Middle Pleistocene glacial and glaciomarine sedimentation in the west central North Sea |
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| Authors: | MARTYN S STOKER ALISTAIR BENT |
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| Institution: | British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH93LA, Scotland;Grant Institute of Geology, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland |
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| Abstract: | A sequence of Middle Pleistocene (approximately early 'Cromerian Complex') sediments has been subdivided into subglacial, proximal glaciomarine, distal glaciomarine and marine facies. The subglacial facies represents lodgement till deposited during the final stages of ice-sheet advance. At the onset of ice-sheet retreat, streams deposited their load into a shallow-water; glaciomarine environment; gravelly sediments immediately in front of the ice-grounding line and finer material, in suspension, to more distal areas. Ice-rafting, slumping and traction currents were also active within the glaciomarine environment. The lithofacies characteristics of this sequence are consistent with deposition from a grounded tidewater ice-sheet. The glacigenic succession is restricted to the Forth Approaches area, which implies that the ice-sheet had a limited offshore extent. |
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