is complex and full of detail. It has not been fully appreciated- there are treasures therein which have still to be unearthed. This blog is a relatively unstructured poking of the Loess section, to increase appreciation and to provide a view of loess scholarship at the mid-1950s. This is a sort of 2nd order loess history. 1st order loess history is a study of KCvL and Charles Lyell and other pioneers; 2nd order loess history concerns people looking at the development of studies on loess and loess history. TQE shows that Loess was considered important in 1957; it shows Loess relative to other aspects of the Quaternary..
"Loess, by far the most important periglacial accumulation, was first recognized and given its rightful prominence in the valley of the Rhine where it is well developed in the Kolner Bucht and Neuwied basin.
Here A. Braun (1842) accurately described it- the name, which belongs to the peasants and brickworkers of this region, came into the scientific literature about twenty years earlier (Leonhard 1823, p.722, cf G.Dubois & F.Firtion. B.Sv.Carte.G.Als.Lorr. 3, 1936, 21)"
These are the opening words of the Loess section. JKC opts for a distinctly glacial approach to loess (emphasis added). The references have been tweaked. It is surprising that JKC cites Braun as the opening reference- why have Braun (1842) as the basic reference? this is a very difficult to find paper and it deals with snails rather than loess. Had JKC actually read it? it seems doubtful..
Braun, A.[Alexander] 1842. Vergleichende Zusammenstellung der lebenden und diluvialen Mollusken fauna des Rheinthals mit der tertiaren des Mainzer Beckens.
Amtlicher Bericht uber die Versammlung Deutscher Naturforschung und Artze (zu Mainz im September 1842) 20, 142-150.
reprinted in Loess Letter 69 (see www.loessletter.msu.edu) April 2013
Here is Braun on the nature of the Loess (LL translation):
"Loess forms the gulf between the present epoch and the geologists diluvial period, and was deposited in extremely large quantities from a high ascending but transient flood (not from a permanent water basin)."
His Leonhard reference should be 1824 rather than 1823, but this is not a real error, he simply refers to vol.1 of CdF rather than vol.3 where loess is discussed (see LL67 for the Leonhard material)
The Dubois and Firtion reference is eccentric; what is the function of this reference?
Dubois,G et Firtion, F. 1936. Esquisse de l'extension des limons loessiques en France. Bulletin du Service de la carte geologique d'Alsace et de Lorraine 3, 21-26. [World List 11754]
J.K.Charlesworth 1957. The Quaternary Era: with Special Reference to its Glaciation. in 2 vols. Edward Arnold London .
[LPB 177] Loess in vol.1 pp.511-558, 709 references
Some of the references are multiple so there are in fact probably about 1000 references attached to the Loess section- this is one of the most interesting loess bibliographies. Loess-A Partial Bibliography [LPB] (Smalley 1980) which is totally devoted to Loess has just over 1000 references. Actually a comment is required at this point. The Charlesworth reference system is ridiculous; using it was an absolute mistake and its use may have reduced the appreciation and effectiveness of the great volumes.
The Loess section is complex and full of detail. It has not been fully appreciated- there are treasures therein which have still to be unearthed. This blog is a relatively unstructured poking of the Loess section, to increase appreciation and to provide a view of loess scholarship at the mid-1950s. This is a sort of 2nd order loess history. 1st order loess history is a study of KCvL and Charles Lyell and other pioneers; 2nd order loess history concerns people looking at the development of studies on loess and loess history. TQE shows that Loess was considered important in 1957; it shows Loess relative to other aspects of the Quaternary..
"Loess, by far the most important periglacial accumulation, was first recognized and given its rightful prominence in the valley of the Rhine where it is well developed in the Kolner Bucht and Neuwied basin.
Here A. Braun (1842) accurately described it- the name, which belongs to the peasants and brickworkers of this region, came into the scientific literature about twenty years earlier (Leonhard 1823, p.722, cf G.Dubois & F.Firtion. B.Sv.Carte.G.Als.Lorr. 3, 1936, 21)"
These are the opening words of the Loess section. JKC opts for a distinctly glacial approach to loess (emphasis added). The references have been tweaked. It is surprising that JKC cites Braun as the opening reference- why have Braun (1842) as the basic reference? this is a very difficult to find paper and it deals with snails rather than loess. Had JKC actually read it? it seems doubtful..
Braun, A.[Alexander] 1842. Vergleichende Zusammenstellung der lebenden und diluvialen Mollusken fauna des Rheinthals mit der tertiaren des Mainzer Beckens.
Amtlicher Bericht uber die Versammlung Deutscher Naturforschung und Artze (zu Mainz im September 1842) 20, 142-150.
reprinted in Loess Letter 69 (see www.loessletter.msu.edu) April 2013
Here is Braun on the nature of the Loess (LL translation):
"Loess forms the gulf between the present epoch and the geologists diluvial period, and was deposited in extremely large quantities from a high ascending but transient flood (not from a permanent water basin)."
His Leonhard reference should be 1824 rather than 1823, but this is not a real error, he simply refers to vol.1 of CdF rather than vol.3 where loess is discussed (see LL67 for the Leonhard material)
The Dubois and Firtion reference is eccentric; what is the function of this reference?
Dubois,G et Firtion, F. 1936. Esquisse de l'extension des limons loessiques en France. Bulletin du Service de la carte geologique d'Alsace et de Lorraine 3, 21-26. [World List 11754]
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