Quaternary evolution of the northern North Sea (original) (raw)

The northern North Sea underwent significant geological changes during the Quaternary period, starting from approximately 2.6 million years ago. Initial conditions featured a deep basin, which gradually transformed into a relatively shallow region (mostly less than 200 meters). Seismic data reveals a complex sedimentary architecture, including a thickness of up to 1 km of preserved Quaternary sediments, generated predominantly by glacial processes and river systems. The interaction between ice-sheet dynamics and sediment deposition led to the formation of distinct geological features such as the Norwegian Channel Ice Stream and the North Sea trough-mouth fan, illustrating the region's evolutionary history and geomorphological development.