This paper supply subsidies for Quaternary geological reconstruction of the southeastern State of Santa Catarina coast in Brazil, being based on detailed geological mapping supported by a series of drilling data, which allowed to establish a stratigraphical hierarchy of the sedimentary deposits. Among the mapped geological units stand out the extensive Pleistocene shallow marine sandy sediments, which are commonly referred as a barrier island -lagoonal depositional system. A drilling campaign done in the domain permitted the sampling of material for 14 C datings, and the obtained data confirmed some previously assumed ages. The sequence of events, that originated the Holocene deposits, has been also reconstructed through drilling and 14 C dating of the collected peat and shell samples. Finally, the main characteristics of the most promising mineral prospect of the area, represented by voluminous calcareous shell deposits associated with Holocene sediments, are also presented.Key words: quaternary geology, depositional system, calcareous shell deposits, Santa Catarina coastal area. STUDIED AREAThe area is located in the northern half of the southern State of Santa Catarina (Brazil), between Paulo Lopes and Jaguaruna. Landward it is constituted by the "Escudo Catarinense" shield, and oceanward by the Florianópolis platform. This shield is composed by volcano-sedimentary rocks and granitoids of Archean to Proterozoic ages, being partially covered at the western portion by sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Paraná intracratonic basin, whose ages are changeable from Silurian to Cretaceous. The Florianópolis platform, according to Gonçalves Correspondence to: Francisco Caruso Jr.* Member of the Academia Brasileira de Ciências E-mail: carusojr@cttmar.univali.br et al. (1979), is situated between Santos and Pelotas sedimentary basins, at north and south, respectively. DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS OF THE COASTAL PLAINThere are two types of siliciclastic depositional systems: alluvial fan and barrier island/lagoonal systems, the first one dominated by continental processes, and the second one characterized by transitional and shallow marine environments (Villwock et al. 1986).The so called Tubarão plain is an extensive lagoonal system, occupying an embayment in the "Escudo Catarinense" shield, and isolated from the open ocean by multiple sand barriers. They are attached to the Precambrian crystalline rock promontories,

RESUMENConocer las propiedades combustibles de las especies leñosas permite complementar el análisis e interpretación de las modalidades de adquisición y uso del material leñoso por parte de grupos del pasado. El método experimental permite profundizar en las propiedades que las distintas especies vegetales poseen como combustible, pero más importante aun posibilita la reconstrucción de los procesos que han generado el conjunto de restos recuperados. Este trabajo presenta dos objetivos. Por un lado determinar las cualidades que poseen como combustible cuatro especies leñosas (austrocedrus chilensis, fitzroya cupressoides, nothofagus antarctica y nothofagus dombeyi) y comprender su comportamiento en el proceso de combustión. Por otro lado, explorar si las grietas de contracción presentes en los carbones responden al estado de la madera puesta al fuego (verde-seco). La realización de 16 fuegos experimentales y el estudio de sus carbones evidencian diferencias entre las especies leñosas estudiadas. Los resultados obtenidos permiten por un lado, discriminar la utilización de madera seca y madera verde como combustible. Por otro, profundizar en la identificación e interpretación de las alteraciones presentes en los carbones arqueológicos y complementar el análisis arqueobotánico de los distintos sitios patagónicos.PALABRAS CLAVE: experimentación, propiedades combustibles, bosque andino-patagónico. EXPERIMENTATION AND COMBUSTION PROPERTIES OF PATAGONIAN ANDEAN FOREST. CONTRIBUTION TO THE ARCHAEOBOTANICAL STUDIES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES ABSTRACTThe properties of woody fuels during the combustion can complement the interpretation of the modes of acquisition and use of firewood by groups of the past. The experimental method allows to deepen about the properties of different plant species as fuel, but more importantly allows the reconstruction of the processes that have generated the archaeobotanical remains recovered. This paper has two objectives. For one determine the combustion properties of four woody species (austrocedrus, fitzroya cupressoides, nothofagus and nothofagus antarctica dombeyi) and understand their behavior in the combustion process. Furthermore, explore whether shrinkage cracks present in the charcoal respond to