Intra-Lower Palaeozoic faults in the Southern Irish Sea Area

Abstract

SummaryThe deep-seated caledonoid lineaments which developed in conjunction with the L. Palaeozoic basins in Wales, S. Irish Sea and Co. Wexford, bounded elongated fault-blocks within the resistant basement and its cover; it is suggested that under compression these broke internally along contemporary, strike-slip cross-faults. In the Central Wales and N. Wales–SE Co.Wexford blocks the latter were principally E–W and N–S faults respectively. Repeated movements of diverse styles along members of all three suites have influenced sedimentalogic, volcanic, plutonic and geomorphologic events throughout the Phanerozoic; in particular, they permitted the Irish Sea Geanticline to rise above the roots of the Monian tectogene, and determined the form of the younger Irish Sea sedimentary basins.