Sedimentary data from the Semlac loess-paleosol sequence

The volumetric magnetic susceptibility was measured at frequencies of 300 and 3000 Hz in a static field of 300 mA/m using a Magnon International VSFM in the Laboratory for Environmental- and Palaeomagnetism at the University of Bayreuth. The magnetic susceptibility was mass-normalised.
The frequency dependence was calculated as MSfd = (MSlf - MShf) / MSlf *100 [%].
A spectrophotometer (Konica Minolta CM-5) was used to determine the colour of dried and homogenised sediment samples by detecting the diffused reflected light under standardised observation conditions (2° Standard Observer, Illuminant C). Colour spectra were obtained in the visible range (360 to 740 nm), in 10 nm increments, and the spectral data was converted into the Munsell colour system and the CIELAB Colour Space (L*a*b*, CIE 1976) using the Software SpectraMagic NX (Konica Minolta).
The measurement of the particle size was conducted by using a Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer (Beckman Coulter LS 13 320 PIDS) and by calculating the mean diameters of the particles within a size range of 0.04 - 2000 µm. Each sample was measured two times in two different concentrations to increase accuracy. Finally all measurements with reliable obscuration (8 - 12 %) were averaged.