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Unconformities related to the Jurassic-Cretaceous synrift-post-rift transition of the northern North Sea

Rune Kyrkjebo, Roy H. Gabrielsen and J. I. Faleide
Unconformities related to the Jurassic-Cretaceous synrift-post-rift transition of the northern North Sea
Journal of the Geological Society of London (January 2004) 161, Part 1: 1-17

Abstract

In the Jurassic-Cretaceous North Sea basin, the synrift sequence is separated from the post-rift sequence by the "base Cretaceous" or "late Cimmerian" unconformity. The unconformity covers almost the entire basin, has a distinct character in seismic reflection data and wireline logs, and hence, is easily identified and correlated, making it the most important marker horizon in the area. The unconformity displays great local complexity (in many localities) and great variability on a regional scale (from one locality to another). Thus the unconformity is classified as a nonconformity, a disconformity and an angular unconformity. We suggest that these variations basically reflect different structural position within the basin, so that the short-wavelength variation is dominated by local structural development (e.g. the rotational history of a fault block), whereas the long-wavelength variation reflects basin-scale tectonic, thermal and isostatic processes. The merging of this unconformity with younger erosional surfaces, its complex configuration and polychronous character makes the general term "base Cretaceous unconformity" inadequate. Thus, the term "northern North Sea Unconformity Complex" is used here.


ISSN: 0016-7649
EISSN: 2041-479X
Coden: JGSLAS
Serial Title: Journal of the Geological Society of London
Serial Volume: 161, Part 1
Title: Unconformities related to the Jurassic-Cretaceous synrift-post-rift transition of the northern North Sea
Affiliation: University of Bergen, Department of Earth Sciences, Norway
Pages: 1-17
Published: 200401
Text Language: English
Publisher: Geological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
References: 106
Accession Number: 2004-023615
Categories: Structural geologyApplied geophysics
Document Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Illustration Description: illus. incl. geol. sketch maps, sects., block diag.
N58°00'00" - N62°00'00", W01°00'00" - E05°00'00"
Secondary Affiliation: University of Oslo, NOR, Norway
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2017, American Geosciences Institute. Reference includes data from The Geological Society, London, London, United Kingdom
Update Code: 200407

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