Varve Image Portal

Welcome to the Varve Image Portal!

A database provided by the PAGES Varves Working Group

This online resource provides images of one of the most important natural archives of environmental and climatic conditions – annually laminated sediments. Examples include seasonal sedimentary successions, as well as specific sediment components and peculiar sedimentary structures of varved sediment sequences.

The different varve types from all continents are visualised by macroscopic, microscopic and X-radiographic images with metadata for the corresponding sites. Some of these images are combined with analytical data and interpretations.

The Varve Image Portal is intended to summarize and disseminate existing varve images and to facilitate efforts of students and scientists to get acquainted with these finely laminated sedimentary structures.

Please report new sites, additional data, upcoming publications, errors, etc. to:
Bernd Zolitschka: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Searching for sites through the Varve Image Portal

The Varve Image Portal allows for three different search options (for access please scroll down):

• Regional search in a global map: All available sites are located on the map. Some may be regionally clustered: double-click a cluster to zoom in and show all included sites (multiple execution may be necessary). Double-click an individual site to show the name of this site. Double-click on the name and the metadata will appear.
  
  
• Search in varve categories: Based on a genetic concept, sediments can be compositionally categorised as clastic, biogenic, endogenic (incl. evaporitic) and mixed. A search within these four categories can be conducted: Double click on one of these category names and a new window will open with a map and an alphabetical list for those sites that belong to the chosen category.
  
  
• Search in an alphabetical list: This allows for a search of individual sites. Note, that there are several pages to choose from. This list can be tailored to be alphabetically sorted with regard to the site name or to the name of the country.