The Cretaceous–Paleogene unconformity in England: Uplift and erosion related to the Iceland mantle plume

Manifestation of Tectonic and Climatic Perturbations in Deep-Time Stratigraphy – An Example From the Paleocene Succession Offshore Western Norway

“…In a more regional perspective, the observed changes in sediment supply and the stratigraphic relationships observed along the Norwegian mainland mirrors what has been observed along the margin of the British Isles. Recent work by Gale and Lovell (2018) suggest that incipient uplift of the British Isles started in the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleocene, similar to the onset of mass wasting along the Norwegian margin. In terms of sediment supply, Liu and Galloway (1997) observed a similar peak in sediment load around the Selandian-Thanetian transition, and White and Lovell (1997) suggested that pulses of increased sand delivery could be related to dynamic uplift of the British Isles.…”

Comments on “Gale, A S., Norman Berry Peake, 1921-2010, a chalk revolutionary” [Proc. Geol. Assoc. 128 (2017), 829-839], and “Gale, A S & Lovell, B., The Cretaceous-Paleogene unconformity in England: Uplift and erosion related to the Iceland mantle plume” [Proc. Geol. Assoc. (2017) doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2017.04.002]

“…The area that he examined covers most of the inferred subcrop of the Zones of Uintacrinus socialis and Marsupites testudinarius (the 'crinoid zones') on the sub-Palaeogene surface shown by Gale (2017, fig. 11) and Gale and Lovell (2017, fig. 3).…”

“…Here it is expedient to use lithostratigraphical and biozonal data from cored boreholes, or to infer the position of lithostratigraphical boundaries from biozonal data, as has been done by BGS in parts of Norfolk, for example (Woods et al, 2002). Gale and Lovell (2017) refer to the work of Mortimore et al (2011), who elucidated details of the structure of the Chalk from cored boreholes in east London, where the Chalk is extensively buried by younger cover. This exemplifies a 'total-rock' approach to the Chalk, considering lithostratigraphical units, including lithological marker beds, together with macrofossils and other biozonal markers, as well as structural elements and engineering properties (Mortimore, 2012).…”

“…In the remainder of the area referred to by Gale (2017) and Gale and Lovell (2017) -the North Downs in eastern Surrey (east of the Guildford district), western Kent and the adjacent portion of the Greater London Authority area -the Seaford and Newhaven chalk formations have not been separated simply because the corresponding geological maps have yet to be resurveyed using the modern Chalk lithostratigraphy. The most recent field surveys of the Chalk in the Reigate, Sevenoaks and South London districts (British Geological Survey, 1971, 1978, 1998a, along with the western half of the Dartford district (British Geological Survey, 1998b; Figure 1) predate its formulation.…”

“…It also serves to indicate the kinds of structures and outcrop patterns that can be expected to occur in this area, although the details of the structural interpretation should be regarded by potential mapusers with considerable caution. Gale (2017, p. 835-836) states 'I spent a considerable time plotting structures in the chalk along this tract [the southern margin of the London Basin] beneath the Paleogene unconformity (Gale and Lovell, 2017). Detailed mapping [our emphasis] of the Uintacrinus socialis and Marsupites testudinarius Zones from records in papers and old BGS sheet memoirs made it possible to identify a synclinal fold in the chalk predating the earliest Paleogene (Thanetian) sediments (Fig.…”