Burial Records of Reactive Iron in Cretaceous Black Shales and Oceanic Red Beds from Southern Tibet

One of the new directions in the field of Cretaceous research is to elucidate the mechanism of the sedimentary transition from the Cretaceous black shales to oceanic red beds. A chemical sequential extraction method was applied to these two types of rocks from southern Tibet to investigate the burial records of reactive iron. Results indicate that carbonate-associated iron and pyrite are relatively enriched in the black shales, but depleted or absent in red beds. The main feature of the reactive iron in the red beds is relative enrichment of iron oxides （largely hematite）, which occurred during syn-depostion or early diagenesis. The ratio between iron oxides and the total iron indicates an oxygen-enriched environment for red bed deposition. A comparison between the reactive iron burial records and proxies of paleo-productivity suggests that paleo-productivity decreases when the ratio between iron oxides and the total iron increases in the red beds. This phenomenon could imply that the relationship between marine redox and productivity might be one of the reasons for the sedimentary transition from Cretaceous black shale to oceanic red bed deposition.     

白垩纪大洋红层：特征、分布与成因

“白垩纪大洋红层”（CORB）自20世纪末正式提出后已经迅速成为白垩纪新的研究方向之一。本文在参考国外CORB的学术研究成果基础上,重点对我们在西藏南部和意大利中部两个研究程度较高地区所获得的立典研究成果予以详细介绍,同时对CORB的全球性对比进行总结和归纳,对大洋红层蕴涵的古海洋、古气候信息进行详细评述。我们认为,CORB是沉积物在原地氧化条件下的产物,导致该氧化条件出现的主要因素是底层水高含量的溶解氧,而深层古洋流的发育很可能是导致高溶解氧含量的主要原因。     

藏南白垩系黑-红层沉积岩有机质组成分布特征

对藏南江孜县床得剖面白垩系黑层和红层沉积岩进行的有机地球化学研究表明,黑层有机碳含量高于红层5～10倍,红层和黑层饱和烃主峰碳数分别为nC25和nC23;黑层和红层沉积有机质的母质来源都以水生植物和菌藻类等低等生物为主,陆源有机质的输入非常有限;但饱和烃的分布和主峰碳数的差异可能反映了有机母源物质在种群方面的差异,而这种差异可能主要是水体温度存在差异造成的,即红层发育时期水体温度可能高于黑层沉积时期.而在高温度条件下,水生生物和陆生植物的生长发育受到限制,造成原始有机质产率和有机质沉积保存量低可能是红层沉积岩形成的主要原因.     

Variation on Foraminiferal Composition in Cretaceous Black-Gray-Red Bed Sequence of Southern Tibet, China

An Upper Cretaceous black-gray-red bed sequence was deposited in the Tethys-Himalayan Sea where abundant foraminifera, especially planktons, were yielded. In the shallow shelf to the upper slope on the north margin of Indian plate was recorded an extinction-recovery-radiation cycle of foraminiferal fauna highly sensitive to paleoceanographical changes. The black unit, consisting of the Late Cenomanian-earliest Turonian beds, displays a major extinction, with keeled planktonic and many benthic species as the principal victims at the end of the Cenomanian when existed only low diversity, sin-face water-dwelling foraminifera. The gray unit spans a long-term recovery interval from the Turonian to the early Santonian with keeled planktonic foraminifera returning stepwise to the water colunm. The planktonic biota in the red unit, extremely abundant, indicate a biotic radiation during the Late Santonian and the Early Campanian, implying that the high oxygen levels had returned to all the oceanic depth levels,and that the water stratification disappeared, followed by the radiation of all depth-dwellers. The variation on foraminiferal faunas from the whole sequence refers to the extreme warm climate that appeared in the Middle Cretaceous and to the declined temperature toward the late epoch. Substantial deposits for this warming and cooling zones represent the black shales in the Middle Cretaceous and the red beds in the later period of the southern Tibet. The change in the foraminiferal composition corresponded to the formation of dysaerobic facies and to the development of high-oxidized circumstances.     

Planktic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds in Kangmar,Southern Tibet,China

The planktic foraminifera of the Chuangde Formation (Upper Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds, CORBs) as exposed at Tianbadong section, Kangmar, southern Tibet has been firstly studied for a detailed for a detailed biostratigraphy elaboration. A rich and well-preserved planktic foraminifera were recovered from the Chuangde Formation of the Tianbadong section and the Globotruncanita elevata, Globotruncana ventricosa, Radotruncana calcarata, Globotruncanella havanensis, Globotruncana aegyptiaca, Gansserina gansseri and Abathomphalus mayaroensis zones have been recognized. The planktic foraminiferal assemblage points to an early Campanian to Maastrichitian age for the CORBs of the eastern North Tethyan Himalayan sub-belt, which also provides a better understanding of the shifting progress of the Indian Plate to the north and the evolution of the Neotethyan ocean. The lithostratigraphy of the Chuangde Formation of the Tianbadong section comprises two lithological sequences observed in ascending succession: a lower unit (the Shale Member) mainly composed of purple (cherry-red, violet-red) shales with interbedded siltstones and siliceous rocks; and an upper unit (the Limestone Member) of variegated limestones. The strata of the Chuangde Formation in the Tianbadong section are similar to CORBs in other parts of the northern Tethyan Himalaya area of Asia (Gyangze, Sa’gya, Sangdanlin, northern Zanskar, etc.). The fossil contents of the Chuangde Formation in the sections (CORBs) studied provide a means of correlation with the zonation schemes for those of the northern Tethyan Himalayan sub-belt and the Upper Cretaceous of the southern Tethyan Himalayan sub-belt. Paleogeographic reconstruction for the Late Cretaceous indicates that the Upper Cretaceous Chuangde Formation (CORBs) and correlatable strata in northern Zanskar were representative of slope to basinal deposits, which were situated in the northern Tethyan Belt. Correlatable Cretaceous strata in Spiti and Gamba situated in the southern Tethyan Belt in contrast were deposited in shelf environments along the Tethyan Himalayan passive margin. CORBs are most likely formed by the oxidation of Fe(II)-enriched, anoxic deep ocean water near the chemocline that separated the oxic oceanic surface from the anoxic.     

北大西洋ODP1049C孔Aptian-Albian期高频旋回大洋红层的成因:矿物学证据

北大西洋ODP171B航次1049C孔Aptian-Albian期沉积以出现大洋红层与灰色、白色沉积物高频旋回为特征。为了探讨大洋红层的成因,本文进行了矿物学、地球化学、沉积学等方面的研究。漫反射光谱、磁化率和活性铁数据表明,赤铁矿、针铁矿的出现是导致样品由白色向红色转变的矿物学原因。棕色和橙色样品中出现赤铁矿和针铁矿的特征峰,FeR/FeT平均值分别为0.23和0.24,明显区别于其他颜色的样品。磁化率与红层成良好的正相关关系,说明铁氧化物矿物含量的变化是导致磁化率变化的原因。X射线衍射结果表明,不论颜色如何,样品中均含伊利石、高岭石、蒙脱石、绿泥石等粘土矿物,其分布与样品颜色没有直接关系,很可能反映当时物源区气候稳定。ODP1049C孔岩芯沉积物出现橙色、棕色、白色、灰色等颜色的高频变化,颜色过渡接触界线清晰,说明导致红色变化的赤铁矿和针铁矿是沉积期低温氧化的产物。棕色样品中CaCO3含量最低,推测红层所对应的氧化条件是由于较低的有机质堆积速率造成的。     

藏南江孜地区白垩系海相红层中红色页岩的颜色成因

白垩系大洋红层(Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds,CORBs)在我国西藏江孜地区广泛发育,以床得组最为典型.本文以床得组红色页岩为研究对象,通过电子探针背散射电子像观察和成分定量分析、主量元素分析、X射线衍射分析,结合CBD(Citrate Bicarbonate Dithionite)提取铁氧化物前后漫反射光谱分析,认为床得组红色页岩中的铁氧化物只有赤铁矿,没有其它铁氧化物,赤铁矿是唯一的致色铁氧化物.电子探针背散射电子图像显示,赤铁矿分为结晶好和结晶差的两种形态.CBD提取前后反射光谱红度的变化,指示结晶差的赤铁矿的致色作用要远大于结晶好的赤铁矿,主要是细分散状、结晶差的赤铁矿造成了床得组红色页岩的红色.赤铁矿是同沉积一成岩早期阶段的产物,赤铁矿形成所需的铁来源于陆源输入.     

江西信江盆地上白垩统风成红层的古地磁研究

红层是古地磁学的重要研究对象之一。以往对河湖相红层的古地磁研究较多，而对于风成红层的研究较少。因 此，对于风成红层剩磁记录是否可靠等基本问题仍然缺乏清晰的认识。文章对江西信江盆地上白垩统圭峰群塘边组风成 红层和河口组河流相红层开展了古地磁研究，并通过对比风成红层与河流相红层的古地磁结果，探究风成红层剩磁记录 的可靠性及不同沉积过程对古地磁记录的影响。逐步热退磁实验结果显示仅有19% 的塘边组风成红层分离出稳定的特征 剩磁，而且其强度衰减曲线为凸形，表明特征剩磁为碎屑赤铁矿携带的原生剩磁。其平均方向为Ds=15.6 °, Is=28.9 °, n= 25, κ=13.0, α95=8.3 °；对应的古地磁极为Latitude=70.7 °, Longitude=245.6 °, A95=6.8 °。该古地磁极与赣州地区河湖相红层 的古地磁极及华南晚白垩世的古地磁极位置一致，表明风成红层的剩磁记录是可靠的。河口组河流相红层绝大部分样品 未能分离出稳定的特征剩磁。磁化率各向异性结果显示塘边组和河口组为沉积组构。岩石磁学结果表明，载磁矿物为赤 铁矿和磁铁矿。通过对塘边组风成红层的薄片观察和红度值比较等进一步研究表明，颗粒粒度和胶结程度可能对红层剩 磁记录的稳定性有一定影响。     

江西信江盆地上白垩统风成红层的古地磁研究

红层是古地磁学的重要研究对象之一。以往对河湖相红层的古地磁研究较多,而对于风成红层的研究较少。因 此,对于风成红层剩磁记录是否可靠等基本问题仍然缺乏清晰的认识。文章对江西信江盆地上白垩统圭峰群塘边组风成 红层和河口组河流相红层开展了古地磁研究,并通过对比风成红层与河流相红层的古地磁结果,探究风成红层剩磁记录 的可靠性及不同沉积过程对古地磁记录的影响。逐步热退磁实验结果显示仅有19% 的塘边组风成红层分离出稳定的特征 剩磁,而且其强度衰减曲线为凸形,表明特征剩磁为碎屑赤铁矿携带的原生剩磁。其平均方向为Ds=15.6 °, Is=28.9 °, n= 25, κ=13.0, α95=8.3 °;对应的古地磁极为Latitude=70.7 °, Longitude=245.6 °, A95=6.8 °。该古地磁极与赣州地区河湖相红层 的古地磁极及华南晚白垩世的古地磁极位置一致,表明风成红层的剩磁记录是可靠的。河口组河流相红层绝大部分样品 未能分离出稳定的特征剩磁。磁化率各向异性结果显示塘边组和河口组为沉积组构。岩石磁学结果表明,载磁矿物为赤 铁矿和磁铁矿。通过对塘边组风成红层的薄片观察和红度值比较等进一步研究表明,颗粒粒度和胶结程度可能对红层剩 磁记录的稳定性有一定影响。     

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.     

THE ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY OF POLLEN FROM THE MESOZOIC—CENOZOIC RED BEDS IN NORTHERN TIBET

THE ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY OF POLLEN FROM THE MESOZOIC—CENOZOIC RED BEDS IN NORTHERN TIBETtheNational (G19980 40 80 0 5 .3)andtheProject (49872 0 0 3)supportedbyNNSFC     

西藏奥陶纪和志留纪海相红层的分布与时代

本文对曾经考察过的西藏自治区主要研究剖面(即:聂拉木、定日、定结和申扎剖面)重新研究,参照国内已知的西藏奥陶纪和志留纪地层资料,对西藏地区奥陶系和志留系的海相红层进行系统研究。在西藏奥陶—志留系中,识别出11层海相红层。其中,在奥陶纪地层中识别出6层海相红层,在志留纪地层中识别出5层海相红层。已识别出的11层海相红层中,除奥陶纪青泥洞组海相红层(XORB1)属于深水大洋红层外,其它10层海相红层均属于浅水-半深水的陆棚红层。依据海相红层及其上下层位所含化石,本文初步讨论了各海相红层的大致时代,并与我国主要地区的同期海相红层进行了对比。     

Discovery of Pseudofrenelopsis gansuensis from the Lower Cretaceous of Wangqing, Jilin Province, and Its Significance in Correlation of Cretaceous Red Beds in China

New data from abundant vegetative shoots and cuticular analysis are provided for the Cretaceous cheirolepidiaceous conifer Pseudofrenelopsis gansuensis Deng, Yang et Lu. The material was found from a new locality of the Lower Cretaceous strata in the Luozigou Basin, Wangqing, Jilin Province, northeastern China. Pseudofrenelopsis is a common plant in the Dalazi Formation of the Yanji Basin about 150 km from Wangqing, but there exists different species, Pseudofrenelopsis dalatzensis only. Both P. dalatzensis and P. gansuensis have been recorded from the Lower Cretaceous of Jiuquan, Gansu Province, but they are in different stratigraphic horizons. The Lower Cretaceous plant-bearing strata in Luozigou have used to correlate with the Dalazi Formation of the Yanji Basin. The discovery of P. gansuensis, which is lower in horizon than P. dalatzensis in Jiuquan, may indicate that they are also different in horizon in Jilin. Cheirolepidiaceous conifers are among the few fossils of red beds of the Early Cretaceous in China. The present discovery of Pseudofrenelopsis gansuensis provides important evidence for classification, correlation and determination of geological ages of the Early Cretaceous non-marine red deposits of the two separate basins in remote areas of North China.     

华南志留系红层的时代

华南志留系红层有三个形成期,“下红层”形成于晚Ａｅｒｏｎｉａｎ至早Ｔｅｌｙｃｈｉａｎ期;“上红层”主要形成于晚Ｔｅｌｙｃｈｉａｎ期;第三套红层形成于Ｌｕｄｌｏｗ期,但在Ｏ．ｃｒｉｓｐａ牙形刺带之前。每套红层的时代各地不同,有穿时现象。     

川南红层地区地下水赋存环境及水化学特征分析—以宜宾市屏山县为例

在对宜宾市屏山县地区地下水水文地质调查的基础上,对屏山地区地层分布、构造及含水特征等地下水赋存环境进行了研究,将地下水分为松散岩类孔隙水、基岩裂隙水、碎屑岩类孔隙裂隙层间水和碳酸盐类裂隙溶洞水;通过分析研究区122组水质样品的水化学特征,结合Piper三线图,建立了地下水类型空间分布图;在此基础上,利用相关性分析、主成分分析和离子比例系数分析,解释了地下水的控制性影响因素,揭示了屏山地区地下水化学空间分布特征及成因规律。结果表明：屏山地下水类型主要以HCO3--Ca2+、HCO3-·SO42--Ca2+、HCO3--Ca2+·Mg2+和HCO3-·SO42--Ca2+·Mg2+型为主,主要受到地层岩性的溶滤作用和大气降雨的影响,对指导川南地区地下水开发利用规划具有重要的现实意义。     

藏南晚白垩世旋回地层学研究:以定日贡扎剖面为例

旋回地层学是提高地质年代标尺精度的一种重要方法。特提斯海相沉积是旋回地层学研究的良好对象,与西特提斯比较,东特提斯的旋回地层学研究程度较低,第四纪之前的研究精确度有待进一步的提高。西藏南部广泛出露海相白垩系,其中定日贡扎剖面出露的上白垩统尤为连续和完整。在对贡扎剖面野外观察及其层束厚度测量的基础上,通过快速傅立叶变换(FFT),分析该地层蕴含的地球轨道周期,得到了与理论值较为接近的结果:偏心率周期,4092 ka/周期(E1),1279 ka/周期(E2),93 ka/周期(E5);斜率周期,512 ka/周期(O1),409 ka/周期(O2),389 ka/周期(O2)。在功率谱分析过程中,利用层束和超层束组的关系进行了调谐的处理,并比较调谐前后结果,来确定调谐的重要性,证明该地层沉积速率的变化:地层由老至新,其沉积速率的变化趋势整体为由小变大,变化范围为086～253 cm/ka。进一步对比东西特提斯和其他地区研究结果,证明东西特提斯海相沉积在外形、成因和所蕴含的轨道周期的一致性,地球轨道周期变长与理论值变化的一致性。最后给出了下一步工作的建议。关键词：藏南; 定日; 晚白垩世; Coniacian阶; 旋回地层学     

Cretaceous black shale and the oceanic red beds:Process and mechanisms of oceanic anoxic events and oxic environment

The Cretaceous is an important period in which many geological events occurred, especially the OAEs (oceanic anoxic events) which are characterized by black shale, and the oxic process characterized by CORBs (Cretaceous oceanic red beds). In this paper, the causative mechanism behind the formation of black shale and the oceanic red beds are described in detail. This may explain how the oceanic environment changed from anoxic to oxic in the Cretaceous period. It is suggested that these two different events happened because of the same cause. On the one hand, the large-scale magma activities in Cretaceous caused the concentration of CO₂, the release of the inner energy of the earth, superficial change in the ocean-land, and finally, the increase of atmospheric temperature. These changes implied the same tendency as the oceanic water temperature show, and caused the decrease in O₂ concentration in the Cretaceous ocean, and finally resulted in the occurrence of the OAEs. On the other hand, violent and frequent volcanic eruptions in the Cretaceous produced plenty of Fe-enriched lava on the seafloor. When the seawater reacted with the lava, the element Fe became dissolved in seawater. Iron, which could help phytoplankton grow rapidly, is a micronutrient essential to the synthesis of enzymes required for photosynthesis in the oceanic environment. Phytoplankton, which grows in much of the oceans around the world, can consume carbon dioxide in the air and the ocean. Meanwhile, an equal quantity of oxygen can be produced by the phytoplankton during its growth. Finally, the oxic environment characterized by red sediment rich in Fe³⁺ appeared. The anoxic and oxic conditions in the Cretaceous ocean were caused by volcanic activities, but they stemmed from different causative mechanisms. The former was based on physical and chemical processes, while the latter involved more complicated bio-oceanic-geochemical processes. __________ Translated from Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2007, 27(3): 69–75 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]     

西藏南部聂拉木地区侏罗纪—白垩纪盆—山转换过程中的沉积学响应

西藏南部聂拉木—定日地区沉积地层记录着侏罗纪被动大陆边缘到白垩纪前陆盆地的盆—山转换演化历史。侏罗纪发育巨大的海侵—海退沉积序列，晚侏罗世喜马拉雅特提斯海底扩张速度明显加快，从0.32 cm/a上升为1.24 cm/a。前陆盆地演化分为早期深水复理石和晚期海相磨拉石两个阶段。前陆早期发育向上急剧加深的深水砂泥质复理石建造、黑色页岩建造和岛弧型火山岩建造沉积；前陆晚期海相磨拉石沉积总体表现为向上变粗、变浅的沉积序列。     

Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) recorded in the northern margin of Africa as possible oil and gas shale potential in Tunisia: An overview

Abstract

Significant attention has been given, during the last decade, to Palaeozoic unconventional oil and gas shale in northern Africa where the productive Palaeozoic basins are located. New tentative strategies shed light on Mesozoic unconventional plays represented by Cretaceous shale reservoirs. In most petroleum systems the proven Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), represented mainly by the Fahdene and Bahloul Formations, played the main role in hydrocarbon generation with good distribution. Their deposition was restricted to the early Aptian (Bedoulian), the early/late Albian, and the Cenomanian–Turonian transition. Additional black shales have been detailed for the first time in Tunisia which relate to the Valanginian Weissert and late Hauterivian Faraoni events. Biostratigraphic and complete geochemical reviews have been undertaken from published papers and unpublished internal reports to better assess these important source intervals. These black shale levels, pertaining to OAEs, were deposited in almost deep marine environments during short-lived periods of anoxia (ca. 2 Ma). In the course of this review, thickness, distribution, and maturity maps have been established for each level using well data from published sources.