Book review

Abstract

Benthic foraminiferal data from the depth interval between 42.0 and 30.5 m in the Inner Silver Pit core 81/52A in the southern North Sea has revealed a glacial–interglacial succession comprising a 5 m thick interglacial deposit. The foraminiferal assemblages initially indicate ice-proximal conditions (Zone 52-1) from a deglaciation period. A transitional zone (Zone 52-2) with faunal indication of relatively deeper water and slightly higher but still subarctic temperature conditions, is followed by a true interglacial succession (called the Inner Silver Pit Interglacial) with increased faunal diversity and with a high content of warm water species (Zone 52-3). A decrease in water depth is registered towards the top of the interglacial succession. The assemblage in the topmost sample (Zone 52-4) indicates a return to high arctic glacial marine conditions.Foraminiferal faunas in three vibrocores obtained from the slopes of the neighbouring Inner Silver Pit valley are correlated with the interglacial assemblages in Zone 52-3 and with the succeeding glacial marine Zone 52-4 of the Inner Silver Pit core 81/52A.Based on the degree of isoleucine epimerisation in benthic foraminifera the interglacial deposit is referred to the Middle Pleistocene, and a correlation with oxygen isotope stage 9 is suggested.