Guillaume BABY
Paleogene deformations of the western part of the Eurasian Plate
Supervisors :
François Guillocheau and Cécile Robin
Université de Rennes 1, France
Eric Lasseur and Justine Briais
BRGM, Orléans, France
Major Results
Source to sink approach:
- Incremental restoration of regional sections integrating basin geometries and basement geomorphology
- Paleogeographic, tectonic and geomorphological maps
Abstract
The Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene is a period of major deformations in Western Europe. Two mechanisms are proposed: dynamic topography (Iceland Plume) and horizontal lithospheric deformations (Africa-Eurasia convergence). Two approaches are combined to better characterize these deformations: (1) mapping of the planation surfaces that shaped most of the Variscan reliefs; (2) basin stratigraphy and structural analysis.
Results: (i) 4 regional sections that integrate both basin geometries and geomorphological observations; (ii) a map of the different generations of planation surfaces that shapes Variscan basements relief; (iii) 2 paleogeographic maps (Late Cretaceous, middle Eocene) with the characterized deformations superimposed; (iv) restoration of 1 section extending from the northern Pyrenees to the North Sea Basin with the measurement of the vertical and horizontal component of the deformation.
Geological and geomorphological cross-sections across Western Europe.
The upper sections are swath profiles associated to the different generations of planation surfaces.