Accumulation of late Pleistocene and Holocene biogenic sands and gravels on the continental shelf between northern Scotland and western France

The paper reviews 51 radiocarbon ages for calcareous biogenic material from the top few centimetres of sands and gravels on the continental shelf betw een northern Scotland and western France. The majority of the ages fall wit hin the past 5000 years, while sea level was almost at its present height. Some dates represent the first half of the Holocene and others date back to the late Pleistocene. They show that these sands and gravels have a high p reservation potential under present conditions, despite the evidence of bio erosion, disturbance by storm waves and transport of material by currents. The surface samples are well mixed and are classified as present day deposi ts. Underlying sediments young-upwards where deposition is permitted but ar e condensed where thickening is virtually disallowed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.