2013 - University College Cork

RESEARCH PROJECTS
5
Geosciences and Coastal Processes
CELTIC SEA SEDIMENTARY PROCESSES,
QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY AND OFFSHORE
RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT (CeSQuORE)
Research Centre/Department/School:
School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Contact PI: Andy Wheeler (a.wheeler@ucc.ie)
Researchers: Marian McGrath
Start Year: January 2012
End Year: December 2012
Funding Body: Geological Survey of Ireland
Funding: €30k
The CeSQuORE project aims to develop an understanding the geological development of Quaternary
offshore sedimentary sequences up to the present-day seabed conditions. This insight reveals
details of sedimentary sequences development and responses to environmental change culminating
ion the present hydrodynamic regime. By links the present to the past, we hope to gain a better
understanding on the past environmental conditions from the retreat of the Irish Ice Stream and
through the present marine transgression. The project reconstructs the late Quaternary history of
the northern Celtic Sea through the interpretation of seismic and core data. In addition, an optimisation
of INFOMAR data outputs within an image analysis GIS-based framework to aid better
interpretation seabed data thereby quantify recent sedimentary processes in the northern Celtic
Sea. These outputs are to be integrated into a hydrodynamic model for the area. In the first six
months of this project we have collected offshore seismic data, multibeam data, vibro-cores and
grab samples with data interpretation ongoing.