Ristinge Klint

Primary identification

1. GeoSite no.:
GS – 4-3.

2. National locality no.:
NGI – 129.

3. GeoSite name:
Ristinge Klint.

4. Location:
Denmark; The Funen archipelago (Southern Langeland)

5. Co-ordinates UTM:
System ED50 Zone 32, x=603351, y=6076896.

6. Type of locality:
Coastal cliff exposure.

Primary geological features

7. Main topic:
Glacial stratigraphy and thrusting.

8. Geo(morpho)logy:
Repeated successions over 2 km of sea cliff in 34 tilted Late Weichselian thrust blocks with interbedded tills, meltwater deposits and lacustrine beds. The lake deposits are of a glossy clay variety (Det Blanke Ler) dating from the Eemian interglacial. They are overlain by the shallow marine Cyprina clay which was deposited i a relatively warm climate. Weichselian depositional incidents of till deposition are recorded from the Elder Baltic Glacier and the North West Glacier, which are seperated by meltwater- and eolian deposits. This succession was thrusted and overstepped by the Younger Baltic Glecher, which left local Weichselian tills, whereafter the Ice Push Event of the Belts left a drape of meltwater sand and gravel as the final glacial bed.

9. Frame / context:
Structural geology.

10. Chronostratigraphy:
Saale, Eem and Weichsel.

11. Primary value:
Glaciottectonic thrusting of flakes.

12. Comparative evaluation:
Informal typelocality for Weichsel stratigraphy in the Baltic Sea area, in which all Weichselian glacial pushes younger than the Eemian are documented.

13. Comparable GeoSites:
In Denmark: In Sønderby Klint, Southwestern Funen, a comparable glaciotectonically deformed section is visible. This exposure is, however, less impressive and the local Eemian deposits (bogs) are no longer exposed. 15. Higth of the GeoSite:

16. Area of the GeoSite:
ca. 0.5 km2.

17. Subordinate geological interests:
Sedimentology, Climatology.

18. “Non”-geo interests:
Holiday resort, Tourism.

19. References:
Andersen, S.A., 1933: Det danske Landskabs Historie. Danmarks Geologi i almenfatteligt Omrids. Levin og Mundsgaard, København.
Friis, H. & Larsen, G., 1975: Tungmineralogisk bidrag til forstlåelse af dannelsesforholdene for det Sydfynske hvide sand (Kvartær). Dansk Geologisk Forening, Årsskrift for 1974.
Houmark-Nielsen, M., 1987: Pleistocene stratigraphy and glacial history of the central part of Denmark. Bull. geol. Soc. Denmark, vol. 36, part 1-2.
Kristensen, P., Gibbard, P., Knudsen, K.L. & Ehlers, J., 2000: Late Interglacial stratigraphy at Ristinge Klint, South Denmark. Boreas, vol. 29.
Madsen, V., Nordmann, V. & Hartz, N., 1908: Eem-Zonerne. Studier over Cyprinaleret og andre Eem-Aflejringer i Danmark, Nordtyskland og Holland. Danm. Geol. Unders. 5 Rk., nr. 5.
Madsen, V., 1916: Ristinge Klint. Danm. Geol. Unders. 4 Rk., nr. 2.
Rosenkrantz, A., 1944: Nye Bidrag til Forståelse af Ristinge Klints Opbygning. Medd. Dansk geol. Foren., Bind 10.
Sjørring, S., Nielsen, P.E., Frederiksen, J., Hegner, J., Hyde, G., Jensen, J.B., Mogensen, A. & Vortish, W., 1982: Observationer fra Ristinge Klint, felt- og laboratorieundersøgelser. Dansk geol. Foren., Årsskrift for 1981.

20. Data sources, collections:
…

21. Illustrations:
Photo:

22. Proposers:
Dansk Geologisk Forening & Det Kongelige Danske Geografiske Selskab.

23. Description by:
Based on a.o. the Great Danish Encyclopedia. Gyldendal. and larsen, G., 2002: Geologisk Set, Fyn og Øerne. En beskrivelse af områder af national geologisk interesse. 84-87.

24. Recommandation:
To be included in the inventory of Danish GeoSite candidatess.

25. Comments:
Sønderby Klint is supplementary to the Ristinge Klint locality.

26. Supplementary description: