Methodology

To answer these questions this project will rely on a well developed methodology based on the use of geomorphological, sedimentological and chronological techniques to provide a palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Key elements of this are the production of 1:10,000 scale geomorphological maps from aerial photographs and ground survey, description and grain-size analysis of likely flood deposits and dating using a framework of volcanic ‘ash’ layers (tephra) in the regions (e.g. Jóhannesson 1981). Electron microprobe analysis of key tephras and the matrices of flood deposits will be carried out at the University of Edinburgh Tephrochronology Unit.