The age of the Tavsens Iskappe Group, central North Greenland

Abstract

The Tavsens Iskappe Group was proposed by Peel (1979) for a sequence of strata occurring between the Brønlund Fjord Group and the sub-Wandel Valley Formation unconformity around Hans Tavsens Iskappe in south-western Peary Land, central North Greenland. Ineson & Peel (1980) recognised seven formations within the group with an estimated maximum preserved thickness of about 700 m. To the west of Hans Tavsens Iskappe, the group is mainly represented by three formations, informally referred to as T1, T2 and T3 in ascending order, although a fourth formation (T4) occurs to the south. A largely parallel sequence occurs on the eastern side of Hans Tavsens Iskappe, but difficulties in precise correlation require a different nomenclature (formations T5, T6, T7). Faunas are best known from the western side of the ice cap and it is consequently formations T1, T2 and T3 which establish the known age range of the group.