Magnetostratigraphy of the upper paleocene and lowermost eocene of SE England

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Abstract
Today, the upper Paleocene of SE England is one of the most intensively studied pre‐Quaternary intervals anywhere. Until recently, knowledge of the magnetostratigraphy of these deposits was restricted to (1) the Thanet Formation stratotype, (2) a borehole core from Ormesby, Norfolk, and (3) outcrops of the Reading Formation and lower part of the London Clay Formation on the Isle of Wight (Figs. 1 and 2). The oldest Paleocene sediments (Chron C26r) were reported from the Ormesby Clay Fm in the Ormesby borehole (Cox et al. 1985). The Thanet Fm was deposited during Chrons C26n and C25r, whilst the Lambeth Group, Hales Clay, Harwich Fm, and lower London Clay Fm were all deposited during Chron C24r(Hailwood&Townsend 1985; Aubry et al. 1986). (The nomenclature of the upper Paleocene of southern England is currently under revision; Ellison et al. pers. comm. Their new scheme is illustrated in Fig. 3.) Aubry et al. (1986) concluded that the absence of arecord of Chron C25n from the upper Paleocene of SE England indicated a hiatus of > 0.6 Ma between the top of the Thanet Fm and the base of the Lambeth Group. Since the mid‐1980's,magnetostratigra‐