Tidal circulation in an ancient epicontinental sea: The Early Jurassic Laurasian Seaway

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2011 Tidal circulation in an ancient epicontinental sea: The Early Jurassic Laurasian Seaway Andrew J. Mitchell; Andrew J. Mitchell * Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK *E-mails: andrew.mitchell02@imperial.ac.uk; p.a.allison@imperial.ac.uk Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Peter A. Allison; Peter A. Allison * Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK *E-mails: andrew.mitchell02@imperial.ac.uk; p.a.allison@imperial.ac.uk Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gerard J. Gorman; Gerard J. Gorman Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthew D. Piggott; Matthew D. Piggott Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christopher C. Pain Christopher C. Pain Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2011) 39 (3): 207–210. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31496.1 Article history received: 18 Jun 2010 rev-recd: 23 Sep 2010 accepted: 06 Oct 2010 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Andrew J. Mitchell, Peter A. Allison, Gerard J. Gorman, Matthew D. Piggott, Christopher C. Pain; Tidal circulation in an ancient epicontinental sea: The Early Jurassic Laurasian Seaway. Geology 2011;; 39 (3): 207–210. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31496.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract We model tides and associated bed shear stress in the Early Jurassic Laurasian Seaway of northwest Europe. Sensitivity tests with different water depths highlight those regions that are least affected by paleobathymetric uncertainty. Results show that although the vast seaway was largely microtidal, the tides were still capable of affecting sediment transport more than 2000 km from the open ocean. Flow constriction associated with shallow platforms and straits produced elevated bed shear stresses (a direct proxy for the entrainment and transport of sediment) that were decoupled from tidal range and were capable of transporting sand. Areas of increased bed shear stress broadly correlate with published geological data. Varying the water depth in the basin provides an insight into the effects of an idealized transgression. Increasing the water level leads to a net reduction in the bed shear stress at the shelf edge, but promotes further penetration of tidal energy into the basin interior, although it is still focused into areas of flow constriction. Further drowning of the seaway eventually widens the straits to the point that they fail to constrict the flow and bed shear stress is reduced. Increasing water level counterintuitively leads to an increase in bed shear stress in a small number of locations. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.