The great transgressions of the Late Cretaceous

Abstract

During the Late Cretaceous (94–64 Ma) sea level was up to 650 m higher than at the start of the Albian, when it was perhaps about the same as it is today. Facies analysis in both the Western Interior of the USA and in NW Europe reveals simultaneous major oscillations in sea level that controlled the principal transgressions and regressions except in regions of rapid contemporaneous tectonics. The peak transgressions of the Late Albian, Early Turonian, Early Coniacian, Middle Santonian and Late Campanian, probably recognisable world-wide, involved rises of sea level at rates of about 10–90 m per m.y. The peak regressions are more difficult to measure, but were usually faster and involved falls of sea level of about 95–170 m per m.y.