Isotopic dating of continental carbonates in the Upper Pleistocene of Chafarinas Islands (N Africa, Spain)

Abstract

Chafarinas Islands are a volcanic outcrop in the North edge of Africa, with an Upper Miocene-Pliocene age. The present cliffed landform result of an intensive marine action that has eroded the previous volcanic relief. Quaternary deposits and calcrete formations cover the most part of the planated surface of the islands, mainly in Rey Francisco I isle. Here we studied a wide geological section with 18 m of detritic and calcrete layers. Isotopic dating (230Th/234U and 14 C) of these continental deposits (calcretes and shells) and their geological interpretation show a palaeoclimatic fluctuations along the Late Quaternary (100-20 ky BP).