British Lower Carboniferous Stratigraphy

This volume details the character and scientific importance of Lower Carboniferous sedimentary rock formations exposed at 145 of the finest Earth heritage sites in Britain. The sites described form part of a national GCR site network that records the geological history of Britain during Early Carboniferous times and provide a framework for the national and international correlation of Lower Carboniferous sequences. These sequences are particularly significant in understanding the evolution of ancient carbonate platforms and many have been used to define sedimentary models that are used in exploration for important economic resources. The GCR sites are described in chapters organized by palaeogeographic area, each chapter begins with an introduction that considers the history of research, the regional stratigraphical and structural setting, and the GCR site coverage in each area. The volume represents the first detailed account of the scientific interest at Britain's most important Lower Carboniferous stratigraphical sites and includes the most comprehensive Lower Carboniferous bibliography compiled to date.