New biostratigraphic data from the Cretaceous Bolinxiala Formation in Zanda, southwestern Tibet of China, and their paleogeographic and paleoceanographic implications

Planktonic foraminiferal fossil assemblages identified from the Bolinxiala Formation in Bolin, Zanda, southwestern Tibet of China, determine its age from latest Albian to Maastrichtian. The fossil contents of the Bolinxiala Formation allow its correlation with successions across a platform-to-basin transect of the Late Cretaceous Tethyan Himalaya passive margin. The ocean anoxic event at the Cenomanian–Turonian transition (OAE2) is located at the Whiteinella archaeocretacaea biozone in Zanda, but lithologically it is characterized by grey and bioturbated limestone, implying that during the OAE2 the shallow-water environments of the Tethyan Himalayan carbonate platform remained oxic. Paleogeographic reconstruction indicates that the Upper Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) in southern Tibet are restricted to the slope and basinal environments but they are entirely missing in the shelf environments. This phenomenon suggests the formation of CORBs by oxidation of Fe(II)-enriched anoxic deep ocean seawater at the chemocline that separated the oxic surface ocean from anoxic deep ocean. For depositional environments above the chemocline, no CORBs would be expected. Because of the chemocline instability across different sedimentary basins, CORBs may be significantly diachronous, consistent with the occurrence of CORBs documented from global sedimentary basins.     

New biostratigraphic data for the Chikkim Formation (Cretaceous, Tethyan Himalaya, India)

The Chikkim Formation as exposed in the Tethyan Himalaya (India) has been studied at its type locality, using planktonic foraminifera for a detailed biostratigraphic elaboration. Divided into two members, the Lower and Upper Chikkim members, this formation ranges in age from Albian to early Maastrichtian(?), and reaches a maximum thickness of 150 m. Examination of thin sections has yielded 34 species of foraminifera in five genus-level assemblages. The Lower Chikkim Member is about 55 m thick; its basal portion is of Albian age based on the presence of Biticinella breggiensis and Planomalina buxtorfi. At 26 m above the base, Whiteinella archaeocretacaea documents OAE 2 (Oceanic Anoxic Event 2), and thus the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary in this section. The carbonate sequence is capped by a Santonian-age hardground with iron oxide crusts and bioturbation. Macrofossils, including belemnites (at the base) and irregular echinoids (upper part), are present. The basal carbonaceous marls of the Upper Chikkim Member yield both large (benthic) rotaliid as well as planktonic foraminifera (Globotruncanita elevata, Gl. stuartiformis, Gl. stuarti, Gansserina gansseri and others), indicating a Campanian age. The co-occurrence of Gl. elevata and G. gansseri in a single thin section results either from condensation or reworking in the basal part of the Upper Chikkim Member. Late Cretaceous index foraminifera such as Gl. elevata document deposition within the Tethyan Realm. The original thickness of the Upper Chikkim Member is uncertain, but would have been around 100 m; the unit appears markedly reduced through weathering at a height of about 5000 m above sea level. Equivalent sediments are exposed in the Zanskar area to the northwest, and in Nepal and Tibet. Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) are probably missing due to the proximality of these pelagic settings.     

Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds: Distribution, Lithostratigraphy and Paleoenvironments

Cretaceous oceanic red beds (CORBs) represented by red shales and marls, were deposited during the Cretaceous and early Paleocene, predominantly in the Tethyan realm, in lower slope and abyssal basin environments. Detailed studies of CORBs are rare; therefore, we compiled CORBs data from deep sea ocean drilling cores and outcrops of Cretaceous rocks subaerially exposed in southern Europe, northwestern Germany, Asia and New Zealand. In the Tethyan realm, CORBs mainly consist of reddish or pink shales, limestones and marlstones. By contrast, marlstones and chalks are rare in deep-ocean drilling cores. Upper Cretaceous marine sediments in cores from the Atlantic Ocean are predominantly various shades of brown, reddish brown, yellowish brown and pale brown in color. A few red, pink, yellow and orange Cretaceous sediments are also present. The commonest age of CORBs is early Campanian to Maastrichtian, with the onset mostly of oxic deposition often after Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs), during the early Aptian, late Albian-early Turonian and Campanian. This suggests an indicated and previously not recognized relationship between OAEs, black shales deposition and CORBs. CORBs even though globally distributed, are most common in the North Atlantic and Tethyan realms, in low to mid latitudes of the northern hemisphere; in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean in the mid to high latitudes of the southern hemisphere; and are less frequent in the central Pacific Ocean. Their widespread occurrence during the late Cretaceous might have been the result of establishing a connection for deep oceanic current circulation between the Pacific and the evolving connection between South and North Atlantic and changes in oceanic basins ventilation.     

Late Cretaceous Foraminiferal Faunas from the Saiqu “mélange” in Southern Tibet

As one of the mélanges in the southern side of the Yarlung-Zangbo suture zone, the Saiqu mélange in southern Tibet is important for understanding the evolution of the Neo-Tethys ocean. The age of the Saiqu mélange, however, has been debated due to the lack of reliable fossil evidence in matrix strata. Based on lithological similarities with platform strata in southern Tibet and limited fossils from exotic blocks, previous studies variously ascribed the Saiqu mélange to be Triassic in general, Late Triassic, or Late Cretaceous. Here we reported planktonic foraminiferal faunas from the matrix strata of the Saiqu mélange. The new fossils yield a Late Cretaceous age, which is so far the best age constraint for the mélange. Regional stratigraphic correlation indicates that the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) in Saiqu may be time equivalent to the CORBs of the Zongzhuo Formation in neighboring regions. Thus the Saiqu mélange should be correlated to the Upper Cretaceous Zongzhuo Formation rather than the Triassic Xiukang Group, as previously suggested.     

西藏南部江孜地区白垩系的厘定

文中对藏南江孜地区深海一次深海白垩纪地层层序、系统及厚度进行了厘定。建组剖面甲不热、维美等构造复杂,地层层序变化大,重复多。厘定后的岩石层单元有加不拉组、床得组和宗卓组。加不拉组是一套以黑色页岩为主的地层,跨不白垩统一上白垩统三冬阶,下分黑层段和白层段;床得组由紫红色页片状泥灰岩组成,各坎潘期早－中期;宗且即著名的“北家混杂堆积岩”,页岩中含大量外来岩块,时代为坎潘期晚期和马斯特里赫特期。白垩系厚     

西藏南部晚白垩世-古新世大洋红层的分布与时代

特提斯—喜马拉雅北沉积亚带沉积有一套大洋红色岩层,由东往西在羊卓雍错、江孜、萨迦、萨嘎、札达一带断续出露,并与宗卓组上部地层相关。这套海相红层,根据岩性特征和浮游有孔虫可以直接进行区域对比。其时代在江孜地区为Santonian晚期—Campanian中期,包括Dicarinella asymetrica, Globotruncanitaelevata,Globotruncana ventricosa 和Globotruncanita calcarata 浮游有孔虫带;在萨迦地区限于Campanian期,鉴定有Globotruncanita elevata, Globotruncana ventricosa 和G. linneiana等具时代意义的浮游有孔虫;在萨嘎—吉隆地区为Maastrichtian期,识别出Gansserina gansseri 和Abthomphalus mayaroensis 浮游有孔虫带;在札达地区为古新世早期,以Glibigerina eugubina G. fringa化石带为代表。海相红层在西藏南部由东往西其时代逐渐变新,主要沉积时代分布在Santonian晚期—古新世早期。其总体时间跨度较大,大约长达20Ma。而事件在各个地点的延续时间有限,基本在3~8 Ma之内。根据对海相红层和沉积基质中浮游有孔虫的研究,该沉积带宗卓组的顶界时代已超出白垩纪,进入了古新世。     

Quantitative Biostratigraphic Analysis upon the Upper Cretaceous in Tethyan Himalaya

Biostratigraphic analysis is an essential element for understanding global tectonics and the evolution of life on Earth. Quantitative analysis of sedimentary sequences provides the precise age constraints on timing of significant events in Earth’s history. This paper presents results from quantitative stratigraphic analysis of Upper Cretaceous Tethyan Himalayan sequences. This analysis resulted in a new composite stratigraphic section for the Cretaceous strata of Tibet (TIBETKCS). The eight Upper Cretaceous sections were analyzed in this study and 12 planktonic foraminifera zones were recognized based on available data. Quantitative measurements were made using a Graphic Correlation with Graphcor 3.0 software and correlated to the world standard Cretaceous Composite Section (MIDKCS). The sections were also examined using Constrained Optimization software by CONOP9. Level Penalty was applied as the rule to measure misfit among automatically correlated sections. The new TIBETKCS correlates well with planktonic foraminifera ages from previous work in southern Tibet. A fitting equation of y=?0.19x+305 with a correlation coefficient of 0.94 was obtained from this work. The ages of the first and last appearances of 64 planktonic foraminifera can be calculated with this equation with ± 0.3 Ma precision. This level of precision is approximately 10 times higher than age determinations with traditional methods. Two extinction events were resolved within this analysis at ~93.5 Ma and ~85.5 Ma corresponding to the Ocean Anoxic Events at Cenomanian–Turonian and Coniacian–Santonian boundaries respectively.     

北喜马拉雅地区三叠纪地层划分

北喜马拉雅地区的三叠纪地层发育完整,层序清楚、构造简单、未变质,可分为土隆群、曲龙共巴组与德日荣组３个岩石地层单位,其中生物化石丰富,属典型的特提斯动物群。该地层主要出露于亚东、定结、定日、聂拉木土隆、普兰、札达马阳一带,呈东西向带状展布,在我国境内延伸达１５００ｋｍ以上,与印度库蒙（Ｋｕｍａｕｎ）地区的三叠纪地层（由下而上为：Ｃｈｏｃｏｌａｔｅｓｅｒｉｅｓ,Ｋａｌａ－ｐａｎｉＬｉｍｅｓｔｏｎｅ,ＫｕｔｉＳｈａｌｅ,ＫｉｏｔｏＬｉｍｅｓｔｏｎｅ）可以进行对比。     

特提斯喜马拉雅白垩纪层序地层分析

白垩纪是新特提斯演化过程中一个极其重要的阶段，其沉积蕴涵着新特提斯早期演变的丰富信息。在对典型剖面进行层序地层分析的基础上，结合前人的研究成果，笔者分别对特提斯喜马拉雅沉积带南、北两亚带白垩系进行较为详细的露头层序地层学研究，在沉积南带识别出为24个三级层序、5个层序组(亚二级层序)、2个二级层序(中层序)，在北亚带识别出22个三级层序、5个层序组(亚二级层序)、2个二级层序(中层序)。特提斯喜马拉雅早白垩世层序地层总体表现为海进的退积序列，反映了特提斯洋壳的扩张阶段；晚白垩世层序地层总体表现为海退的进积序列，反映了特提斯洋盆地持续收缩和长期海平面逐步下降的过程，应是洋壳俯冲阶段的产物。整个白垩纪显示出一次极其明显的海水进退旋回，是特提斯洋从扩张到收缩这一演化过程的客观反映。由对层序特征、沉积特征及古生物特征等的分析所得出的特提斯喜马拉雅在白垩纪的海水进退规程，与同期的全球海平面的变化基本一致。     

Differential Tectonic Deformation of the Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt,Western Sichuan Basin,China

Field investigation and seismic section explanation showed that the Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt has obvious differential deformation: zonation, segmentation and stratification. Zonation means that, from NW to NE, the Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt can be divided into the Songpan-Garzê Tectonic Belt, ductile deformation belt, base involved thrust belt, frontal fold-thrust belt, and foreland depression. Segmentation means that it can be divided into five segments from north to south: the northern segment, the Anxian Transfer Zone, the center segment, the Guanxian Transfer Zone and the southern segment. Stratification means that the detachment layers partition the structural styles in profile. The detachment layers in the Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt can be classified into three categories: the deep-level detachment layers, including the crust-mantle system detachment layer, intracrustal detachment layer, and Presinian system basal detachment layer; the middle-level detachment layers, including Cambrian-Ordovician detachment layer, Silurian detachment layer, etc.; and shallow-level detachment layers, including Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation detachment layer and the Jurassic detachment layers. The multi-level detachment layers have a very important effect on the shaping and evolution of Longmen Mountain Thrust Belt.     

Evaluating the Baluti Formation at Sararu village,Ora Anticline,Iraqi Kurdistan: a stratigraphic and geochemical approach

Here, we report that a lithostratigraphic unit that outcrops at Sararu village, 6 km northeast of Qumri village that had previously been assigned to the Baluti Formation is not Triassic in age and therefore can not be a correlative equivalent of the Baluti Formation. The outcropping unit at Sararu comprises intercalation of calcareous mudstones and limestones, and is indeed lithologically similar to the Baluti Formation (Late Triassic). The Baluti Formation (also known as the Baluti Shale) is known from a typical section found at the Gara Anticline and from many deep drilled oil exploration wells. It is generally composed of alternations of the shales, limestones, dolomites, and dolomitic limestones. It is underlain by the Kurra Chine Formation (Upper Triassic) and overlain by the Sarki Formation (Lower Jurassic). In this study, detailed field observations, an assessment of stratigraphic successions, studies of microfossils such as age-specific planktonic foraminifera (e.g., Globotruncana bulloides), and age-specific biomarkers (oleanane index and C28/C29 regular sterane index) reveal that the lithostratigraphic unit at Sararu village can not be a correlative equivalent of the Baluti Formation, and it is more likely from the Upper Cretaceous. There are a number of Upper Cretaceous formations found in this part of Kurdistan, but based on fossil-type and palaeoenvironmental associations, the Hadiena Formation, from the Upper Cretaceous, is considered as the most likely correlative equivalent to the calcareous mudstone and limestone succession found at Sararu village.     

论西藏扎达上白垩统波林夏拉组

上白垩统波林夏拉组的命名地点位于西藏西南部扎达波林,是一套以泥灰岩及灰岩为主的地层,底部以含海绿石灰岩与下伏下白垩统嘎姐组含海绿石石英砂岩整合接触,未见顶。波林夏拉组的时代据其所含丰富浮游有孔虫可被确定为晚白垩世Albian晚期至Maastrichtian晚期,其所含化石组合可以与晚白垩世特提斯喜马拉雅从台地到盆地的同...     

CRETACEOUS AND TERTIARY BOUNDARY IN THE TINGRI REGION OF SOUTHERN TIBET

CRETACEOUS AND TERTIARY BOUNDARY IN THE TINGRI REGION OF SOUTHERN TIBETtheNNSFProject(49872 0 0 3)andtheNationalProject (G19980 40 80 0 )ofChina     

Late Triassic sedimentary records in the northern Tethyan Himalaya:Tectonic link with Greater India

The Upper Triassic flysch sediments(Nieru Formation and Langjiexue Group)exposed in the Eastern Tethyan Himalayan Sequence are crucial for unraveling the controversial paleogeography and paleotectonics of the Himalayan orogen.This work reports new detrital zircon U-Pb ages and whole-rock geochemical data for clastic rocks from flysch strata in the Shannan area.The mineral modal composition data suggest that these units were mainly sourced from recycled orogen provenances.The chemical compositions of the sandstones in the strata are similar to the chemical composition of upper continental crust.These rocks have relatively low Chemical Index of Alteration values(with an average of 62)and Index of Compositional Variability values(0.69),indicating that they experienced weak weathering and were mainly derived from a mature source.The geochemical compositions of the Upper Triassic strata are similar to those of graywackes from continental island arcs and are indicative of an acidicintermediate igneous source.Furthermore,hornblende and feldspar experienced decomposition in the provenance,and the sediment became enriched in zircon and monazite during sediment transport.The detrital zircons in the strata feature two main age peaks at 225-275 Ma and 500-600 Ma,nearly continuous Paleoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic ages,and a broad inconspicuous cluster in the Tonian-Stenian(800-1200 Ma).The detrital zircons from the Upper Triassic sandstones in the study area lack peaks at 300-325 Ma(characteristic of the Lhasa block)and 1150-1200 Ma(characteristic of the Lhasa and West Australia blocks).Therefore,neither the Lhasa block nor the West Australia blocks likely acted as the main provenance of the Upper Triassic strata.Newly discovered Permian-Triassic basalt and mafic dikes in the Himalayas could have provided the 225-275 Ma detrital zircons.Therefore,Indian and Himalayan units were the main provenances of the flysch strata.The Tethyan Himalaya was part of the northern passive margin and was not an exotic terrane separated from India during the Permian to Early Cretaceous.This evidence suggests that the Neo-Tethyan ocean opened prior to the Late Triassic and that the Upper Triassic deposits were derived from continental crustal fragments adjacent to the northern passive continental margin of Greater India.     

Geochronology and Tectonic Evolution of the West Section of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt

As an important part of South China Old Land, the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt plays a significant role in explaining the assembly and the evolution of the Upper Yangtze Block and Cathaysia, as well as the structure and growth mechanism of continental lithosphere in South China.The Lengjiaxi and the Banxi groups are the base strata of the west section of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt.Thus, the research of geochronology and tectonic evolution of the Lengjiaxi and the Banxi groups is significant.The maximum sedimentary age of the Lengjiaxi Group is ca.862 Ma, and the minimum is ca.822 Ma.The Zhangjiawan Formation, which is situated in the upper part of the Banxi Group is ca.802 Ma.The Lengjiaxi Group and equivalent strata should thus belong to the Neoproterozoic in age.The Jiangnan Orogenic Belt consisting of the Lengjiaxi and the Banxi groups as important constituents is not a Greenville Orogen Belt(1.3 Ga–1.0 Ga).The Jiangnan Orogenic Belt is a recyclic orogenic belt, and the prototype basin is a foreland basin with materials derived from the southwest and the sediments belong to the active continental sedimentation.By combining large amounts of dating data of the Lengjiaxi and the Banxi groups as well as equivalent strata, the evolutionary model of the western section of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt is established as follows: Before 862 Ma, the South China Ocean was subducted beneath the Upper Yangtze Block, while a continental island arc was formed on the side near the Upper Yangtze Block.The South China Ocean was not closed in this period.From 862 Ma to 822 Ma, the Upper Yangtze Block was collided with Cathaysia; and sediments began to be deposited in the foreland basin between the two blocks.The Lengjiaxi Group and equivalent strata were thus formed and the materials might be derived from the recyclic orogenic belt.From 822 Ma to 802 Ma, Cathaysia continued pushing to the Upper Yangtze Block, experienced the Jinning-Sibao Movement(Wuling Movement); as result, the folded basement of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt was formed.After 802 Ma, Cathaysia and the Upper Yangtze Block were separated from each other, the Nanhua rift basin was formed and began to receive the sediments of the Banxi Group and equivalent strata.These large amounts of dating data and research results also indicate that before the collision of the Upper Yangtze Block with Cathaysia, materials of the continental crust became less and less from the southwest to the east in the Jiangnan Orogeneic Belt; only island arc and neomagmatic arc were developed in the eastern section.Ocean-continent subduction or continent-continent subduction took place in the western and southern sections, while intra-oceanic subduction occurred in the eastern section.Comprehensive analyses on U-Pb ages and Hf model ages of zircons, the main provenance of the Lengjiaxi Group is Cathaysia.     

Geology of the Hida Gaien Belt in the upper Kuzuryu‐gawa River Area in Ono City,Fukui Prefecture,Central Japan

Geological, paleontological, and geochronological studies of the Hida Gaien Belt were carried out in the upper Kuzuryu‐gawa River area, northern central Japan. The Hida Gaien Belt lies between the Hida and Mino belts of Southwest Japan and is one of the most complex geologic belts in Japan. The geology of the following units in the study area, mostly bounded by longitudinal, high‐angle faults, was particularly reexamined and described: the Ise metamorphic rocks, the Fujikuradani, Tomedoro, Oguradani, Motodo, Ootani, and Konogidani Formations, and the Tetori Group. Among them, the Tomedoro and Konogidani Formations are both composed mainly of greenstone, and were conventionally coupled together as ‘the Tomedoro schalstein member’ or ‘the Konogidani Formation’. However, the conformable relationship between the Tomedoro Formation and overlying Middle Permian Oguradani Formation, and the K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages of 75–69 Ma (Late Cretaceous) from the basalt lava of the Konogidani Formation reveal that they are separate formations with different ages. The Oguradani Formation, consisting of limestone, shale, and sandstone with Middle Permian Boreal‐Tethyan mixed brachiopod fauna, is correlated with the Moribu Formation in the Takayama area of the Hida Gaien Belt, and with the Middle Formation of the Maizuru Group in the Maizuru Belt. The Tomedoro Formation below the Oguradani Formation, in turn, is correlated with the Lower Formation of the Maizuru Belt. The new Late Cretaceous age data from the Konogidani Formation and presence of latest Cretaceous, post‐tectonic volcanic rocks in the study area finally indicate that the fault‐bound structure of the Hida Gaien Belt between the Hida and Mino belts was formed in a very short period in Late Cretaceous age.     

Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the Coniacian-Maastrichtian sequences of the Bey Dağları Autochthon,western Taurides,Turkey: thin-section zonation

Planktonic foraminifer distributions in seventeen stratigraphic sections of Upper Cretaceous hemipelagic and pelagic sequences of northern Bey Da?lar? Autochthon (western Taurides) yield six biozones such as, Dicarinella concavata Interval Zone, Dicarinella asymetrica Range Zone, Radotruncana calcarata Range Zone, Globotruncana falsostuarti Partial Range Zone, Gansserina gansseri Interval Zone, and Abathomphalus mayaroensis Concurrent Range Zone. Two of the zones, Dicarinella concavata Zone and Dicarinella asymetrica Zone, are identified in the massive hemipelagic limestones of the Bey Da?lar? Formation, of Coniacian-Santonian age. They are characterized by scarce planktonic foraminifera and abundant calcisphaerulids. The other four biozones are determined from the cherty pelagic limestones of the Akda? Formation and indicate a late Campanian-late Maastrichtian time interval. The planktonic foraminifera observed in these four biozones are diverse, complex morphotypes (K-selection), suggesting open oceans. The assemblage of the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone shows that the latest Maastrichtian record is absent throughout the northern part of the autochthon. Two main sedimentary hiatuses are recognized within the Upper Cretaceous pelagic sequence. Early to middle Campanian and latest Maastrichtian-middle Paleocene planktonic foraminifera are absent in all measured stratigraphic sections. Hiatus durations differ between sections as a result of diachronism of onset of the hemipelagic and pelagic deposition and the post-Santonian and post-Maastrichtian erosional phases. Drowning event and the early-middle Campanian and latest Maastrichtian-middle Paleocene hiatuses in the pelagic sequence are attributed to regional tectonics during the Late Cretaceous.     

Micro faunal assemblages in the Ordovician – Silurian successions from the Pin Valley of Tethys Himalaya, India

The Spiti basin together with the Zanskar basin forms the largest basin among the Tethyan Himalayan successions and forms one of the best-developed sec-tions in the Tethyan Tibetan belt. The basin is one of the classical areas, which depicts a continuous fos-siliferous Palaeozoic - Mesozoic successions. The present studies are focused on the Ordovician and Si-lurian successions of the Pin valley of the Spiti basin. Pin valley exposes richly fossiliferous lithological successions from Neoproterozoic to Cretaceous; therefore, it is an ideal section for the detail paleobi-ological and geological studies.     

Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of Maastrichtian Sediments in the Zagros Basin, Iran

To enable the lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of the Gurpi Formation,within the ‘Dezak’ or Globigerina Marl,a stratigraphic section at Booraki,located to the NNW of Shiraz,SW Iran,through the late Cretaceous was examined.The formation consists of shale and greenish-gray marls interbedded with cream limestone,brown sandstones and siltstones with an exposed thickness of 160 m in the studied section.Samples were taken at regular intervals in all yielding 14 genera and 16 different species of benthic and planktic foraminifera that allowed determination of the age of the beds as Maastrichtian.To examine the paleoecology of the formation,some important ecological factors including water level,salinity,and oxygen regime change during the depositional courses of the formation were analyzed.The density of foraminiferans decreases from the base to top of the Gurpi Formation whereas the ratio of planktic to benthic Foraminifera(i.e.,P/B) and proportion of shallow-water fauna increase.These foraminiferal changes indicate an increase and decrease in depth,temperature,salinity and oxygen,respectively,at the base and top of the Formation.