North Sea

The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Europe.

History

The bed of the North Sea forms two basins, the main, northern one lies to the north of a ridge between north Norfolk and Frisia. The southern basin, if not flooded, would now drain towards the Strait of Dover thence to The English Channel. During the Devensian glacial much of the northern basin was covered by the ice sheet and the remainder, including the southern basin was tundra. However, during the Cromerian, there was a natural dam of chalk between the South Foreland and Cap Blanc Nez. This is what is normally called "The Strait of Dover Land Bridge" but, since it collapsed (probably mainly during the Anglian glacial), the lower ridge mentioned above has been the highest part of the land bridge between continental Europe and Britain during periods when land ice has led to low levels of the oceanic surface. The Channel Tunnel runs through the chalk base of the former natural dam so that the approach routes to the tunnel afford good views of the landward ends of the dam as they remain today.

Related Topics:
Norfolk - Frisia - Strait of Dover - English Channel - Devensian - Ice sheet - Tundra - Cromerian - South Foreland - Cap Blanc Nez - Anglian glacial - Europe - Britain - Channel Tunnel

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The North Sea Flood of 1953 caused over 2,000 deaths in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands.

Related Topics:
North Sea Flood of 1953 - United Kingdom - The Netherlands

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