The Mesozoic forearc of Alexander Island, Antarctica, is one of the few places in the world where the original stratigraphic relationship between a forearc basin and an accretionary complex is exposed. Newlydiscovered sedimentary rocks exposed at the western edge of the forearc basin fill (the Kimmeridgian–Albian Fossil Bluff Group) record the events associated with the basin formation. These strata are assigned to the newly defined Selene Nunatak Formation (?Bathonian) and Atoll Nunataks Formation (?Bathonian-Tithonian) within the Fossil Bluff Group.

The Selene Nunatak Formation contains variable thicknesses of conglomeratesand sandstones, predominantly derived from the LeMay Group accretionary complex upon which it is unconformable. The formation marks emergence and subsequent erosion of the inner forearc area. It is conformably overlain by the1 km thick Atoll Nunataks Formation, characterized by thinly-bedded mudstones and silty mudstones representing a marine transgression followed by trench-slope deposition. The Atoll Nunataks Formation marks a phase of subsidence, possibly in response to tectonic events in the accretionary prism that are known to have occurred at about the same time.

The Atoll Nunataks Formation is conformably overlain by the Himalia Ridge Formation, a thick sequence of basin-wide arc-derived conglomerates. This transition from fine- to coarse-grained deposition suggests that a well-developed depositional trough (and hence trench-slope break) had formed by that time. The Atoll Nunataks Formation therefore spans the formation of the forearc basin, and marks the transition from trench-slope to forearc basin deposition.

The Limpopo Belt is a zone of thickened Archaean crust whose origin is currently explained by a late Archaean continent-continent collision between the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons. This review shows that the two cratons have fundamentally different geological histories and that the Zimbabwe Craton was unlikely to have behaved as a stable ‘cratonic’ block at the time of the Limpopo Belt collision. The geological histories of the Zimbabwe Craton, the North Marginal, Central and South Marginal zones of the Limpopo Belt and the Kaapvaal Craton are shown to be sufficiently different from one another to warrant their consideration as discrete terranes. The boundaries between the five units outlined above are all major shear zones, further supporting a terrane model for the Limpopo Belt. The five units were all intruded by late- to syn-tectonic granites c.2.6 Ga, constraining the accretion event to c. 2.6 Ga.

Two genera of armoured dinosaurs (Ankylosauria) are present in the Lower Cretaceous Wealden Beds of England. Polacanthus Owencan be distinguished from Hylaeosaurus Mantell on the basis of significant differences in the pectoral girdle, hindlimb and dermal armour. A comprehensive review of the dinosaurs from the Wealden Series of England and contemporary basins of western Europe adds further evidence of a biologicalseparation between Lower Wealden (Hastings Beds, containing Hylaeosaurusarmatus) and Upper Wealden faunas (Wealden Group of the Isle of Wight-containing Polacanthus foxii-and nearly equivalent units in Belgium, France, Germany and Spain).

The Billefjorden Fault Zone displays a complex tectonic history going back into Precambrian times. Observed thickness variations within Mesozoic sequences across the fault zone have previously been related to Mesozoic extensional movements along the fault zone. Recent structural, stratigraphical and sedimentological investigations suggest that the thicknessvariation observed across the fault zone is due to Tertiary compressional tectonics, and that Mesozoic extensional movements are minor or nonexistent.Tertiary deformation is characterized by a combined thin-skinned/thick-skinned structural style. Thin-skinned thrusting is due to the development of décollement zones in the Jurassic/Cretaceous Janusfjellet Subgroup and in the Triassic Sassendalen Group. Thick-skinned faulting is related to reverse faulting along a steep, east-dipping fault rooted in the pre-Mesozoic basement. Interacting thin-skinned thrusting and thick-skinned faulting has resulted in out-of-sequence thrusting, and is responsible for the thinning of Mesozoic sequences across the fault zone.

Sm–Nd isotopic studies of granites within the late Precambrian, Cadomian, orogenic belt of the North Armorican Massif (northwestern France) and Channel Islands reveal differences between arc-related granite magmatism in outboard terranes and intracrustal granite magmatism in inboard terranes. Late Cadomian (c. 570 Ma), arc-related granitoids exhibit a range of εnd ( - 2 to - 6) and Nd model ages (TDM 1.0–1.3 Ga) reflecting variable contamination between late Precambrian mantle derived magmas and ancient (c. 2.0 Ga?) continental crust. The contamination did not involve exposed granitic Icartian basement to anygreat degree, a more likely contaminant being unexposed lower crust of intermediate to acidic granulitic composition, or early Cadomian plutons which were themselves contaminated by lower crust. Voluminous granites of the Mancellian region (c. 550–540 Ma) share common isotopic characteristics (εNd -4 to -7, TDM 1.5–1.7 Ga) with migmatites and anatectic granites produced by partial melting of metasedimentary sequences within the St Malo region consistent with a common source.

Nodular chert from the Cueva-Bedón carbonate platform (late Turonian-earliest Coniacian) occurs above the type 1 sequence boundary and in association with a transgressive systems tract deposit. It formed by selective replacement of grainstones-packstones, and Thalassinoides burrow fillings. Other minor types of selective silicification include the replacement of anhydrite nodules, forming quartz geodes, and the partial or total replacement of oysters and inoceramids. The chert nodules consist predominantly of microquartz with volumetrically minor fibrous quartz (length-fast chalcedony) and megaquartz. The silica has a mainly biogenic source (siliceous sponge spicules and radiolarians). Lepisphere textures that are indicative of an intermediate opal-CT precursor are evident in chert nodules, which indicates the chert formed by a maturation process from opalA to opal-CT to quartz. The δ 18O values of microquartz suggest a precipitation from marine fluids. The fabric of quartz geodes consists of irregular bands of heterometric megaquartz, quartzine and lutecite spherulites, and a well developed band of petaloidal megaquartz that contains small anhydrite inclusions. Bivalve shells are replaced mainly by fibrousquartz (quartzine-lutecite), which forms extensive beekite rings. The silica source of the replaced fossils is also biogenic, but silicification couldhave occurred by direct quartz replacement without an opal-CT precursor. Field and petrographic evidence indicate that silicification was an early diagenetic process that affected both uncompacted and compacted sediments, andwas inhibited when the dolomitization began. There seems to exist a syncrony in age (late Turonian-earliest Coniacian) between the nodular chert in the Cueva-Bedón carbonate platform and the bedded and nodular chert ofthe Plentzia carbonate turbidites in the deeper Basque Arc.

Lower-Middle Cambrian regional stages of the Iberian Peninsula (Cordubian, Ovetian, Marianian, Bilbilian, Acadoparadoxides and Solenopleuropsidae stages) are now reconsidered in the light of new stratigraphic and palaeontological (trace fossils, trilobites and archaeocyaths) studies. These stages are re-described with selected stratotypes and chronostratigraphic boundaries. The names Leonian and Caesaraugustian are formally proposed to replace the provisional stages of Acadoparadoxides and Solenopleuropsidae, respectively. A correlation chart of the Lower-Middle Cambrian lithostratigraphic units from the Iberian Peninsula is also presented. Two regessive-transgressive cycles are proposed to explain the lithological and palaeontological peculiarities through the Lower-Middle Cambrian sequence in the Iberian Peninsula.

The U-Pb isotope ages and Nd isotope characteristics of asuite of igneous rocks from the basement of eastern England show that Ordovician calc-alkaline igneous rocks are tectonically interleaved with late Precambrian volcanic rocks distinct from Precambrian rocks exposed in southern Britain. New U-Pb ages for the North Creake tuff (zircon, 449±13 Ma), Moorby Microgranite (zircon, 457 ± 20 Ma), and the Nuneaton lamprophyre (zircon and baddeleyite, 442 ± 3 Ma) confirm the presence ofan Ordovician magmatic arc. Tectonically interleaved Precambrian volcanic rocks within this arc are verified by new U-Pb zircon ages for tuffs at Glinton (612 ± 21 Ma) and Orton (616 ± 6 Ma). Initial εNd values for these basement rocks range from +4 to - 6, consistent with generation of both c. 615 Ma and c. 450 Ma groups of rocksin continental arc settings. The U-Pb and Sm-Nd isotope data support arguments for an Ordovician fold/thrust belt extending from England to Belgium, and that the Ordovician calc-alkaline rocks formed in response to subductionof Tornquist Sea oceanic crust beneath Avalonia.

A new discovery of in situ amber is reported from the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight. The productive site is located within the Wealden Marls (Wessex Formation), generally regarded to be of earliest Barremian (early Cretaceous) age; also making this amber amongst some of the oldest known occurrences in the world. Amber globules can be found within two thin, black lignite horizons which form a channel-lag deposit exposed in the cliffssoutheast of Chilton Chine. Examination of plant material above and below this site by other workers, combined with infrared spectra of the amber in this study, implies a coniferous (possibly taxodiaceous) origin for this resin. Palaeoenviron-mental interpretation of the Chilton Chine site suggests that the amber was exuded locally, and in some cases the globules have beenpartly replaced by iron pyrite.

A concentration of exceptionally well-preserved large tubular foraminifera occurs on a specimen from the sole of a sandstone bed from the Eocene Zumaya flysch. The foraminifera were probably washed out from the sediment by a weak bottom current, orientated and concentrated in a pre-existing depression on the ocean floor. Fortunately, subsequently deposited turbidite sand, which forms the host bed, only disturbed the fossils to an infinitesimal degree.