The Late Cretaceous in northwest Europe is characterised by general sealevel rise, leading to extensive platform carbonate sedimentation of the Chalk Group, and by tectonic inversion, as witnessed by uplift and erosion of the Late Jurassic to Early Cretac

Abstract

The Late Cretaceous in northwest Europe is characterised by general sealevel rise, leading to extensive platform carbonate sedimentation of the Chalk Group, and by tectonic inversion, as witnessed by uplift and erosion of the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous basins. The Roer Valley Graben in the southern Netherlands was uplifted and eroded in the Late Cretaceous. The inversion was accomplished by the reverse rejuvenation of the graben-bounding faults. On the adjacent horst blocks northeast of the graben, the Maasbommel High and the Peel Horst, a section of the Late Cretaceous Chalk Group has been preserved. Analysis of the Late Cretaceous chronostratigraphy and facies of well Maasbommel-l on the Maasbommel High shows that the high occupied a marginal position in the basin in Cenomanian times, and a basinal position during the Turonian to Early Santonian. A pulse ofclastic influx in the Late Santonian to Early Campanian marks the onset of the reverse rejuvenation of the graben-bounding Peel Boundary Fault and the uplift of the Roer Valley Graben relative to the Peel Horst and Maasbommel High. The inversion ceased in the Late Maastrichtian, when large parts of the graben were flooded and a condensed sequence of post-inversion Chalk Group sediments was deposited regionally.