Chapter 5 The Geology of the English Channel, South Celtic Sea and Continental Margin, South Western Approaches

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nature of the sea floor in the English Channel, Celtic Sea, and South Western Approaches from a geological point of view. The chapter provides a brief description of the morphology of the area. Major aspects of the solid rock geology are discussed with the main emphasis on sea floor and shallow-subsurface geology. The continental shelf of the South Western Approaches is one of the widest in north-western Europe. From the continental margin, the shelf surface extends some 900 km eastwards along the English Channel to the Strait of Dover and some 550 km north-east across the Celtic Sea to the Bristol Channel and St. George's Channel. Sections transversely across the English Channel and Celtic Sea show similarly low gradients except close to the present coast or where localized depressions or deeps occur, such as on the southern side of the Channel. Such deeps are virtually absent from the Celtic Sea. The direction of the continental margin and slope changes significantly at Goban Spur. The continental margin runs almost due north from Goban Spur, to form the eastern boundary of the Porcupine Sea Bight.