Facies,environments and sedimentary cycles in the Middle Eocene,Bracklesham Formation of the Hampshire Basin: evidence for global sea-level changes?

The Bracklesham Formation is of Middle Eocene age and occurs throughout the Hampshire Basin of southern England. The basin is elongated east-west and filled with Lower Tertiary sediments. Its southern margin is marked by either large, northward-facing monoclines, or faults, both of which underwent differential movement, with uplift of the southern side throughout the Middle Eocene. The Bracklesham Formation, which is up to 240 m thick, shows pronounced lateral facies changes with dominantly marine sediments in the east passing to alluvial sediments in the west. Four principal sedimentary environments: marine, lagoonal, estuarine and alluvial are distinguished. Marine sediments comprise six facies including offshore silty clays and glauconitic silty sands, beach and aeolian dune sands, and flint conglomerates formed on pebble beaches. Offshore sediments predominate in the eastern part of the basin, as far west as Alum Bay, where they are replaced by nearshore sediments. Lagoonal sediments comprise four facies and formed in back-barrier lagoons, coastal marshes and, on occasions, were deposited over much of the basin during periods of low salinity and restricted tidal motion. Five estuarine facies represent tidal channels, channel mouth-bars and abandoned channels. These sediments suggest that much of the Bracklesham Formation was deposited under micro- to meso-tidal conditions. Alluvial sediments dominate the formation to the west of Alum Bay. They comprise coarse to fine sands deposited on the point-bars of meandering rivers, interbedded with thick sequences of laminated interchannel mudstones, deposited in marshes, swamps and lakes. Extensive layers of ball clay were periodically deposited in a lake occupying much of the alluvial basin. In alluvial areas, fault movement exposed Mesozoic rocks along the southern margin of the basin, the erosion of which generated fault-scarp alluvial fan gravels. Locally, pisolitic limestone formed in pools fed by springs emerging at the faulted Chalk-Tertiary contact. In marine areas, flint pebbles were eroded from coastal exposures of chalk and accumulated on pebble beaches and in estuaries. From other evidence it is suggested that older Tertiary sediments were also reworked. The Bracklesham Formation is strongly cyclic and was deposited during five marine transgressions, the effects of which can be recognized throughout the basin in both marine and alluvial areas. Each of the five transgressive cycles is a few tens of metres thick and contains little evidence of intervening major regression. The cycles are thought to represent small-scale eustatic sea-level rises (‘paracycles’) superimposed upon a major transgressive ‘cycle’ that began at the base of the Bracklesham Formation, following a major regression, and was terminated, at the top of the Barton Formation by another major regression. This major cycle can be recognized world-wide and may reflect a period of rapid northward extension of the mid-Atlantic ridge.     

Quaternary alluvial terraces in an active tectonic region: the San Juan River Valley,Andean Ranges,San Juan Province,Argentina

The San Juan River, located in San Juan Province (Argentina), crosses the Precordillera and other geologic units including the Ullum tectonic valley and the La Laja Zone between latitudes 31°S and 32°S. The San Juan River is antecedent as is suggested by its two perpendicular segments linked by an almost parallel segment to the main structural trend. Along the Precordillera, the San Juan River valley has many different alluvial fans at the river junctions with its tributaries. The Quaternary alluvial fans display surfaces cut in a series of steps which we consider to be alluvial terraces generated by aggradation and repeated incision episodes. The studied sector includes one area with recent major seismic activity (La Laja Zone), another without major seismic activity (Precordillera area), and a subsident area (Ullum area) where a large lake was formed 6500 yr BP. The old San Juan River was captured by the Quebrada de Ullum valley by means of a 25-m incision, which resulted in river-gradient headward erosion. The San Juan River gradient shows some irregularities that, although unrelated to the main structures, are associated with river dynamics, which emphasizes lithologic differences. The main river valley width, the geometry and gradient of each tributary, together with the basement rock lithologies and the size of each local source area are the major factors which control the alluvial terrace generation processes. In the La Laja Zone, where the uppermost terrace is capped by travertine, dating of travertine deposits suggests that the maximum incision rate is 0.9–1 mm/yr related to episodic activity on the La Laja Fault.     

The enigma of fine-grained alluvial basin fills: the Permo-Triassic (Cumbrian Coastal and Sherwood Sandstone Groups) of the Solway Basin,NW England and SW Scotland)

The late Permian to Triassic sediments of the Solway Basin consist of a layer-cake succession of mature, predominantly fine-grained red clastics laid down in semi-arid alluvial plain to arid sabkha and saline marginal marine or lacustrine environments. The Cumbrian Coastal Group consists of Basal Clastics and Eden Shales. The Basal Clastics are thin regolith deposits resting unconformably on all-underlying units and are composed of mixtures of angular local gravel and far-transported fine to very fine-grained sands deposited as basal lag. The Eden Shales are predominantly gypsiferous red silty mudstones, with thin very fine-grained sandstone beds, and with thick marine gypsum beds at the base, deposited at a saline lake margin. The overlying Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group consists of the Annan and Kirklinton Sandstones. The Annan Sandstones are predominantly thick-bedded, multi-storied, fine-grained mature red quartz sandstones in which coarse sand is practically absent despite channels with clay pebbles up to 30 cm in diameter. The overlying, predominantly aeolian, Kirklinton Sandstones consist of festoon cross-bedded and parallel-laminated fine-grained sandstones, almost identical to the Annan Sandstones except that mica and clay are absent. The Stanwix Shales, located above, consist of interbedded red, blue and green mudstones, siltstones, and thin very fine-grained sandstones, with gypsum layers. Although the entire succession can plausibly be interpreted as deposited in a large desert basin opening into a hypersaline marine or lacustrine embayment to the southwest, the uniformly fine-grained nature of the succession is unusual, as is the absence of paleosols, and body and trace fossils. There is almost no coarse sand even in the river channel units, and it seems likely that the basin was not only extremely arid but supplied predominantly by wind rather than water.     

云南龙街盆地第四纪沉积及环境演化

文章记述了云南龙街盆地龙街组湖相粉砂层的特征、形成环境及地层时代,并讨论了龙街粉砂层和泥石流堆积的相变关系及其发育规律。对广布于龙街盆地的红土风化壳的化学性质、类型、时代及其所反映的气候环境进行了分析。在此基础上着重讨论了龙街盆地自中—晚更新世以来的湖盆变迁、沉积规律及气候环境特征。     

The paradigm of paraglacial megafans of the San Juan river basin,Central Andes,Argentina

The spatial distribution and several morphometric characteristics of the Quaternary alluvial fans of the San Juan River, in the province of San Juan, at the Central and Western part of Argentina, have been studied to classify them as paraglacial megafans, as well to ratify its depositional environmental conditions. The high sedimentary load exported by San Juan river from the Central Andes to the foreland depressions is estimated about 3,682,200 hm³. The large alluvial fans of Ullum-Zonda and Tulum valleys were deposited into deep tectonic depressions, during the Upper Pleistocene deglaciation stages. The outcome of collecting remotely sensed data, map and DEM data, geophysical data and much fieldwork gave access to morphometric, morphographic and morphogenetic data of these alluvial fans. The main drainage network was mapped on processed images using QGis (vers.2.0.1). Several fan morphometric parameters were measured, such as the size, the shape, the thickness, the surface areas and the sedimentary volume of exported load. The analyzed fans were accumulated in deep tectonic depressions, where the alluvium fill reaches 700 to 1200 m thick. Such fans do not reach the large size that other world megafans have, and this is due to tectonic obstacles, although the sedimentary fill average volume surpasses 514,000 hm³. The author proposes to consider Ullum-Zonda and Tulum alluvial fans as paraglacial megafans. According to the stratigraphic relationships of the tropical South American Rivers, the author considers that the San Juan paraglacial megafans would have occurred in the period before 24 ka BP, possibly corresponding to Middle Pleniglacial (ca 65–24ka BP). They record colder and more humid conditions compared with the present arid and dry conditions.     

Geomorphology and morphometry of the de La Flecha river basin,San Juan,Argentina

A geomorphologic and morphometric analysis was performed to determine the characteristics of the de La Flecha river basin, located in the southwest of San Juan province (31°50′S, 68°57′W), Precordillera of San Juan. The drainage networks were derived from shuttle radar topographic mission (SRTM), satellite imageries (Landsat TM and Spot image) and field works. The paper also addresses a preliminary evaluation of the flood hazard responsible for severe damage to people and infrastructure in the downstream region. The study area covers about 300 km², comprising of six sub-watersheds, ranging from 31.7 to 81.8 km². The irregular morphology of the basin and the diversity of alluvial deposits found along the de La Flecha river allow the authors to infer that it is in an active tectonic environment with strong lithological and structural controls. One feature common to all analyzed sub-basins is their elongated shape, which allows for a rapid concentration of water that intensifies the power of the flash floods. The drainage network in the different sub-basins has, in general, two predominant patterns; one is parallel to sub-parallel to the headers and foothill areas; and the other, in the alluvial zone, is divergent. Los Berros, Cañada Honda and Media Agua towns, located downstream of the basin, are the most affected by flash floods coming from the mountainous area.     

Sedimentology and depositional environments of the Lund Diamicton, southern Sweden

The Lund Diamicton (earlier named Lund Till) in SW Skåne, S. Sweden, is a glacioaquatic sediment consisting of clay and massive and laminated diamictons. It is characterized by clasts derived from the Baltic depression and its depositional history can be summarized as follows: After deglaciation, large fields of stagnant ice remained in the area and a periglacial land surface with ice-wedge polygons and wind-abraded clasts was developed in ice-free areas. A transgression followed and a clay/diamicton sediment was deposited, partly on top of stagnant ice and against a coastal barrier of stagnant ice along large parts of the basin boundary. This sediment is the Lund Diamicton. The main depositional processes were: fall-out of clay from suspension, sediment gravity flow from stagnant ice and icebergs and rain-out of debris from floating icebergs. The unit was extensively deformed by escaping pore water, loading, flow and due to melting of buried ice. The Lund Diamicton is the equivalent in this area of the classical 'Low Baltic till', which has been interpreted as a basal till deposited by the 'Low Baltic ice stream'. The present study concludes that this unit is instead a glacioaquatic sediment deposited during a transgression in the Öresund area. Its boundary represents the highest coastline and not the margin of a glacier.     

Contemporaneous Trachyandesitic and Calc-alkaline Volcanism of the Huerto Andesite, San Juan Volcanic Field, Colorado, USA

Locally, voluminous andesitic volcanism both preceded and followedlarge eruptions of silicic ash-flow tuff from many calderasin the San Juan volcanic field. The most voluminous post-collapselava suite of the central San Juan caldera cluster is the 28Ma Huerto Andesite, a diverse assemblage erupted from at least5–6 volcanic centres that were active around the southernmargins of the La Garita caldera shortly after eruption of theFish Canyon Tuff. These andesitic centres are inferred, in part,to represent eruptions of magma that ponded and differentiatedwithin the crust below the La Garita caldera, thereby providingthe thermal energy necessary for rejuvenation and remobilizationof the Fish Canyon magma body. The multiple Huerto eruptivecentres produced two magmatic series that differ in phenocrystmineralogy (hydrous vs anhydrous assemblages), whole-rock majorand trace element chemistry and isotopic compositions. Hornblende-bearinglavas from three volcanic centres located close to the southeasternmargin of the La Garita caldera (Eagle Mountain–FourmileCreek, West Fork of the San Juan River, Table Mountain) definea high-K calc-alkaline series (57–65 wt % SiO₂) that isoxidized, hydrous and sulphur rich. Trachyandesitic lavas fromwidely separated centres at Baldy Mountain–Red Lake (westernmargin), Sugarloaf Mountain (southern margin) and Ribbon Mesa(20 km east of the La Garita caldera) are mutually indistinguishable(55–61 wt % SiO₂); they are characterized by higher andmore variable concentrations of alkalis and many incompatibletrace elements (e.g. Zr, Nb, heavy rare earth elements), andthey contain anhydrous phenocryst assemblages (including olivine).These mildly alkaline magmas were less water rich and oxidizedthan the hornblende-bearing calc-alkaline suite. The same distinctionscharacterize the voluminous precaldera andesitic lavas of theConejos Formation, indicating that these contrasting suitesare long-term manifestations of San Juan volcanism. The favouredmodel for their origin involves contrasting ascent paths anddifferentiation histories through crustal columns with differentthermal and density gradients. Magmas ascending into the mainfocus of the La Garita caldera were impeded, and they evolvedat greater depths, retaining more of their primary volatileload. This model is supported by systematic differences in isotopiccompositions suggestive of crust–magma interactions withcontrasting lithologies. KEY WORDS: alkaline; calc-alkaline; petrogenesis; episodic magmatism; Fish Canyon system     

Transient electromagnetic study of basin fill sediments in the Upper San Pedro Basin,Mexico

The Upper San Pedro River Basin in Mexico and the United States is an important riparian corridor that is coming under increasing pressure from growing populations and the associated increase in groundwater withdrawal. Several studies have produced three-dimensional maps of the basin fill sediments in the US portion of the basin but little work has been done in the Mexican portion of the basin. Here, the results of a ground-based transient electromagnetic (TEM) survey in the Upper San Pedro Basin, Mexico are presented. These basin fill sediments are characterized by a 10–40 m deep unsaturated surficial zone which is composed primarily of sands and gravels. In the central portion of the basin this unsaturated zone is usually underlain by a shallow clay layer 20–50 m thick. Beneath this may be more clay, as is usually the case near the San Pedro River, or interbedded sand, silt, and clay to a depth of 200–250 m. As you move away from the river, the upper clay layer disappears and the amount of sand in the sediments increases. At 1–2 km away from the river, sands can occupy up to 50% of the upper 200–250 m of the sediment fill. Below this, clays are always present except where bedrock highs are observed. This lower clay layer begins at a depth of about 200 m in the central portion of the basin (250 m or more at distances greater than 1–2 km from the river) and extends to the bottom of most profiles to depths of 400 m. While the depth of the top of this lower clay layer is probably accurate, its thickness observed in the models may be overestimated due to the relatively low magnetic moment of the TEM system used in this study. The inversion routine used for interpretation is based on a one-dimensional geologic model. This is a layer based model that is isotropic in both the x and y directions. Several survey soundings did not meet this requirement which invalidates the inversion process and the resulting interpretation at these locations. The results from these locations were rejected.     

松宗古湖——藏东南帕隆藏布江末次盛冰期 发育的一个冰川堰塞湖*

青藏高原东南部帕隆藏布江松宗地区晚更新世期间发生了一次可以识别的支谷冰川阻江形成冰川堰塞湖——松宗古湖的事件。松宗滑坡处的湖相沉积剖面厚度≥88m,其中厚达18.33m并具湖相沉积代表性的连续粉质粘土层底部和顶部的光释光年龄分别为22.5±3.3kaB.P.和16.1±1.7kaB.P. , 属末次盛冰期。松宗滑坡处河谷两侧冰碛台地与湖相沉积的接触关系和空间特征指示该湖相沉积与末次盛冰期董曲支谷冰川阻塞帕隆藏布江有关。湖相地层的剖面沉积特征揭示出这个冰川堰塞湖可能贯穿于整个末次盛冰期,但整个帕隆藏布并没有形成统一的山谷冰川。     

Irrigated area determination: a case study in the Province of San Juan,Argentina

Much of the central-western region of Argentina, where San Juan Province is located, experiences arid to semi-arid climatic conditions with low average annual rainfall accompanied by substantial evapotranspiration. Consequently, a viable crop industry depends to a large extent upon irrigation from major river systems. Increasing demand for water in the lower basin of the San Juan River is emphasizing the need for more accurate estimates of water used for irrigation. Since the water demand for a particular crop is very closely related to crop area, monitoring the area of crop under irrigation is considered a proxy for the amount of water used. Landsat 5 imagery for the growing season, field data and aerial photographs were used to evaluate crop area.     

Testing helium equilibrium between quartz and pore water as a method to determine pore water helium concentrations

The effectiveness of carbon capture and geologic storage depends on many factors, including and especially the permeability of the reservoir’s caprock. While caprock integrity is generally assumed if petroleum has been preserved, it is poorly constrained in reservoirs containing only saline waters, and CO₂ leakage poses a potential risk to shallow aquifers. Naturally-occurring He accumulates in pore waters over time with the concentration being strongly dependent on the long term flux of fluid through the caprock. Furthermore, a small fraction of pore-water He diffuses into quartz and this may be used as a proxy for He concentrations in pore water, where dissolved gas samples are difficult to obtain, such as in deep sedimentary basins. In this paper He contained in quartz grains is measured and compared to previously measured pore water concentrations. Quartz was purified from core samples from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico and the Great Artesian Basin, South Australia. Quartz separates were heated at 290 °C to release He from the quartz. The quartz from the San Juan Basin and high purity quartz from the Spruce Pine Intrusion, North Carolina was repeatedly impregnated at varying pressures using pure He, heated and analyzed to build He sorption isotherms. The isotherms appear linear but vary between samples, possibly due to fluid inclusions within the quartz grains as high purity quartz samples partition only 1.5% of He that partitions into San Juan Basin samples. Concentrations of He in the pore water were calculated using the He-accessible volume of the quartz and the air–water He solubility. The mean San Juan Basin He pore water concentration was 2 × 10^–5 cc STP He/g water, ∼400 times greater than atmospheric solubility. Great Artesian Basin samples contain a mean He concentration of 3 × 10^–6 cc STP He/g water or 65 times greater than atmospheric solubility. However, pore water He concentrations in both the San Juan and Great Artesian Basins differ by up to an order of magnitude compared to samples collected with an alternate method. The reason for the offset is attributable to either partial saturation of the pore volume or a lack of He equilibrium between quartz and pore water. Coating of clay or other mineral phases on quartz grains, which tends to reduce the effective diffusion coefficient, may cause the latter. This technique of assessing permeability is promising due to the abundance of existing core samples from numerous basins where carbon sequestration may ultimately occur.     

Causes of the catastrophic failure of an earth dam built on gypsiferous alluvium and dispersive clays (Altorricón,Huesca Province,NE Spain)

This paper analyses the causes of the catastrophic failure of an earth dam that took place on 21 January 2001 during the first filling test in the NE of Spain (Altorricón village, Huesca Province). The San Juan reservoir, with a capacity of 850,000 m³, was built in 1999 on gypsiferous mantled pediment deposits overlying Tertiary dispersive clay sediments. The basin of the reservoir was excavated in the alluvial cover and Tertiary bedrock. An earth dam was constructed on the pediment surface along the perimeter of the artificial basin. The dam has a core of compacted clay material derived from the excavation, which is indented 1 m in the Tertiary shales of the bedrock, cutting the highly pervious alluvial mantle. Field observations, analysis of the basin and dam materials and eyewitnesses accounts have helped to infer the processes involved in the failure of the earth dam. These processes include (1) subsidence and ravelling (suffosion) processes induced by the dissolution of the 4-m-thick detrital cover with a gypsum content of around 40%; (2) piping processes affecting the embankments and core of the dam built with dispersive clays that have high exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and show active pipes; and (3) water circulation through biogenic burrows in the pediment deposits. This case study demonstrates the frequently hidden limitations that evaporite sediments and dispersive clay materials pose to the construction of dams. It also shows that highly permeable surficial deposits should be stripped before the construction of the dam structure.     

若尔盖黄河唐克段河岸沉积序列测年及地表过程变化

通过对若尔盖盆地进行野外考察,在盆地中部黄河唐克段右岸发现了包含深湖相的河岸沉积物,进行了细致的地层观测和系统年代学样品采集。在实验室利用光释光和AMS¹⁴C测年技术建立了年代框架,并结合各个层次的地层沉积相宏观特征和理化性质,分析探讨了若尔盖盆地内部从末次冰期古湖消亡以来的环境和地表过程变化规律。研究结果表明：古黄河在37 ka沿着玛曲断陷谷地溯源侵蚀,沟通了若尔盖古湖水系,盆地内部在30.9 ka之前为深湖环境,稳定地沉积了蓝灰色湖相淤泥层。30.9 ka之后,黄河贯穿若尔盖湖盆内部,古湖水外泄消失,原有的古湖水系转变成为黄河源水系。黄河从湖盆上游远距离搬运携带来的浊黄橙色泥沙大量沉积,覆盖了古湖相沉积层,湖盆内部风沙作用盛行。在末次冰盛期（Last Glacial Maximum, LGM）,盆地内部松散沉积物普遍地受到冰缘冻融作用的改造,形成了冻融褶皱现象。到了14.6~12.5 ka,响应B/A（B?lling-Aller?d）时期的温暖气候,盆地周边山地冰川消融,冰融水汇入盆地,古湖盆底部各种浅洼地形成了大小不等的浅湖,沉积了滨浅湖相的沙层。在12.5~11.7 ka,对应于全球性新仙女木（Younger Dryas,YD）事件,盆地气候再次变冷,转变为冰缘冻土环境,盆地内部滨浅湖相的沙层受到冻融作用和古地震扰动,形成复式褶皱现象。进入全新世,在11.7~4.8 ka气候逐渐变得温暖湿润,古湖盆底部浅洼地积水成为淤泥质沼泽环境,在全新世中后期4.8~1.8 ka则转变成为沼泽草甸环境,在1.8 ka之后,盆地内沼泽面积收缩,风沙活动盛行,河岸台地的近源沙尘暴沉积物经过成壤改造形成亚高山草甸黑土类现代土壤。     

Origin and alteration of oils and oil seeps from the Sinú-San Jacinto Basin, Colombia

Liquid hydrocarbons have been detected in the subsurface as well as in the surface in the Sinú-San Jacinto Basin (northwestern Colombia). The origin of the oils has not been conclusively established especially in the southern part of the basin. The most likely source rocks in the basin are the Ciénaga de Oro Fm. of the Oligocene-Early Miocene and the Cansona Fm. of the Upper Cretaceous. In this study, oil samples, seeps and source rock extracts were analyzed by GC and GC/MS, and δ¹³C was determined to identify the source facies. The sulphur content and gravity data were also considered.Two organic facies were identified: one constituted by terrestrial organic matter deposited in siliciclastic sediments in marginal marine to deltaic environments and the other made up of marine organic matter deposited in marine costal shelf to pelagic environments. The oils from the former organic facies have low sulphur contents, whereas the oils from the latter facies have high sulphur levels. Correlation of the oil seeps from the former facies with the Ciénaga de Oro Fm. has not been clearly established. The oil seeps from the latter facies correlate well with the extracts from the source rocks of the Cansona Fm., deposited along the fold belt of San Jacinto (east side). The oil seeps are affected by moderate to severe biodegradation, whereas the oil from the only oil producing well in the Sinú Basin (Floresanto-6 well) has not undergone biodegradation.     

柴北缘石炭系克鲁克组泥页岩岩相特征与沉积环境分析

柴北缘石炭系克鲁克组发育了一套厚层富有机质细粒沉积岩,是研究区页岩气勘探的主力层系。克鲁克组泥页岩形成于陆表海沉积环境,与深海富硅质泥页岩和湖相富碳酸盐泥页岩具有显著差异,目前研究程度相对较低,因此对其开展岩相与沉积环境研究具有十分重要的沉积学与油气地质学意义。通过野外露头和岩心观察,薄片鉴定、X射线衍射分析等技术,以区分标志明显、易于识别为主要原则,综合矿物组成、沉积构造、化石组合及其他混入物等因素,将柴北缘石炭系克鲁克组泥页岩划分出10种主要岩相类型,分别指示不同的沉积微环境。其中,煤岩、水平层理碳质黏土岩、透镜状层理粉砂质黏土岩、波状层理黏土质粉砂岩、脉状层理粉砂岩均属于潮坪沉积;富含菱铁矿结核的块状黏土岩为潟湖沉积;块状泥灰岩和块状生屑灰岩属碳酸盐台地沉积;而含介壳粉砂型泥岩和介壳型泥岩则属于潟湖与局限台地之间的过渡沉积,具有原地混积的特点。由于陆表海平缓的古坡脚,致使区内沉积体系受短期海平面升降变化影响显著,随滨线快速迁移,不同沉积环境的泥页岩在垂向上频繁叠置,交互出现,可总结出3种主要的岩相组合类型,分别形成于局限台地相潟湖相潮坪相组合,局限台地相潟湖相组合和局限台地相生物碎屑浅滩相组合。在泥页岩的岩相类型、特征、沉积环境及垂向演化序列研究的基础上,最终建立了陆表海泥页岩沉积模式。     

Changes of lead and barium with time in California off-shore basin sediments

During ancient times the natural deposition fluxes of lead which can be leached with dilute acid from sediments in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and San Pedro basins offshore from the Los Angeles Urban complex, were about 0.7, 0.1 and 0.2 μg Pb/cm² yr respectively. Since there was little difference in biological productivity in surface waters of these basins, it is proposed that clay is a major transport vehicle for sequestered soluble lead, which then explains why the lead deposition flux within the Santa Barbara basin was so much larger compared to the other basins. The fluxes of silicate mud in the basins in ancient times were about 92, 19 and 30 mg/cm² yr in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and San Pedro basins respectively. Today deposition fluxes of acid soluble lead within these three basins are 3- to 9-fold greater, being about 2.1, 1.1 and 1.8 μg Pb/cm² yr respectively, partly in the form of directly deposited large sewage particles, which account for none, $\text{2}\text{3}$ and $\text{3}\text{4}$ of the total industrial lead deposition fluxes in the respective basins. Concentrations of leachable lead in varve dated sediment layers increase with time and isotopic compositions of these leads change in accordance with corresponding known changes of isotopic compositions of industrial lead in the Los Angeles atmosphere. Lead remaining in acid leached sediment residues originates from igneous and clay minerals, exhibiting no change in concentration or isotopic composition since pre-industrial times.Deposition fluxes of total barium in sediments among the three basins were proportional to mass deposition fluxes before 1950 in the same manner as for lead. Afterwards, there are barium concentration maxima with time in both Santa Monica and San Pedro Basin sediments which are attributable to industrial sewage rather than to episodic erosion from barium-rich sedimentary evaporite strata exposed locally along the shore. An increase of barium concentrations in present day Santa Barbara basin sediments may reflect dispersal of barium-rich drilling mud from local drilling operations.     

Archosauriform remains from the Late Triassic of San Luis province,Argentina, Quebrada del Barro Formation,Marayes–El Carrizal Basin

Here we present archosauriform remains from ‘Abra de los Colorados’, a fossiliferous locality at Sierra de Guayaguas, NW San Luis Province. Two fossiliferous levels were identified in outcrops of the Quebrada del Barro Formation (Norian), which represent the southernmost outcrops of the Marayes–El Carrizal Basin. These levels are composed by massive muddy lithofacies, interpreted as floodplain deposits. The specimens consist of one incomplete maxilla (MIC-V718), one caudal vertebra (MIC-V719), one metatarsal (MIC-V720) and one indeterminate appendicular bone (MIC-V721). The materials can be assigned to Archosauriformes but the fragmentary nature and lack of unambiguous synapomorphies preclude a more precise taxomic assignment. The maxilla is remarkably large and robust and represents the posterior process. It preserved one partially erupted tooth with ziphodont morphology. This bone shows some anatomical traits and size match with ‘rauisuchians’ and theropods. MIC-V719 corresponds to a proximal caudal vertebra. It has a high centrum, a ventral longitudinal furrow, expanded articular processes for the chevrons, a posteriorly displaced diapophysis located below the level of the prezygapophyses, and short prezygapophyses. This vertebra would be from an indeterminate archosauriform. MIC-V720 presents a cylindrical diaphysis, with a well-developed distal trochlea, which present resemblances with metatarsals of theropods, pseudosuchians, and silesaurids, although the size matches better with theropods. MIC-V721 has a slender diaphysis and a convex triangular articular surface, and corresponds to an indeterminate archosauriform. Despite being fragmentary, these materials indicate the presence of a diverse archosauriforms association from Late Triassic beds of San Luis. Thus, they add to the faunal assemblage recently reported from this basin at San Juan Province, which is much rich and diverse than the coeval paleofauna well known from Los Colorados Formation in the Ischigualasto–Villa Union Basin.     

Antecedent aeolian dune topographic control on carbonate and evaporite facies: Middle Jurassic Todilto Member,Wanakah Formation,Ghost Ranch,New Mexico,USA

The Middle Jurassic Todilto Member of the Wanakah Formation is a carbonate and gypsum unit inset into the underlying aeolian Entrada Sandstone in the San Juan Basin. Field and thin section study of the uppermost Entrada and Todilto at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, identified Todilto facies and their relationship to remnant Entrada dune topography. Results support the previous interpretation that the Entrada dunes, housed in a basin below sea level, were rapidly flooded by marine waters. Mass wasting of the dunes gave rise to sediment‐gravity flows that largely buried remnant dune topography, leaving ca 12 m of relief that defined the antecedent condition for Todilto deposition. Previously interpreted as seasonal varves deposited in a stratified water body, the Todilto is reinterpreted as a microbial biolaminite. Most diagnostic are organic‐rich laminae with structures characteristic of filamentous microbes and containing trapped aeolian silt, and clotted‐texture laminae with a fabric associated with calcification of extracellular polymeric substances. The spatial arrangement of Todilto facies is controlled by the dune palaeotopography. A continuous basal laminated mudstone thickens over the dune crest, reflecting the optimum conditions for microbial mat development, and is interpreted to have been deposited when marine waters submerged the topography. Subsequent drying caused emergence of the crestal area, and formation of tepee structures and a dissolution breccia. Gypsiferous mudflats and periodic ponds occupied the dune flanks and interdune area, with gypsum concentrated within the interdune area. Entrada sands remained unstable during Todilto deposition with common injection structures into the Todilto, and a remnant slope caused the downslope movement and folding of Todilto strata on the upper lee face. Although some expansion of the gypsum occurred in the subsurface, facies architecture fostered development of a dissolution front adjacent to the interdune gypsum body with section collapse of gypsiferous limestone on the dune flanks.     

Facies characteristics of the basal part of the Talchir Formation,Talchir Basin,India — Depositional history revisited

The lowest unit of the Talchir Formation of Talchir Basin, Orissa, was described by pioneer workers as the ‘basal boulder bed’. In an attempt to explain the co-existence of gravel and clay, materials of contrasting hydraulic properties, a probable situation resembling the effects of the action of ground-ice enabled boulders to be carried down by sluggish currents resulting in an intermixture of large boulders and fine mud was conceived. Misinterpretation of this conclusion led to a general tendency to describe the ‘basal boulder bed’ as ‘glacial tillite’. However, the unit described as ‘basal boulder bed’ is actually represented by a matrix rich conglomerate with pockets of normally graded silty clay. The present study reveals that the depositional imprints preserved in this part of the sedimentary succession indicate emplacement of successive debris flows generated through remobilization of pre-existing unconsolidated sediments. Small pockets of fine-grained turbidites presumably deposited from the entrained turbidity currents associated with the debris flows suggest the composite character of the debris flow deposit.