Sea-level changes in northern England

Abstract

The terms transgressive and regressive overlap current in solid rock geology since the early nineteenth century are applied as descriptive terms to stratigraphic successions in northern England. Two methods of displaying radiocarbon dates from overlap sequences are described and a chronostratigraphic subdivision of marine and terrestrial sediments is proposed: 12 periods, during which transgressive overlap occurred, and 12 periods, during which regressive overlap occurred, are recognised, and supercede the transgression sequences Lytham I to IX. Two new time-depth graphs are described from southwest Lancashire and the Morecambe Bay area, and each radiocarbon date is shown in relationship to its position in a transgressive or regressive overlap. Tentative interpretations are made about the form of the curve of sea-level changes.