The structure and geological evolution of the English Channel

Abstract
The Channel consists of three distinct provinces each characterized by its own geological style. The Western Province has rocks ranging in age from Lower Palaeozoic to Miocene with marked unconformities beneath the Upper Cretaceous and the Eocene strata. A major tectonic feature is a line of faults extending east-northeast up Channel. The Central Province is dominated by three fault or monoclinal structures and has rocks ranging from Jurassic to Eocene age. The Eastern Province is a relatively stable area dominated by a Tertiary syncline and a continuation of the Wealden anticline. Events related to the development of oceanic crust in Permian times are believed to have caused basic igneous activity, rifting and crustal thinning in the Western Channel and these factors and the subsequent opening of the Atlantic exerted a control over the development of the Channel. Alpine tectonism led to renewed movement on some structures. Folds are thought to be the surface expression of movements on old fault planes. The importance of a tectonic line between the Isle of Wight and northern France is emphasized.