Sedimentary evolution of a high-energy, low-accumulation shelf system during the late Quaternary (NW Iberia)

Abstract

The major aim of this thesis is to reconstruct the late-Quaternary sedimentary evolution of the NW Iberian shelf system as a case study of a high-energy, low-accumulation shelf regime which represents the dominant shelf type in the modern situation and, most probably, in geological history as well. Moreover, this thesis aims at revealing the factors and processes which control the local, spatial and temporal sediment distribution in the NW Iberian shelf regime to contribute to the general understanding of such systems. The results of this thesis improve our understanding of the particular controls on the sediment distribution under a changing shelf configuration.