Mapping and correlating sedimentary architectural records in the North Sea Basin across multiple glacial/interglacial cycles

Great differences exist between how we map, date and correlate postglacial sedimentary records in and around the North Sea, how we do this for the last couple of climatic cycles, and how we do it over longer time, i.e. the full Quaternary. At the same time, there is a great drive to see all developments independent of timescales, as the outcome of similar repeating conditions of inundation and exposure, of glacial and interglacial climate, of extinction and recolonization, of glaciation and/or periglaciation. In order to unify insights in formative processes and the creation of record, we need to maintain our current practices developed for the respective different time scales and on top of that only have to overcome ‘loss of dating resolution’ and ‘loss of preservation’ problems back in time - or do we?

My talk will show examples from recent work on Holocene transgression and Last Interglacial transgression (Eemian/Ipswichian), complementing British basin rim perspectives with North Sea basin depocentre perspectives. I will highlight particular outcomes and insights from the former period, and discuss how these affect mapping, dating and correlation of records from the latter period. Selected example outcomes and insights from palaeogeographical mapping the drowned terrestrial landscapes of the last glacial cycle (Weichselian /Devensian) are input to a discussion of the mapping and correlation of North Sea terrestrial record from earlier such low stand periods. Perhaps we are closer than perceived in bridging gaps between our various time scale-bound approaches to Quaternary research and the geological mapping of the North Sea.