An investigation of subglacial shear zone processes from Weybourne, Norfolk, UK

The glacial sediments of north Norfolk are a type site for subglacial deforming bed sediments. This investigation focussed on subglacial shear zone process at the field and thin section scale, in order to understand subglacial processes, as well as considering the implications for regional stratigraphies. The sandy and chalky tills from three sites (within 1 km) at Weybourne, Norfolk, showed evidence for subglacial deformation associated with simple shear, producing extension, compression and rotation. It was demonstrated how these processes interacted to cause chalk fragmentation and predictable fabric strengths (dependant on sorting and grain size). It is suggested that the ‘Marly Drift’ is a diachronous unit, and the resultant stratigraphy at Weybourne reflects one deformation till, resulting from a series of ice advances, but with a lithology derived from the local chalk bed rock (with some far travelled erratics), which have undergone different degrees of chalk fragmentation reflecting the nature and duration of the subglacial deformation.