Abstract
The palaeomagnetic evidence presented here refutes the earlier hypothesis that most of the Quaternary succession in the central North Sea area is of Middle to Upper Weichselian age. A study of the Quaternary seismic-stratigraphy has been tied to 11 cored boreholes which are being examined for their physical properties and faunal content. Initial palaeomagnetic studies show a major reversely magnetized zone which can be correlated from borehole to borehole and with the seismic stratigraphy. This reversely magnetized zone is thought to represent the Matuyama Epoch which ended ∼790,000 yr BP; consequently this suggests the presence of early Pleistocene strata in the central and northern North Sea.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Holmes, R. Rep. Inst. geol. Sci. No. 77/14 (1977).
McCave, I. N., Caston, V. N. D. & Fannin, N. G. T. in British Quaternary Studies, Recent Advances (ed. Shotton, F. N.) (Oxford University Press, 1977).
Eden, R. A., Holmes, R. & Fannin, N. G. T. Rep. Inst. geol. Sci. No. 77/15 (1978).
Jansen, J. H. F. Neth J. Sea Res. 10, 1–43 (1976).
Jansen, J. H. F., Doppert, H. N. C., Hoogendorn-Toenhg, K., DeJong, J. & Spaink, G. Neth. J. Sea Res. 13, 1–13 (1979).
Jansen, J. H. F. & Hensey, A. M. Spec. Publ. int. Ass. Sedim. 5, 323–334 (1981).
Skinner, A. C. & Gregory, D. M. Boreas (in the press).
Cox, A., Doell, R. R. & Dalrymple, G. B. Q. Jl geol. Soc. Lond. 124, 53 (1968).
Heirtzler, J. R., Dickson, G. O., Herron, E. M., Pitman, W. C. & Le Pichon, X. J. geophys. Res. 73, 2119 (1968).
Shackleton, N. J. & Opdyke, N. D. Quat. Res. 3, 39–55 (1973).
Shackleton, N. J. & Opdyke, N. D. Geol. Soc. Am. Mem. 145, 449–464 (1976).
Johnson, R. G. Quat. Res. 17, 135–147 (1982).
Niitsuma, N. Sci. Rep. Tohoko Univ. Ser. 2 43, 1–39 (1971).
Tucholka, P. Biul. Inst. geo. 305, 117–123 (1977).
Gillot, P. Y. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 42, 444–450 (1979).
Hall, C. M. & York, D. Nature 274, 462–464 (1978).
Kukla, G. & Nakagawa, H. Quat. Res. 7, 283–293 (1977).
Van Montfrans, H. M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 11, 226–235 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stoker, M., Skinner, A., Fyfe, J. et al. Palaeomagnetic evidence for early Pleistocene in the central and northern North Sea. Nature 304, 332–334 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304332a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/304332a0
