Quaternary Sediments

Quaternary Sediments: Petrographic Methods for the Study of Unlithified Rocks (Second Edition), first published in 1991, remains the definitive text on the analysis of unlithified geological materials. The book considers how the information preserved in sediments, soils and weathering products may be used to reconstruct past environments. It describes and assesses physical and chemical laboratory procedures and shows how to interpret the results of these analyses. The application of each procedure to environmental reconstruction is stressed. Case studies, diagrams and extensive references provide further information. The Second Edition is 17 per cent longer than the first. It contains new sections on errors and their analysis, on sampling procedures, and on handling and interpreting geochemical data. It also considers neglected properties such as loss on ignition and dry bulk density. These are frequently measured but under-interpreted and yet are often of critical significance in investigations of environmental change. The index has been updated and greatly expanded.