Evaluation of bulk carbonate δ13C data from Triassic hemipelagites and the initial composition of carbonate mud

Bulk carbonate samples of hemipelagic limestone–marl alternations from the Middle and Upper Triassic of Italy are analysed for their isotopic compositions. Middle Triassic samples are representative of the Livinallongo Formation of the Dolomites, while Upper Triassic hemipelagites were sampled in the Pignola 2 section, within the Calcari con Selce Formation of the Southern Apennines in Southern Italy. Triassic hemipelagites occur either as nodular limestones with chert nodules or as plane‐bedded limestone–marl alternations which are locally silicified. In the Middle Triassic Livinallongo Formation, diagenetic alteration primarily affected the stable isotopic composition of sediment surrounding carbonate nodules, whereas the latter show almost pristine compositions. Diagenesis lowered the carbon and oxygen isotope values of bulk carbonate and introduced a strong correlation between δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values. In the Middle Triassic successions of the Dolomites, bulk carbonate of nodular limestone facies is most commonly unaltered, whereas carbonate of the plane‐bedded facies is uniformly affected by diagenetic alteration. In contrast to carbonate nodules, plane‐bedded facies often show compaction features. Although both types of pelagic carbonate rocks show very similar petrographic characteristics, scanning electron microscopy studies reveal that nodular limestone consists of micrite (< 5 μm in diameter), whereas samples of the plane‐bedded facies are composed of calcite crystals ca 10 μm in size showing pitted, polished surfaces. These observations suggest that nodular and plane‐bedded facies underwent different diagenetic pathways determined by the prevailing mineralogy of the precursor sediment, i.e. probably high‐Mg calcite in the nodular facies and aragonite in the case of the plane‐bedded facies. Similar to Middle Triassic nodular facies, Upper Triassic nodular limestones of the Lagonegro Basin are also characterized by uncorrelated δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values and exhibit small, less than 5 μm size, crystals. The alternation of calcitic and aragonitic precursors in the Middle Triassic of the Dolomites is thought to mirror rapid changes in the type of carbonate production of adjacent platforms. Bioturbation and dissolution of metastable carbonate grains played a key role during early lithification of nodular limestone beds, whereby early stabilization recorded the carbon isotopic composition of sea water. The bulk carbonate δ¹³C values of Middle and Upper Triassic hemipelagites from Italy agree with those of Tethyan low‐Mg calcite shells of articulate brachiopods, confirming that Triassic hemipelagites retained the primary carbon isotopic composition of the bottom sea water. A trend of increasing δ¹³C from the Late Anisian to the Early Carnian, partly seen in the data set presented here, is also recognized in successions from tropical palaeolatitudes elsewhere. The carbon isotopic composition of Middle and Upper Triassic nodular hemipelagic limestones can thus be used for chemostratigraphic correlation and palaeoenvironmental studies.     

The Triassic of the Thakkhola (Nepal). II: Paleolatitudes and comparison with other Eastern Tethyan Margins of Gondwana

During the Triassic, the Thakkhola region of the Nepal Himalaya was part of the broad continental shelf of Gondwana facing a wide Eastern Tethys ocean. This margin was continuous from Arabia to Northwest Australia and spanned tropical and temperate latitudes.A compilation of Permian, Triassic and early Jurassic paleomagnetic data from the reconstructed Gondwana blocks indicates that the margin was progressively shifting northward into more tropical latitudes. The Thakkhola region was approximately 55° S during Late Permian, 40° S during Early Triassic, 30° S during Middle Triassic and 25° S during Late Triassic. This paleolatitude change produced a general increase in the relative importance of carbonate deposition through the Triassic on the Himalaya and Australian margins. Regional tectonics were important in governing local subsidence rates and influx of terrigenous clastics to these Gondwana margins; but eustatic sea-level changes provide a regional and global correlation of major marine transgressions, prograding margin deposits and shallowing-upward successions. A general mega-cycle characterizes the Triassic beginning with a major transgression at the base of the Triassic, followed by a general shallowing-upward of facies during Middle and Late Triassic, and climaxing with a regression in the latest Triassic.     

Stratigraphy and sedimentary history of the Nepal Tethys Himalaya passive margin

The sedimentary history of the Nepal Tethys Himalaya began with deposition of thick carbonates in the Cambro?–Ordovician, followed by a mixed siliciclastic–carbonate epicontinental succession recording two major deepening events in the Early Silurian and Late Devonian. Fossiliferous carbonate ramp deposits in the Tournaisian were disconformably followed by white quartzose sandstones and black mudrocks with locally intercalated diamictites derived from sedimentary rocks and deposited in asymmetric tectonic basins (“rift stage”). Break-up in the mid-Early Permian, locally associated with effusion of tholeiitic lava flows, was followed by a transgressive sandy to shaly, locally coal-bearing or bioclastic unit capped by condensed pelagic carbonates in the Middle to Late Permian (“juvenile ocean stage”). Subsidence of the cooling stretched crust led close to bathyal water depths in the Olenekian, but then slowed down in the Middle Triassic to increase again sharply in the Late Triassic owing to renewed extensional tectonic activity and sediment loading during up- and out-building of the Indian continental terrace. Deposition of tropical platform carbonates finally became widespread in the middle Liassic (“mature passive margin stage”). The initial fragmentation of Gondwana in the Middle Jurassic led to rejuvenation of the Indian craton and deposition of quartzo-feldspathic hybrid arenites, capped by condensed oolitic ironstones deposited at warm subtropical latitudes in the late Bathonian/middle Callovian. Next, a discontinuous pelagic grey marly limestone unit was followed by the ammonoid-rich offshore Spiti Shale in the Late Jurassic. The final disintegration of Gondwana began in the Berriasian, when quartzose siliciclastics derived again from the rejuvenated Indian craton and partly from recycling of older clastic successions were followed by thick deltaic to shelf volcaniclastics documenting eruption of alkali basalts in the Valanginian? followed in the Hauterivian to Albian by more felsic differentiates such as the trachyandesites exposed in the Lesser Himalaya 120 km to the south. A widespread drowning episode, fostered by waning volcaniclastic supply during a global eustatic rise, is documented by a major glauconitic horizon deposited at middle southern latitudes in the late Albian, overlain by “Scaglia-like” pelagic limestones in the latest Albian. The final part of sedimentary history, during the rapid northward flight of India and its collision with Eurasia, is not documented anywhere in Nepal due to later erosion of Upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary strata.     

The Mesozoic continental rifting in the Mediterranean area: insights from the Verrucano tectofacies of southern Tuscany (Northern Apennines,Italy)

In the Alpine-Mediterranean region, the continental redbeds and shallow-marine siliciclastics related to the early depositional phases of the Late Permian-Mesozoic continental rifting are referred to as the most common representative of the “Verrucano tectofacies”. The Verrucano-type successions exposed in southern Tuscany are diachronous, spanning from Triassic to earliest Jurassic in age, and accumulated within the Tuscan domain, a paleogeographic region of continental crust that due to the opening of the Piedmont–Ligurian ocean formed part of the Adria passive-margin. They belong to the metamorphic Verrucano Group and the non-metamorphic Pseudoverrucano fm. Viewed overall, these Verrucano-type successions appear to manifest five episodes or pulses of an ongoing continental rifting. With the exception of the first episode that developed entirely within a terrestrial setting, each one is represented by basal Verrucano-type continental siliciclastics overlain by compositionally mixed marine deposits, which resulted from four diachronous, post-Middle Triassic transgressions. This suite of tectonic pulses produced the progressive westward widening (backstepping) of the Tuscan domain in the rifting south-Tuscany area.     

The role of structural inheritance in continental break-up and exhumation of Alpine Tethyan mantle(Canavese Zone,Western Alps)

The Canavese Zone(CZ)in the Western Alps represents the remnant of the distal passive margin of the Adria microplate,which was stretched and thinned during the Jurassic opening of the Alpine Tethys.Through detailed geological mapping,stratigraphic and structural analyses,we document that the continental break-up of Pangea and tectonic dismemberment of the Adria distal margin,up to mantle rocks exhumation and oceanization,did not simply result from the syn-rift Jurassic extension but was strongly favored by older structu ral inheritances(the Proto-Canavese Shear Zone),which controlled earlier lithospheric weakness.Our findings allowed to redefine in detail(i)the tectono-stratigraphic setting of the Variscan metamorphic basement and the Late Carbonife rous to Early Cretaceous CZ succession,(ii)the role played by inherited Late Carboniferous to Early Triassic structures and(iii)the significance of the CZ in the geodynamic evolution of the Alpine Tethys.The large amount of extensional displacement and crustal thinning occurred during different pulses of Late Carbonife rous-Early Triassic strike-slip tectonics is wellconsistent with the role played by long-lived regional-scale wrench faults(e.g.,the East-Variscan Shear Zone),suggesting a re-discussion of models of mantle exhumation driven by low-angle detachment faults as unique efficient mechanism in stretching and thinning continental crust.     

Extreme aridity prior to lake expansion deciphered from facies evolution in the Miocene Ili Basin,south‐east Kazakhstan

Central Asia witnessed progressive aridification during the Miocene, commonly related to mountain uplift, the Paratethys retreat and global climate cooling. However, the formation of Miocene lakes in Central Asia seems to oppose drier conditions, suggesting that the precise timing, extent and forcing of the aridification is still not well constrained. This study presents a facies model for the alluvial–lacustrine part of the Middle to Late Miocene of the Ili Basin, obtained from two successions. The model enables the semi‐quantitative assessment of regional water level and salinity, and characterizes the control of water level on evaporite formation and diagenesis. Both the proximal Kendyrlisai and the distal Aktau successions show an overall increase in water availability from dry mudflat deposits to lacustrine sedimentation with a transitional playa phase. Increasing evaporation rates outpaced the water supply and caused groundwater salinization. Subsequent lake expansion coincided with a basin‐wide desalinization and required a shift to a positive water budget. A climatic control of the hydrological evolution is inferred due to abrupt salinization and a minor tectonic influence. The long‐term water accumulation is probably related to the hydrological closure of the basin in the early Middle Miocene (15·3 Ma). Starting at 14·3 Ma, the step‐wise salinization occurred simultaneously with the global cooling of the Miocene Climate Transition. The Miocene Climate Transition led to extreme aridity in the Ili Basin, highlighted by the early diagenetic formation of displacive anhydrite in the basin centre. The expansion of the freshwater lake (12·7 to 11·5 Ma) was possibly promoted by lower evaporation rates due to decreasing air temperatures in the Ili Basin after the Miocene Climate Transition. The extreme aridity in the Ili Basin is interpreted as a continental counterpart to the Badenian Salinity Crisis in the Central Paratethys. This emphasizes the role of atmospheric forcing on evaporite sedimentation across Eurasia during the Middle Miocene.     

Cretaceous Oceanic Redbeds: Implications for Paleoclimatologyand Paleoceanography

The Cretaceous is among the most unusual eras in the geological past. Geoscience communities have been having great concerns with geological phenomena within this period, for example carbonate platforms and black shales in the Early and Middle Cretaceous respectively, during the last decades. But few people have paid any attention to the set of pelagic redbeds lying on the black shales, not to mention the applications to paleoclimatology and paleoceanography. It is shown by the sedimentary records of redbeds, that they were deposited around the CCD, with both a higher content of iron and much lower concentrations of organic carbon, which implies conditions with a     

Geometry and chronology of growth and drowning of Middle Triassic carbonate platforms (Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon) in the Southern Alps (northern Italy)

The depositional architecture and the geometric relationships between platform-slope deposits and basinal sediments along with paleontological evidence indicate the time interval of the younger Anisian Reitziites reitzi ammonoid zone to largely represent the main stage of platform aggradation at the Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon carbonate platforms. Published and new U-Pb age data of zircons from volcaniclastic layers bracketing the stratigraphic interval of platform growth constrain the duration of platform evolution to a time span shorter than 1.8±0.7m.y., probably in the order of 0.5-1m.y., reflecting fast rates of vertical platform aggradation exceeding 500 m/m.y. In the range of growth potentials for shallow-water carbonate systems estimated in relation to the time span of observation, this high rate is in agreement with values for short intervals of 10⁵-10⁶yrs (e.g., Schlager 1999). After drowning, the platforms at Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon were blanketed by thin pelagic carbonates. On the former platform flanks the draping sediments in places comprise red nodular pelagic limestones (Clapsavon Limestone) similar in facies to the Han Bulog Limestones occurring elsewhere in Middle Triassic successions of the Mediterranean Tethys. The drowning of vast areas of former carbonate platforms possibly triggered the onset of bottom-water circulation in adjacent basins as suggested by the abrupt transition from laminated to bioturbated pelagic nodular limestones in the Buchenstein Formation which occurred close to the time of initial platform submergence. During the Late Ladinian the topographic features of the drowned platforms were onlapped by rapidly deposited, predominantly clastic successions including coarse breccias and volcanic rocks sealing and preserving the peculiar stratigraphic setting.     

The change from rifting to thrusting in the Northern Calcareous Alps as recorded in Jurassic sediments

Facies analysis, fossil dating, and the study of the metamorphism in the Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous sedimentary successions in the central part of the Northern Calcareous Alps allow to reconstruct the tectonic evolution in the area between the South Penninic Ocean in the northwest and the Tethys Ocean with the Hallstatt Zone in the southeast. The Triassic as well as the Early and Middle Jurassic sediments were deposited in a rifted, transtensive continental margin setting. Around the Middle/Late Jurassic boundary two trenches in front of advancing nappes formed in sequence in the central part of the Northern Calcareous Alps. The southern trench (Late Callovian to Early Oxfordian) accumulated a thick succession of gravitatively redeposited sediments derived from the sedimentary sequences of the accreted Triassic–Liassic Hallstatt Zone deposited on the outer shelf and the margin of the Late Triassic carbonate platform. During a previous stage these sediments derived from sequences deposited on the more distal shelf (Salzberg facies zone of Hallstatt unit, Meliaticum), and in a later stage from more proximal parts (Zlambach facies zone of Hallstatt unit, Late Triassic reef belt). Low temperature–high pressure metamorphism of some Hallstatt limestones before redeposition is explained by the closure of parts of the Tethys Ocean in Middle to Late Jurassic times and associated subduction. In the northern trench (Late Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian) several hundred meters of sediment accumulated including redeposited material from a nearby topographic rise. This rise is interpreted as an advancing nappe front as a result of the subduction process. The sedimentary sealing by Tithonian sediments, documented by uniform deep-water sedimentation (Oberalm Formation), gives an upper time constraint for the tectonic events. In contrast to current models, which propose an extensional regime for the central and eastern Northern Calcareous Alps in the Late Jurassic, we propose a geodynamic model with a compressional regime related to the Kimmerian orogeny.     

准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷晚二叠世至中三叠世古气候、物源及构造背景

二叠纪-三叠纪之交重大地质转折期,海相地质记录指示全球发生了一系列显著的生物和环境事件, 但是,该时期陆相古气候、古风化作用等方面的研究还很薄弱,争议较大.为了恢复新疆准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷上二叠统乌尔禾组至中三叠统克拉玛依组的古气候、物源特征等, 本研究对玛湖凹陷钻井岩心中的泥岩样品开展了全岩主量和微量元素测试,采用多种化学风化指数判定源区风化程度及古气候条件,通过多种地球化学比值及图解来恢复源岩岩性及其构造背景.化学蚀变指数(Chemical Index of Alteration, CIA)、化学风化指数(Chemical Index of Weathering, CIW)、Parker风化指数(Weathering Index of Parker, WIP)和斜长石蚀变指数(Plagioclase Index of Alteration, PIA)等多种化学风化作用指标均指示,玛湖凹陷自晚二叠世至早三叠世发生显著的风化作用变化,由低等程度的化学风化作用转变为中等程度的化学风化作用,某些季节可能会较为温暖湿润,且在整个早三叠世保持大致稳定,在早三叠世晚期稍减弱,这与锶同位素反映的全球风化作用变化趋势一致.中三叠世时的化学风化作用与早三叠世相比,并未降低,反而稍有增加,这可能代表了地区性事件.早三叠世化学风化作用显著增强的原因可能在于全球变暖、植被破坏及季节性降雨增加等.此外,上二叠统乌尔禾组至中三叠统克拉玛依组的物源岩性主要为长英质火成岩,源岩形成时的构造背景可能为大洋岛弧环境.      

Middle Jurassic continental to marine transition in an extensional tectonics context: the Genna Selole Fm depositional system in the Tacchi area (central Sardinia,Italy)

In Eastern Sardinia during the early Middle Jurassic, Alpine Tethys opening triggered the rise of a temporary tectonic high. The high collapsed rapidly, was fragmented into separate blocks, and subsequently covered by continental, transitional, and finally shallow marine deposits forming a narrow depositional system comprising the Genna Selole Fm. Present‐day exposures in the southern part of the palaeo‐high allow the sedimentological evolution of the transgressive cover sequence to be ascertained. Initial terrestrial deposits comprise alluvial fan deposits located at the mouths of palaeovalleys. These pass into braid‐deltas and in the coastal areas located between adjacent valleys mouths, palustrine and coastal plain tidally‐influenced environments developed. These environments interfingered laterally and passed seaward into a transitional, siliciclastic to carbonate tidal environment. With the collapse of the tectonic high, the continental to transitional environments were transgressed with deposition of marine carbonates. A comparison with similar coeval deposits of the W‐Mediterranean domain has been undertaken. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Outline of Mesozoic to Paleogene SequenceStratigraphy and Sea－Level Changes in Northern Himalayas，Southern Xizang

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Middle Triassic conodonts from northeastern Spain: biostratigraphic implications

The facies development of the Spanish Triassic corresponds to the typical three-fold subdivision of the Germanic Facies: Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk and Keuper. Two intervals interpreted as epeiric carbonate platforms: lower Muschelkalk (Anisian) and upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian) are recognized during the Middle Triassic of northeastern Spain. These carbonate intervals are separated by one siliciclastic/evaporitic interval interpreted as sabbkha and saline deposits: middle Muschelkalk facies (Lower Ladinian). In northeastern Spain (Catalonian Coastal Ranges), two Middle Triassic sections comprising lower Muschelkalk facies have yielded the following conodont taxa: Paragondolella bulgarica, P. hanbulogi, P. bifurcata, Neogondolella constricta, N. cornuta, N. excentrica and N. basisymmetrica . The conodont sequence allows recognition of the P. bulgarica and N. constricta zones. These results indicate a middle–upper Pelsonian to upper Illyrian age (middle–upper Anisian), and represent the first conodont-chronostratigraphic approximation for the lower Muschelkalk facies of the western part of the Sephardic Province of the Triassic Tethys Realm.     

Tectono-sedimentary evolution of the External Liguride units (Northern Apennines,Italy): insights in the pre-collisional history of a fossil ocean-continent transition zone

In the Northern Apennines, the External Liguride (EL) units are interpreted as derived from the domain that joined the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin to the Adriatic plate continental margin. The EL units can be divided into two different groups according to the lithostratigraphic features of the basal complexes underlying the Upper Cretaceous–Lower Tertiary carbonate flysch (e.g. Helminthoid flysch). The first group includes the western successions characterized by Santonian–Campanian sedimentary melanges where slide blocks of lherzolitic mantle, gabbros, basalts, granulites, continental granitoids are represented. The second group is represented by the eastern successions where the Cenomanian–Campanian basal complexes mainly consist of sandstones and conglomerates where the mafic and ultramafic rocks are scarce or completely lacking. Their original substrate is represented by the Middle Triassic to Lower Cretaceous, mainly platform carbonate deposits, found as slices at the base of the eastern successions.The stratigraphic features shown by the basal complexes allow the reconstruction of their source area that is assumed to be also representative for the pre-Upper Cretaceous setting. The proposed reconstruction suggests the occurrence in the EL domain of two distinct domains. The eastern domain was characterized by a thinned and faulted continental crust belonging to the Adriatic continental margin. The western domain was instead floored by subcontinental mantle associated with lower and upper continental crust, representing the ocean–continent transition. This setting is interpreted as the result of the opening of the Ligure–Piemontese oceanic basin by passive rifting, mainly developed by simple shear, asymmetric extension of the continental crust.     

Diagenesis of early Permian high‐latitude limestones,Lower Parmeener Supergroup,Tasmania

The Darlington (Sakmarian) and Berriedale (Artinskian) Limestones are neritic deposits that accumulated in high‐latitude environments along the south‐eastern margin of Pangea in what is now Tasmania. These rocks underwent a series of diagenetic processes that began in the marine palaeoenvironment, continued during rapid burial and were profoundly modified by alteration associated with the intrusion of Mesozoic igneous rocks. Marine diagenesis was important but contradictory; although dissolution took place, there was also coeval precipitation of fibrous calcite cement, phosphate and glauconite, as well as calcitization of aragonite shells. These processes are interpreted as having been promoted by mixing of shelf and upwelling deep ocean waters and enabled by microbial degradation of organic matter. In contrast to warm‐water carbonates where meteoric diagenesis is important, the Darlington and Berriedale Limestones were largely unaffected by meteoric diagenesis. Only minor dissolution and local cementation took place in this diagenetic environment, although mechanical compaction was ubiquitous. Correlation with burial history curves indicates that chemical compaction became important as burial depths exceeded 150 m, promoting precipitation of extensive ferroan calcite. This effect resulted from burial by rapidly deposited, overlying, thick, late Permian and Triassic terrestrial sediments. This diagenetic pathway was, however, complicated by the subsequent intrusion of massive Mesozoic diabases and associated silicifying diagenetic fluids. Finally, fractures most probably connected with Cretaceous uplift were filled with late‐stage non‐ferroan calcite cement. This study suggests that both carbonate dissolution and precipitation occur in high‐latitude marine palaeoenvironments and, therefore, the cold‐water diagenetic realm is not always destructive in terms of diagenesis. Furthermore, it appears that for the early Permian of southern Pangea at least, there was no real difference in the diagenetic pathways taken by cool‐water and cold‐water carbonates.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000266

Major,trace and rare earth element(REE) concentrations of Late Triassic sediments(finegrained sandstones and mudstones) from Hongcan Well 1 in the NE part of the Songpan-Ganzi Basin, western China,are used to reveal weathering,provenance and tectonic setting of inferred source areas. The Chemical Index of Alteration(CIA) reflects a low to moderate degree of chemical weathering in a cool and somewhat dry climate,and an A-CN-K plot suggests an older upper continental crust provenance dominated by felsic to intermediate igneous rocks of average tonalite composition.Based on the various geochemical tectonic setting discrimination diagrams,the Late Triassic sediments are inferred to have been deposited in a back-arc basin situated between an active continental margin(the Kunlun-Qinling Fold Belt) and a continental island arc(the Yidun Island Arc).The Triassic sediments in the study area underwent a rapid erosion and burial in a proximal slope-basin environment by the petrographic data. while the published flow directions of Triassic lurbidites in the Aba-Zoige region was not supported Yidun volcanic arc source.Therefore,we suggest that the Kunlun-Qinling tcrrane is most likely to have supplied source materials to the northeast part of the Songpan-Ganzi Basin during the Late Triassic.     

Facies analysis of the Trypali carbonate unit (Upper Triassic) in central-western Crete (Greece): an evaporite formation transformed into solution-collapse breccias

The Trypali carbonate unit (Upper Triassic), which crops out mainly in central‐western Crete, occurs between the parautochthonous series (Plattenkalk or Talea Ori‐Ida series, e.g. metamorphic Ionian series) and the Tripolis nappe (comprising the Tripolis carbonate series and including a basal Phyllite–Quartzite unit). It consists of interbedded dolomitic layers, represented principally by algally laminated peloidal mudstones, foraminiferal, peloidal and ooidal grainstones, as well as by fine‐grained detrital carbonate layers, in which coarse baroque dolomite crystals and dolomite nodules are dispersed. Baroque dolomite is present as pseudomorphs after evaporite crystals (nodules and rosettes), which grew penecontemporaneously by displacement and/or replacement of the host sediments (sabkha diagenesis). However, portions of the evaporites show evidence of resedimentation. Pre‐existing evaporites predominantly consisted of skeletal halite crystals that formed from fragmentation of pyramidal‐shaped hoppers, as well as of anhydrite nodules and rosettes (salt crusts). All microfacies are characteristic of peritidal depositional environments, such as sabkhas, tidal flats, shallow hypersaline lagoons, tidal bars and/or tidal channels. Along most horizons, the Trypali unit is strongly brecciated. These breccias are of solution‐collapse origin, forming after the removal of evaporite beds. Evaporite‐related diagenetic fabrics show that there was extensive dissolution and replacement of pre‐existing evaporites, which resulted in solution‐collapse of the carbonate beds. Evaporite replacement fabrics, including calcitized and silicified evaporite crystals, are present in cements in the carbonate breccias. Brecciation was a multistage process; it started in the Triassic, but was most active in the Tertiary, in association with uplift and ground‐water flow (telogenetic alteration). During late diagenesis, in zones of intense evaporite leaching and brecciation, solution‐collapse breccias were transformed to rauhwackes. The Trypali carbonate breccias (Trypali unit) are lithologically and texturally similar to the Triassic solution‐collapse breccias of the Ionian zone (continental Greece). The evaporites probably represent a major diapiric injection along the base of the parautochthonous series (metamorphic Ionian series) and also along the overthrust surface separating the parautochthonous series from the Tripolis nappe (Phyllite–Quartzite and Tripolis series). The injected evaporites were subsequently transformed into solution‐collapse breccias.     

天文事件与二叠纪末联合古陆解体

二叠纪末发生了全球规模的剧烈变化，这种变化表现为古地磁逆转、古气候改变、显生宙规模最大的海退、缺氧事件、火山活动、地球化学异常及地史上规模最大的生物集群灭绝。全球二叠纪／三叠纪界线附近陆续发现了陨星撞击抛射物(微球粒)和不同程度的Ir等地球化学异常，表明二叠纪末发生了陨星撞击地球的天文事件。联合古陆从三叠纪开始解体，联合古陆解体的过程实际上就是特提斯洋缩小直至消亡的过程，也就是特提斯洋周缘板块聚合的过程。陨星撞击点可能位于二叠纪末特提斯洋北部，最终导致了特提斯洋消亡及联合古陆解体。     

内乌肯菊石Neuqueniceras在西藏的发现及其由“始中央大西洋”向东的迁移

古生代末形成的联合古陆于中生代早期在其东部沿印度河—雅鲁藏布江一线再次分裂,形成了古陆东端新的特提斯洋;而在古陆西端的中部,大约是在中侏罗世的阿连期或早巴柔期,介于南美和北美大陆之间的中央大西洋扩张脊变得活动起来,导致联合古陆南、北向的分裂,在其开裂初期的前裂谷阶段,始中央大西洋以陆表海形式出现,构成了连接东太平洋和西特提斯洋生物群相互交流的海路通道。其水体的深度以及生物群的交流明显受全球海平面变化的制约,这在中侏罗世东太平洋安第斯生物区特有的生物群沿这条海路向特提斯扩散的幅度和范围上得到体现。安第斯生物区特有的菊石属——内乌肯菊石（Neuqueniceras）在我国西藏南部的首次发现表明,在中卡洛期海平面上升达到高峰期时,安第斯生物群沿始大西洋走廊向东迁移和扩散远达特提斯东端的藏南聂拉木地区。