Paleic surface

Satellite image of southern Norway, higher areas shown in as red. If studied carefully zones of gentle slopes and flat terrain can be discerned in the uplands. These make up the paleic surface.

The paleic surface or palaeic surface (Norwegian: paleiske overflaten, from Ancient Greek palaios 'old'[1]) is an erosion surface of gentle slopes that exist in South Norway.[2] Parts of it are a continuation of the Sub-Cambrian peneplain and Muddus Plains found further east[3][4] or equivalent to the strandflat coastal plains of Norway.[5] Hardangervidda, a particularly flat and elevated part of the Paleic surface formed in the Miocene at sea level.[6]

Although the tilted plateau-like topography of south Norway had been noted since the early 1800s, the first formal description was by Hans Reusch in 1901, using a denudation chronology approach invoking several of W.M. Davis’ ideas of a cycle of erosion. Reusch also coined the name Paleic surface.[7][8]

The Paleic surface is sometimes erroneously considered equal to Norway's "pre-glacial surface" – the surface that existed in Norway just before the Quaternary glaciations.[9]

  1. ^ Lidmar-Bergström, Karna. "Paleiska ytan". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Cydonia Development. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  2. ^ Bryhni, Inge. "paleisk overflate". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Jarsve, Erlend M.; Krøgli, Svein Olav; Etzelmüller, Bernd; Gabrielsen, Roy H. (2014). "Automatic identification of topographic surfaces related to the sub-Cambrian peneplain (SCP) in southern Norway—Surface generation algorithms and implications". Geomorphology. 211. Elsevier: 89–99.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference LidmarNaslund2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference klemsdalencyclo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Japsen, Peter; Green, Paul F.; Chalmers, James A.; Bonow, Johan M. (17 May 2018). "Mountains of southernmost Norway: uplifted Miocene peneplains and re-exposed Mesozoic surfaces". Journal of the Geological Society. doi:10.1144/jgs2017-157.
  7. ^ Gjessing, Just (1967). "Norway's Paleic Surface". Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift. 21 (2): 69–132. doi:10.1080/00291956708621854.
  8. ^ Green, Paul F.; Lidmar-Bergström, Karna; Japsen, Peter; Bonow, Johan M.; Chalmers, James A. (2013). "Stratigraphic landscape analysis, thermochronology and the episodic development of elevated, passive continental margins". Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin. 30: 18. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lidmar-Bergstrometal2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).