Thanet Formation, Geological formation in southeastern England, United Kingdom.
The Thanet Formation is a geological layer in southeastern England composed of pale grey fine-grained sand with interbedded silts and clays. These deposits spread across the London Basin and reveal the sediment patterns from an ancient marine environment.
The layer formed during the early Thanetian time of the late Paleocene epoch around 59 to 56 million years ago. It was created through deposition in a shallow sea basin that covered Europe at that time.
Scientists and researchers regularly visit the formation to study its marine fossils, including molluscs and tropical fish remains from the Paleocene epoch.
The best places to observe these formations are coastal study sections at Herne Bay and Pegwell Bay in northeastern England. Access to cliff faces or excavation sites is needed to examine the layers properly.
At the base of the formation lies the Bullhead Bed, a distinctive layer containing green-coated flints within glauconite-rich clayey sand. This striking layer helps geologists distinguish the Thanet Formation from older sediments beneath it.
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