Quaternary erosion and depositional processes: western Norwegian fjords, Norwegian Channel and North Sea Fan
Sejrup, H.P.; King, E.L.; Aarseth, I.; Haflidason, H.; Elverhøi, A. (1996). Quaternary erosion and depositional processes: western Norwegian fjords, Norwegian Channel and North Sea Fan, in: De Batist, M. et al. (Ed.) Geology of siliciclastic shelf seas. pp. 187-202 In: De Batist, M.; Jacobs, P. (Ed.) (1996). Geology of siliciclastic shelf seas. Geological Society Special Publication, 117. The Geological Society (London): London. ISBN 1-897799-67-5. 345 pp., more In: Hartley, A.J. et al. (Ed.) Geological Society Special Publication. Geological Society of London: Oxford; London; Edinburgh; Boston, Mass.; Carlton, Vic.. ISSN 0305-8719; e-ISSN 2041-4927, more |
| Authors | | Top | - Sejrup, H.P.
- King, E.L.
- Aarseth, I.
| - Haflidason, H.
- Elverhøi, A.
| |
| Abstract | The southem Norwegian fjords, the northern North Sea and North Sea marginrepresent major pathways of sediment flux from the southern part of Fennoscandia to thedeep sea basin. Volumes, genesis and chronology of the temporary and semi-permanentQuaternary sediment repositories are reviewed. The fjord infill is dominated by sedimentsfrom the last deglaciation (150km3). The Norwegian Channel is occupied by tills andglaciomarine/marine sediments (5000km3). The North Sea Fan comprises glacially feddebris-flow fingers/lobes (constituting 80% of deposits in the mid- to late Pleistocene)together with hemipelagic and mass-transport slide sediments, totalling 15000km3. TheNorwegian Channel represents a dynamic transport conduit whereby during peak glaciationa fast-flowing ice stream has drained large parts of the southem Fennoscandian ice sheetseveral times. The sediment flux to the deep sea is temporarily interrupted (between glacials)when stored in the channel but under glacial maxima the channel is probably largelybypassed, with material transported as subglacialload and deposited as debris flows on theNorth Sea Fan. Sediments on the fan have a much longer storage time (numerous glaciationcycles) but are further transported to the deep sea in large slide events. The volume ofQuaternary sediments found along this sediment pathway, plus that which slid to the deepsea, total at least 25000 km3, corresponding to an averaged 120m of erosion across southernNorway. |
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