Until about 100 million years ago, New Zealand lay on the Pacific-facing edge of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana; the formation of our sedimentary rocks provides a fascinating view of the tectonic activity and changes since that time. This volume is the culmination of a comprehensive survey of New Zealands CretaceousCenozoic strata, begun in 1978, and presents an up-to-date synthesis and interpretation of regional sedimentary information from a variety of sources; the study has been expanded to include large areas of the continental shelf and beyond.
Extensive references and indexing complete this essential work, a key resource for students, professional geologists and enthusiastic amateurs. Topics covered include: sedimentary basins during the Cretaceous continental margin break-up; the active tectonics of a passive margin; Late Cenozoic sedimentary basins in a new, evolving plate boundary; eustatic sea-level change in an active tectonic setting; basin scale and facies change on the new and thin continent Zealandia