Description

Special Report 28

Study of the Cretaceous rocks of the British Isles has a long history, extending back into the early nineteenth century, and British successions have been internationally important in the development of biostratigraphical and chemostratigraphical schemes. The book incorporates modern techniques (e. g. magnetostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy, marker bed stratigraphy) with bio- and lithostratigraphical frameworks in order to establish a detailed correlation, stage by stage, for the onshore Cretaceous succession. The study is aided by the recent establishment and ratification of international stage boundaries (Global boundary Standard Sections and Points) which are identified, some provisionally, in the British succession; all 12 Cretaceous stages are recognized, and the offshore succession is also summarized. Finally, the volume suggests possible future directions for research on Cretaceous rocks in order both to fill in significant gaps in knowledge and to progress understanding of the stratigraphy and correlation.