Introduction: Advances in Irish Quaternary Studies

Abstract

This book provides a new synthesis of the published research on the Quaternary of Ireland. It reviews a number of significant advances in the last three decades on the understanding of the pattern and chronology of the Irish Quaternary glacial, interglacial, floristic and occupation records. Those utilising the latest technology have enabled significant advances in geochronology using accelerated mass spectrometry, cosmogenic nuclide extraction and optically stimulated luminescence amongst others. This has been commensurate with high-resolution geomorphological mapping of the Irish land surface and continental shelf using a wide range of remote sensing techniques including MBES and LIDAR. Thus the time is ideal for a state of the art publication, which provides a series of authoritative reviews of the Irish Quaternary incorporating these most recent advances. Introduction: Advances in Irish Quaternary studies -- The pre-Quaternary landscape of Ireland -- Glacial geomorphology of the last Irish Ice Sheet -- The last Irish Ice Sheet: extent and chronology -- Deglaciation of the northern Irish Sea Basin -- Relative sea-level change around the Irish coast -- Periglacial and paraglacial processes, landforms and sediments -- The human colonisation of Ireland in northwest European context.