We provide services
in 3 main areas.

Typical projects have focused mainly on seabed activity in the fairly recent geological past, usually within the Pleistocene and Holocene, in connection with geohazard risk assessment and geotechnical appraisal prior to the installation of subsea structures such as pipelines, cables or wind turbine foundations.

Here the emphasis is on determining the frequency and magnitude of subsea events such as turbidites, seabed erosion, sediment accumulation, faulting, etc. Because the time interval under consideration is usually measured in the few tens of thousands of years traditional biostratigraphy is usually not applicable.

Consequently, if sediments are less that about 45ka old, we attempt to establish local chronologies based on all available fossil assemblages (foraminifera, palynomorphs, nannofossils, etc) calibrated where possible using radiocarbon dating of shell and plant remains.

Fossils (particularly palynomorphs) from these and older sediments can be used as climatic indicators and provide a match to established marine oxygen isotope stages (MIS).

Oxygen isotopes can also be used to provide an indication of climate. In much older sediments Strontium dating can be effective. ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs are methods which have been employed in very young sediments.

The same techniques as used in geohazard risk assessment can be used in archaeological studies.  Radiocarbon dating is a well tried and tested method of dating contexts and the full range of microfossils can provide useful information about environments. BioChron can provide interpretations based on palynology, foraminifera and ostracods and other fossil groups through its network of specialists.

BioChron can also provide biostratigraphic analysis and interpretation of older geological intervals using the full range of fossil groups through its network of specialists. Whether you require ages in Angola, correlations in The Caspian or interpretations in Indonesia, BioChron is here to help. We can select samples and advise on the best method for obtaining the results you need.