Late Precambrian glacial loessites from North Norway and Svalbard

Abstract

Abstract Faintly stratified siltstones intercalated with late Precambrian tillites and glaciolacustrine and glaciomarine mudstones are interpreted to be indurated wind deposited silts, or "loessites." In thin section, the siltstones are distinguished by their high silt and low clay content, comparitively good sorting, and abundance of angular particles. Samples show a preferred grain orientation both parallel and perpendicular to bedding, and together with previous observations on Quaternary loesses, support the use of grain orientation in determining paleowind direction and loess source area.