4.1.2.1. Warneton Member

Authors: P. Haesaerts, S. Pirson & E. Meijs - 07/12/2011

Description: Start with the characteristic dark brown horizons of the Humiferous Complex of Remicourt (HCR; Haesaerts et al., 1997, 1999), containing the Rocourt Tephra (Pouclet et al., 2008). This pedocomplex is frequently covered by a thick finely laminated colluvial deposit reworking underlying units (HCR and Rocourt Pedocomplex). In Hesbaye (Remicourt) and in the Haine Basin (Harmignies), a loess marker has been observed between the HCR and the laminated colluvium. In both areas, these deposits wear a boreal soil with B horizon and slight clay illuviation (Malplaquet Soil) followed up by a humic horizon which underlies the first calcareous loesses of the Vellereille Member (Gembloux Formation).

Stratotype: Eben-Emael (western wall of the CBR chalk quarry at Romont; 50°47'27''N / 5°38'37''E).

Paratypeat:

- Harmignies (Omya Benelux chalk quarry and CBR chalk quarry; respectively at 50°25'08''N / 4°00'35''E and 50°25'13''N / 4°00'56''E);

- Veldwezelt-Hezerwater (western wall of the ancient Vandersanden brickyard quarry; 50°51'20''N / 5°38'24''E);

- Kesselt (Nelissen brickyard quarry; 50°50'13''N / 5°37'12''E);

- Rocourt (ancient Gritten sand pit; 50°40'07''N / 5°33'45'' E).

Area: Middle Belgium, on plateau and slopes.

Age: Upper Pleistocene - end of Weichselian early glacial (Humiferous Complex of Remicourt = end of MIS 5a; Pirson et al., 2009) and lower part of Weichselian lower pleniglacial (lower part of MIS 4) (Haesaerts et al., 1999; van den Houte et al., 2003).

Remarks: The name Warneton Soil, coming from the Delcourt brickyard quarry in Warneton (Lys valley, western Belgium), has been given by Paepe (1964, 1967, 1968; see also Paepe & Vanhoorne, 1976 and Van-Vliet-Lanoë, 1990) to one (or several) humic horizon(s) overlying the Rocourt pedocomplex. Here we propose the use of "Humiferous Complex of Remicourt" (HCR) defined by Haesaerts et al. (1997) to designate the humic horizons immediately above the Rocourt Pedocomplex and containing the Rocourt Tephra. In the present system, this HCR and the following deposits, including the humic horizon above the Malplaquet Soil, which underlies the carbonated loess of the lower pleniglacial (here defined as the Vellereille Member), are grouped in the Warneton Member.