Flandrian relative sea-level changes in the Montrose basin area

• Published in: Scottish geographical magazine 1985-09, Vol.101 (2), p.91-105
• Main Authors: Smith, D. E., Cullingford, R. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0036-9225
• DOI: 10.1080/00369228518736623

Relict shore features and deposits of Flandrian age in the Montrose Basin area are examined. The main features are the former estuarine mudflats of the carselands surrounding the Basin and a complex of sand and shingle ridges lying to seaward. These features are thought to have accumulated as a result of the Main Postglacial Transgression in the area. During the transgression, a storm surge which took place at about 7000 years B.P. resulted in the deposition of a widespread layer of grey micaceous silty fine sand in the carse deposits. The culmination of the transgression is marked by an extensive carseland surface, which attains circa + 6.0m to + 7.0m, O.D. and by continued accumulation of the sand and shingle ridge complex, which reaches + 10.0m, O.D. As relative sea level fell subsequently, a second surface was produced, attaining circa + 4.0m to + 5.0m, O.D. in the carselands and up to + 5.8m, O.D. in the sand and shingle ridge complex. The wide extent of this feature in the latter area is probably due to the fortuitous location of a surface of Late Devensian deposits beneath.