Das Projekt "Loess in Armenia" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Geographie, Professur für Physische Geographie durchgeführt. This project aims to characterize, map, analyze and date recently discovered loess-palaeosol sequences from NE Armenia. These sequences have proved to be especially rewarding because of their thickness (up to 45 m) and the presence of diagnostic tephra layers. The project seeks to derive a standard profile for NE Armenia and thus for the Lesser Caucasus. We will use luminescence technologies to date the loess sections, environmental magnetism to understand soil development, mineralogy to constrain provenance and weathering-potential, and terrestrial Mollusca and biomarkers to evaluate different vegetation formations.