Implications for Neoarchaean ocean chemistry from primary carbonate mineralogy of the Campbellrand-Malmani Platform, South Africa

The precipitation of calcite and aragonite as encrustations directly on the seafloor was an important platform‐building process during deposition of the 2560–2520 Ma Campbellrand‐Malmani carbonate platform, South Africa. Aragonite fans and fibrous coatings are common in unrestricted, shallow subtidal to intertidal facies. They are also present in restricted facies, but are absent from deep subtidal facies. Decimetre‐thick fibrous calcite encrustations are present to abundant in all depositional environments except the deepest slope and basinal facies. The proportion of the rock composed of carbonate that precipitated as encrustations or in primary voids ranges from 0% to > 65% depending on the facies. Subtidal facies commonly contain 20–35%in situ precipitated carbonate, demonstrating that Neoarchaean sea water was supersaturated with respect to aragonite, carbonate crystal growth rates were rapid compared with sediment influx rates, and the dynamics of carbonate precipitation were different from those in younger carbonate platforms. The abundance of aragonite pseudomorphs suggests that sea‐water pH was neutral to alkaline, whereas the paucity of micrite suggests the presence of inhibitors to calcite and aragonite nucleation in the mixed zone of the oceans.     

Facies and depositional settings of the Middle Eocene-Oligocene carbonates in Kutch

Middle Eocene Fulra Limestone and Oligocene Maniyara Fort Formation represent platform carbonate deposits of Kutch at the north-western margin of India. These carbonates contain larger benthic foraminifera, including Alveolina, Assilina, Discocyclina, Lepidocyclina, Miogypsina, Nummulites and Spiroclypeus. This study presents paleodepositional and paleobathymetric interpretations for both formations using benthic foraminifera in combination with lithological association, sedimentary structures and early diagenetic features. The six carbonate facies comprising the Fulra Limestone indicate a depositional spectrum ranging from bar-lagoon to mid-ramp depositional conditions. It records several shallowing upward cycles, leading to emergence and formation of paleokarst. The four carbonate facies of the Maniyara Fort Formation represents deposition within the inner ramp setting in bar-lagoon and patch-reef environment, while intervening fine siliciclastics correspond to episodes of relative sea level fall. Nummulitic accumulations form low-relief bars within the fair weather wave base in both the formations. The depositional setting of the Paleogene carbonate in Kutch broadly resembles Eocene platformal deposits in the circum-Tethys belt.     

Deep-water stratigraphic cyclicity and carbonate mud mound development in the Middle Cambrian Marjum Formation, House Range, Utah, USA

Abstract In mid‐Middle Cambrian time, shallow‐water sedimentation along the Cordilleran passive margin was abruptly interrupted by the development of the deep‐water House Range embayment across Nevada and Utah. The Marjum Formation (330 m) in the central House Range represents deposition in the deepest part of the embayment and is composed of five deep‐water facies: limestone–argillaceous limestone rhythmites; shale; thin carbonate mud mounds; bioturbated limestone; and cross‐bedded limestone. These facies are cyclically arranged into 1·5 to 30 m thick parasequences that include rhythmite–mound, rhythmite–shale, rhythmite–bioturbated limestone and rhythmite–cross‐bedded limestone parasequences. Using biostratigraphically constrained sediment accumulation rates, the parasequences range in duration from ≈14 to 270 kyr. The mud mounds are thin (<2 m), closely spaced, laterally linked, symmetrical domes composed of massive, fenestral, peloidal to clotted microspar with sparse unoriented, poorly sorted skeletal material, calcitized bacterial(?) filaments/tubes and abundant fenestrae and stroma‐ tactoid structures. These petrographic and sedimentological features suggest that the microspar, peloids/clots and syndepositional micritic cement were precipitated in situ from the activity of benthic microbial communities. Concentrated growth of the microbial communities occurred during periods of decreased input of fine detrital carbonate transported offshore from the adjacent shallow‐water carbonate platform. In the neighbouring Wah Wah Range and throughout the southern Great Basin, coeval mid‐Middle Cambrian shallow‐water carbonates are composed of abundant metre‐scale, upward‐shallowing parasequences that record high‐frequency (10⁴?10⁵ years) eustatic sea‐level changes. Given this regional stratigraphic relationship, the Marjum Formation parasequences probably formed in response to high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations that controlled the amount of detrital carbonate input into the deeper water embayment. During high‐frequency sea‐level rise and early highstand, detrital carbonate input into the embayment decreased as a result of carbonate factory retrogradation, resulting in the deposition of shale (base of rhythmite–shale parasequences) or thin nodular rhythmites, followed by in situ precipitated mud mounds (lower portion of rhythmite–mound parasequences). During the ensuing high‐frequency sea‐level fall/lowstand, detrital carbonate influx into the embayment increased on account of carbonate factory pro‐ gradation towards the embayment, resulting in deposition of rhythmites (upper part of rhythmite–mound parasequences), reworking of rhythmites by a lowered storm wave base (cross‐bedded limestone deposition) or bioturbation of rhythmites by a weakened/lowered O₂‐minimum zone (bioturbated lime‐ stone deposition). This interpreted sea‐level control on offshore carbonate sedimentation patterns is unique to Palaeozoic and earliest Mesozoic deep‐water sediments. After the evolution of calcareous plankton in the Jurassic, the presence or absence of deeper water carbonates was influenced by a variety of chemical and physical oceanographic factors, rather than just physical transport of carbonate muds.     

Facies Analysis and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation (Middle–Upper Jurassic) in the West of Boshrouyeh, East Central Iran

The study area is located in the east Tabas Block in Central Iran. Facies analysis of the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation (middle Callovian to late Oxfordian) was carried out on two stratigraphic sections and applied to depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy interpretation. This formation conformably overlies and underlies the marly-silty Baghamshah and the calcareous Esfandiar formations, respectively. Lateral and vertical facies changes documents low- to high energy environments, including tidal-flat, beach to intertidal, lagoon, barrier, and open-marine. According to these facies associations and absence of resedimentation deposits a depositional model of a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic ramp was proposed for the Qal’eh Dokhtar Formation. Seven third-order depositional sequences were identified in each two measured stratigraphic sections. Transgressive systems tracts (TSTs) show deepening upward trends, i.e. shallow water beach to intertidal and lagoonal facies, while highstand systems tracts (HST) show shallowing upward trends in which deep water facies are overlain by shallow water facies. All sequence boundaries (except at the base of the stratigraphic column) are of the no erosional (SB2) types. We conclude eustatic rather than tectonic factors played a dominant role in controlling carbonate depositional environments in the study area.     

Depositional systems and sequence stratigraphy analysis of the Upper Callovian to Tithonian sediments in the Central and Western Kopet‐Dagh Basin,Northeast Iran

Upper Callovian to Tithonian (late Jurassic) sediments represent an important hydrocarbon reservoir in the Kopet‐Dagh Basin, NE Iran. These deposits consist mainly of limestone, dolostone, and calcareous mudstone with subordinate siliciclastic interbeds. Detailed field surveys, lithofacies and facies analyses at three outcrop sections were used to investigate the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy of the Middle to Upper Jurassic interval in the central and western areas of the basin. Vertical and lateral facies changes, sedimentary fabrics and structures, and geometry of carbonate bodies resulted in recognition of various carbonate facies related to tidal flats, back‐barrier lagoon, shelf‐margin/shelf‐margin reef, slope and deep‐marine facies belts. These facies were accompanied by interbedded beach and deep marine siliciclastic petrofacies. Field surveys, facies analysis, parasequences stacking patterns, discontinuity surfaces, and geometries coupled with relative depth variation, led to the recognition of six third‐order depositional sequences. The depositional history of the study areas can be divided into two main phases. These indicate platform evolution from a rimmed‐shelf to a carbonate ramp during the late Callovian–Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian–Tithonian intervals, respectively. Significant lateral and vertical facies and thickness changes, and results obtained from regional correlation of the depositional sequences, can be attributed to the combined effect of antecedent topography and differential subsidence related to local tectonics. Moreover, sea‐level changes must be regarded as a major factor during the late Callovian–Tithonian interval. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Facies analysis and palaeoenvironmental interpretation of the Late Oligocene Attard Member (Lower Coralline Limestone Formation), Malta

The Oligocene represents a key interval during which coralline algae became dominant on carbonate ramps and luxuriant coral reefs emerged on a global scale. So far, few studies have considered the impact that these early reefs had on ramp development. Consequently, this study aimed at presenting a high‐resolution analysis of the Attard Member of the Lower Coralline Limestone Formation (Late Oligocene, Malta) in order to decipher the internal and external factors controlling the architecture of a typical Late Oligocene platform. Excellent exposures of the Lower Coralline Limestone Formation occurring along continuous outcrops adjacent to the Victoria Lines Fault reveal in detail the three‐dimensional distribution of the reef‐associated facies. A total of four sedimentary facies have been recognized and are grouped into two depositional environments that correspond to the inner and middle carbonate ramp. The inner ramp was characterized by a very high‐energy, shallow‐water setting, influenced by tide and wave processes. This setting passed downslope into an inner‐ramp depositional environment which was colonized by seagrass and interfingered with adjacent areas containing scattered corals. The middle ramp lithofacies were deposited in the oligophotic zone, the sediments being generated from combined in situ production and sediments swept from the shallower inner ramp by currents. Compositional characteristics and facies distributions of the Attard ramp are more similar to the Miocene ramps than to those of the Eocene. An important factor controlling this similarity may be the expansion of the seagrass colonization within the euphotic zone. This expansion may have commenced in the Late Oligocene and was associated with a concomitant reduction in the aerial extent of the larger benthonic foraminifera facies. Stacking‐pattern analysis shows that the depositional units (parasequences) at the study section are arranged into transgressive–regressive facies cycles. This cyclicity is superimposed on the overall regressive phase recorded by the Attard succession. Furthermore, a minor highstand (correlated with the Ru4/Ch1 sequence) and subsequent minor lowstand (Ch2 sequence) have been recognized. The biota assemblages of the Attard Member suggest that carbonate sedimentation took place in subtropical waters and oligotrophic to slightly mesotrophic conditions. The apparent low capacity of corals to form wave‐resistant reef structures is considered to have been a significant factor affecting substrate stability at this time. The resulting lack of resistant mid‐ramp reef frameworks left this zone exposed to wave and storm activity, thereby encouraging the widespread development of coralline algal associations dominated by rhodoliths.     

Depositional processes of the Zhushadong and Mantou formations (Early to Middle Cambrian), Shandong Province,China: roles of archipelago and mixed carbonate–siliciclastic sedimentation on cycle genesis during initial flooding of the North China Platform

To understand the depositional processes and environmental changes during the initial flooding of the North China Platform, this study focuses on the Lower to Middle Cambrian Zhushadong and Mantou formations in Shandong Province, China. The succession in the Jinan and Laiwu areas comprises mixed carbonate and siliciclastic deposits composed of limestone, dolostone, stromatolite, thrombolite, purple and grey mudstone, and sandstone. A detailed sedimentary facies analysis of seven well‐exposed sections suggests that five facies associations are the result of an intercalation of carbonate and siliciclastic depositional environments, including local alluvial fans, shallowing‐upward carbonate–siliciclastic peritidal cycles, oolite dominant shoals, shoreface and lagoonal environments. These facies associations successively show a transition from an initially inundated tide‐dominated carbonate platform to a wave‐dominated shallow marine environment. In particular, the peritidal sediments were deposited during a large number of depositional cycles. These sediments consist of lime mudstone, dolomite, stromatolite and purple and grey mudstones. These shallowing‐upward cycles generally resulted from carbonate production in response to an increase of accommodation during rising sea‐level. The carbonate production was, however, interrupted by frequent siliciclastic input from the adjacent emergent archipelago. The depositional cycles thus formed under the influence of both autogenetic changes, including sediment supply from the archipelago, and allogenic control of relative sea‐level rise in the carbonate factory. A low‐relief archipelago with an active tidal regime allowed the development of tide‐dominated siliciclastic and carbonate environments on the vast platform. Siliciclastic input to these tidal environments terminated when most of the archipelago became submerged due to a rapid rise in sea‐level. This study provides insights on how a vast Cambrian carbonate platform maintained synchronous sedimentation under a tidal regime, forming distinct cycles of mixed carbonates and siliciclastics as the system kept up with rising relative sea‐level during the early stage of basin development in the North China Platform.     

西藏改则热那错上三叠统日干配错组碳酸盐岩岩石学特征与沉积环境*

西藏改则县热那错东沟剖面上三叠统卡尼阶至瑞替阶日干配错组沉积了厚度较大的碳酸盐岩地层,其中化石丰富。在碳酸盐岩中识别出11种主要的岩石类型：灰泥灰岩﹑含生物碎屑灰泥灰岩、生物碎屑粒泥灰岩、生物碎屑泥粒灰岩、内碎屑泥粒灰岩、内碎屑颗粒灰岩、藻颗粒灰岩、多种类型鲕粒灰岩、单一类型鲕粒灰岩、球粒泥粒灰岩和生物礁灰岩。根据岩石特征及组合类型可划分为5种沉积相：陆源碎屑滨岸相、局限台地相、开阔台地相、台地边缘浅滩相和台地边缘礁相,它们共同构成了日干配错组4个有序的海侵—海退旋回,整体显现出海侵的相序结构。     

鞍本地区大孤山条带状铁建造含铁矿物和相分带特征及形成环境分析

鞍山-本溪条带状铁建造(Banded Iron Formation,简称BIF)位于华北克拉通东北缘,是世界上典型BIF之一,也是我国最重要的铁矿资源基地。大孤山位于鞍山地区南部矿带,为新太古代典型的Algoma型BIF,与华北克拉通其它大多数BIF相比,具有较低变质程度(绿片岩相-低角闪岩相)和较完整的沉积相分布特征。因此,通过大孤山BIF的研究有利于追踪Algoma型BIF的原生矿物组成及其后期成岩-变质过程,进而通过分析原生矿物形成的物理化学条件探讨古海洋环境。依据原生矿物共生组合及产出特征,可将大孤山BIF沉积相划分为氧化物相(30%)、硅酸盐相(50%)和碳酸盐相(20%)。氧化物相主要分布于主矿体南部,主要矿物组成为磁铁矿和石英;硅酸盐相分布于主矿体中部,主要矿物组成除了石英和磁铁矿之外,还有黑硬绿泥石、绿泥石、镁铁闪石等;碳酸盐相分布于矿体北部,主要矿物组成为菱铁矿、磁铁矿和石英等。本文通过大孤山BIF岩相学观察和含铁矿物化学成分研究,推测原生沉积物的组成为无定形硅胶、三价铁氢氧化物和富铝粘土碎屑,在经历了成岩和低级变质作用后转变为具不同相带的条带状铁建造。通过分析磁铁矿、菱铁矿和黑硬绿泥石等矿物在不同P_(O_2)-P_(CO_2)和pH-Eh条件下的共生相图可知,这些矿物均是在较低氧逸度、中到弱碱性环境下形成。综合考虑矿物成分、共生组合及受变质作用较弱等信息,本文推测制约原生矿物形成的控制因素主要是古海水氧化还原状态、酸碱度、CO_2含量和硫逸度。     

Internal anatomy of a mixed siliciclastic–carbonate platform: the Late Cenomanian–Mid Turonian at the southern margin of the Spanish Central System

The Late Cenomanian–Mid Turonian succession in central Spain is composed of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks deposited in a variety of coastal and marine shelf environments (alluvial plain–estuarine, lagoon, shoreface, offshore‐hemipelagic and carbonate ramp). Three depositional sequences (third order) are recognized: the Atienza, Patones and El Molar sequences. The Patones sequence contains five fourth‐order parasequence sets, while a single parasequence set is recognized in the Atienza and El Molar sequences. Systems tracts can be recognized both in the sequences and parasequence sets. The lowstand systems tracts (only recognized for Atienza and Patones sequences) are related to erosion and sequence boundary formation. Transgressive systems tracts are related to marine transgression and shoreface retreat. The highstand systems tracts are related to shoreface extension and progradation, and to carbonate production and ramp progradation. Sequences are bounded by erosion or emergence surfaces, whose locations are supported by mineralogical analyses and suggest source area reactivation probably due to a fall in relative sea‐level. Transgressive surfaces are subordinate erosion and/or omission surfaces with a landward facies shift, interpreted as parasequence set boundaries. The co‐existence of siliciclastic and carbonate sediments and environments occurred as facies mixing or as distinct facies belts along the basin. Mixed facies of coastal areas are composed of detrital quartz and clays derived from the hinterland, and dolomite probably derived from bioclastic material. Siliciclastic flux to coastal areas is highly variable, the maximum flux postdates relative sea‐level falls. Carbonate production in these areas may be constant, but the final content is a function of changing inputs in terrigenous sediments and carbonate content diminishes through a dilution effect. Carbonate ramps were detached from the coastal system and separated by a fringe of offshore, fine‐grained muds and silts as distinct facies belts. The growth of carbonate ramp deposits was related to the highstand systems tracts of the fourth‐order parasequence sets. During the growth of these ramps, some sediment starvation occurred basinwards. Progradation and retrogradation of the different belts occur simultaneously, suggesting a sea‐level control on sedimentation. In the study area, the co‐existence of carbonate and siliciclastic facies belts depended on the superimposition of different orders of relative sea‐level cycles, and occurred mainly when the second‐order, third‐order and fourth‐order cycles showed highstand conditions.     

下扬子盆地石炭纪的岩石学特征及沉积相

位于扬子板块东部的下扬子盆地，在石炭纪时，为被动大陆边缘的陆表海沉积，陆源碎屑来自于北边的胶南古陆和南边的江南古陆东延部分─—皖浙赣古陆。石炭系分为上、下两统。早石炭世，盆地南部宣城、广德等地主要发育碎屑岩，中部巢县、南京一带以及北部滨海、洪泽一带为碎屑岩和碳酸盐岩沉积。从南往北，金陵期从滨岸碎屑岩相→开阔海台地碳酸盐岩相→潮坪碳酸盐岩和碎屑岩相；高骊山期为滨岸平原沼泽碎屑岩相→浅海陆棚碎屑岩相→海岸萨布哈白云岩、石膏、碎屑岩相；和州期盆地南部隆起，中部到北部为礁及礁后泻湖一潮坪碳酸盐岩相→开阔海台地碳酸盐相。晚石炭世主要是碳酸盐沉积，黄龙期从滨岸石英砾岩相→潮坪白云岩相→开阔海台地碳酸盐岩相；船山期是黄龙期开阔海台地碳酸盐岩相的继续，以发育核形石生物碎屑颗粒岩为特征。整个盆地的岩相带均以ＮＥＥ—ＮＥ方向展布。     

Long-distance correlation between tectonic-controlled, isolated carbonate platforms by cyclostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy in the Devonian of South China

During the early Middle Devonian in South China, an extensive carbonate platform was broken up through extension to create a complex pattern of platforms, and interplatform basins. In Givetian and Frasnian carbonate successions, five depositional facies, including peritidal, restricted shallow subtidal, semi‐restricted subtidal, intermediate subtidal and deep subtidal facies, and 18 lithofacies units are recognized from measured sections on three isolated platforms. These deposits are arranged into metre‐scale, upward‐shallowing peritidal and subtidal cycles. Nine third‐order sequences are identified from changes in cycle stacking patterns, vertical facies changes and the stratigraphic distribution of subaerial exposure indicators. These sequences mostly consist of a lower transgressive part and an upper regressive part. Transgressive packages are dominated by thicker‐than‐average subtidal cycles, and regressive packages by thinner‐than‐average peritidal cycles. Sequence boundaries are transitional zones composed of stacked, high‐frequency, thinner‐than‐average cycles with upward‐increasing intensity of subaerial exposure, rather than individual, laterally traceable surfaces. These sequences can be further grouped into catch‐up and keep‐up sequence sets from the long‐term (second‐order) changes in accommodation and vertical facies changes. Catch‐up sequences are characterized by relatively thick cycle packages with a high percentage of intermediate to shallow subtidal facies, and even deep subtidal facies locally within some individual sequences, recording long‐term accommodation gain. Keep‐up sequences are characterized by relatively thin cycle packages with a high percentage of peritidal facies within sequences, recording long‐term accommodation loss. Correlation of long‐term accommodation changes expressed by Fischer plots reveals that during the late Givetian to early Frasnian increased accommodation loss on platforms coincided with increased accommodation gain in interplatform basins. This suggests that movement on faults resulted in the relative uplift of platforms and subsidence of interplatform basins. In the early Frasnian, extensive siliceous deposits in most interplatform basins and megabreccias at basin margins correspond to exposure disconformities on platforms.     

Palaeokarst development in a lower Frasnian (Devonian) platform succession,Canning Basin,northwestern Australia

Recognition of palaeokarst in the oldest exposed Devonian (Givetian ‐ lower Frasnian) platform successions of the Canning Basin reef complexes has eluded investigators for over forty years. The first evidence for palaeokarst, developed on microbial mud‐mounds in a single stratigraphic horizon, is documented and records an episode of exposure during early carbonate platform development. Surface palaeokarst features are scalloped surfaces, solution pits and a pipe, underlain by fenestral limestone with sediment‐filled fossil moulds and vugs. The platform succession has variably developed metre‐scale cycles which are composed predominantly of shallowing‐upward subtidal facies, with some cycles having fenestral peloidal mudstone caps. Changes in facies type and stratigraphic arrangement up the succession define two deepening‐upward units (～70 and 180 m thick), with the palaeokarst surface representing emergence following rapid shallowing at the top of the lower unit. The stratigraphic position of the palaeokarst between these two units suggests it may represent a sequence boundary. This may have been caused by a low‐magnitude eustatic fall or footwall‐uplift event superimposed on a rapidly subsiding basin margin.     

Relationship of diagenetic chlorite rims to depositional facies in Lower Cretaceous reservoir sandstones of the Scotian Basin

The relationship between diagenetic chlorite rims and depositional facies in deltaic strata of the Lower Cretaceous Missisauga Formation was investigated using a combination of electron microprobe, bulk geochemistry and X‐ray diffraction data. The succession studied comprises several stacked parasequences. The delta progradational facies association includes: (i) fluvial or distributary channel sandstones (some with tidal influence); (ii) thick‐bedded delta‐front graded beds of sandstone interpreted as resulting from fluvial hyperpycnal flow during floods and storms; and (iii) more distal muddier delta‐front and prodeltaic facies. The transgressive facies association includes lag conglomerate, siderite‐cemented muddy sandstone and mudstone, and bioclastic sandy limestone. Chlorite rims are absent in the fluvial facies and best developed in thick sandstones lacking mudstone baffles. Good quality chlorite rims are well correlated with Ti in bulk geochemistry. Ti is a proxy for Fe availability, principally from the breakdown of abundant detrital ilmenite (FeTiO₃). Under conditions of sea floor diagenesis, the abrupt decrease in sedimentation rate at transgressive surfaces caused progressive shallowing of the sulphate‐depletion level and of the overlying Eh‐controlled diagenetic zones, resulting in conditions suitable for diagenetic formation of berthierine to migrate upwards through the packet of reservoir sandstones. This early diagenetic berthierine suppressed silica cementation and later recrystallized to chlorite. Thick euhedral outer chlorite rims were precipitated from formation water in sandstone lacking muddy baffles on this chlorite substrate and inhibited late carbonate cementation. This study thus shows that the preservation of porosity by chlorite rims is a two‐stage process. Rapidly deposited delta‐front turbidite facies create early diagenetic conditions that eventually lead to the formation of chlorite rims, but the best quality chlorite rims are restricted to sandstones with high permeability during burial diagenesis.     

Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological change on the northern Tethyan carbonate platform during the Late Barremian to earliest Aptian

A major shift from Urgonian oligotrophic carbonate accumulation to orbitolinid‐rich mixed siliciclastic–carbonate deposition is observed near the Barremian–Aptian boundary in many sections both within and outside the shallow‐marine Tethyan Realm. This important facies change in the Swiss Helvetic Alps is documented here and interpreted in the context of general palaeoenvironmental change. To achieve this, a detailed micropalaeontological, sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical study has been carried out on six sections across the upper part of the lower Schrattenkalk Member (Late Barremian), the Rawil Member (formerly ‘Lower Orbitolina Beds’, earliest Aptian) and the lowermost part of the upper Schrattenkalk Member (Early Aptian). The sediments of the Rawil Member exhibit inner‐platform facies with rudists, miliolids, orbitolinids and dasycladals to outer‐platform facies characterized by small benthic foraminifera, orbitolinids, crinoids and bryozoans. Stratigraphic trends in microfacies environments and the composition of microfossil assemblages, indicate that the Rawil Member includes a transgressive systems tract and the base of a highstand systems tract which are composed of an increasing number of parasequences in distal directions (five to nine in the sections studied here). The sea‐level rise discerned in the Rawil Member is coeval with increased detrital input and phosphorus burial, with maximum values up to 80 times and 21 times the background values in the subjacent part of the lower Schrattenkalk Member, respectively. Furthermore, the Rawil Member records the appearance of kaolinite, indicating a change towards tropical and more humid climate conditions. This change may have led to an increase in continental weathering rates and an associated increase in detrital and nutrient fluxes towards the ocean. The phase of climate change observed near the Barremian–Aptian boundary may have been triggered by a phase of intensified volcanic activity linked with the onset of the Ontong Java large igneous province and the Rawil Member may be the expression of a precursor episode to Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a in the shallow‐marine environment.     

Diagenetic controls on the isotopic composition of carbonate‐associated sulphate in the Permian Capitan Reef Complex,West Texas

Late Palaeozoic‐age strata from the Capitan Reef in west Texas show facies‐dependent heterogeneity in the sulphur isotopic composition of carbonate‐associated sulphate, which is trace sulphate incorporated into carbonate minerals that is often used to reconstruct the sulphur isotopic composition of ancient seawater. However, diagenetic pore fluid processes may influence the sulphur isotopic composition of carbonate‐associated sulphate. These processes variously modify the sulphur isotopic composition of incorporated sulphate from syndepositional seawater in shelf crest, outer shelf, shelf margin and slope depositional settings. This study used a new multicollector inductively‐coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique to determine the sulphur isotopic composition of samples of individual depositional and diagenetic textures. Carbonate rocks representing peritidal facies in the Yates and Tansill formations preserve the sulphur isotopic composition of Guadalupian seawater sulphate despite alteration of the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions by meteoric and dolomitizing diagenetic processes. However, sulphur isotopic data indicate that limestones deposited in reef and slope facies in the Capitan and Bell Canyon formations largely incorporate sulphate from anoxic marine‐phreatic pore fluids isotopically modified from seawater by microbial sulphate reduction, despite generally preserving the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of Permian seawater. Some early and all late meteoric calcite cements have carbonate‐associated sulphate with a sulphur isotopic composition distinct from that of Permian seawater. Detailed petrographic and sedimentary context for carbonate‐associated sulphate analyses will allow for improved reconstructions of ancient seawater composition and diagenetic conditions in ancient carbonate platforms. The results of this study indicate that carbonate rocks that diagenetically stabilize in high‐energy environments without pore fluid sulphate gradients can provide a robust archive of ancient seawater's sulphur isotopic composition.     

贵州中三叠世生物礁

贵州中三叠世生物礁,早在六十年代中期,殷鸿福、杨遵仪就已提出线索。作者在六十年代初研究贵州三叠纪地层时,已对三叠系相变带的特征和规模,以及板庚碳酸盐岩体有了初步认识。七十年代初,作者又到花江进行调查,发现一套壮观的藻礁灰岩。     

Progradational Holocene carbonate tidal flats of Crooked Island,south‐east Bahamas: An alternative to the humid channelled belt model

The stratigraphic record of many cratonic carbonate sequences includes thick successions of stacked peritidal deposits. Representing accumulation at or near sea‐level, these deposits have provided insights into past palaeoenvironments, sea‐level and climate change. To expand understanding of carbonate peritidal systems, this study describes the geomorphology, sedimentology and stratigraphy of the tidal flats on the Crooked‐Acklins Platform, south‐east Bahamas. The Crooked Island tidal flats extend continuously for ca 18 km on the platformward flank of Crooked Island, reaching up to 2 km across. Tidal flats include four environmental zones with specific faunal and floral associations and depositional characteristics: (i) supratidal (continuous supratidal crust and pavement); (ii) upper intertidal, with the mangrove Avicennia germinans and the cyanobacteria Scytonema; (iii) lower intertidal (with the mangrove Rhizophora mangal) and (iv) non‐vegetated, heavily burrowed subtidal (submarine). These zones have gradational boundaries but follow shore‐parallel belts. Coring reveals that the thickness of this mud‐dominated sediment package generally is <2 m, with depth to Pleistocene bedrock gradually shallowing landward. The facies succession under much of the tidal flat includes a basal compacted, organic‐rich skeletal‐lithoclast lag above the bedrock contact (suggesting initial flooding). This unit grades upward into rhizoturbated skeletal sandy mud (subtidal) overlain by coarsening‐upward peloid‐foraminifera‐gastropod muddy sand (reflecting shallowing to intertidal elevations). Cores from landward positions include stacked thin indurated layers with autoclastic breccia, root tubules and fenestrae (interpreted as supratidal conditions). Collectively, the data reveal an offlapping pattern on this prograding low‐energy shoreline, and these Holocene tidal flats may represent an actualistic analogue for ancient humid progradational tidal flats. Nonetheless, their vertical facies succession is akin to that present beneath channelled belt examples, suggesting that facies successions alone may not provide unambiguous criteria for prediction of the palaeogeomorphology, lateral facies changes and heterogeneity in stratigraphic analogues.     

Stratal architecture and platform evolution of an early Frasnian syn‐tectonic carbonate platform,Canning Basin,Australia

Facies architecture and platform evolution of an early Frasnian reef complex in the northern Canning Basin of north‐western Australia were strongly controlled by syn‐depositional faulting during a phase of basin extension. The margin‐attached Hull platform developed on a fault block of Precambrian basement with accommodation largely generated by movement along the Mount Elma Fault Zone. Recognition of major subaerial exposure and flooding surfaces in the Hull platform (from outcrop and drillcore) has enabled comparison of facies associations within a temporal framework and led to identification of three stages of platform evolution. Stage 1 records initial ramp development on the hangingwall dip slope with predominantly deep subtidal conditions that prevented any cyclic facies arrangements. This stage is characterised by basal siliciclastic deposits and a major deepening‐upward facies pattern that is capped by a sequence boundary towards the footwall (north‐west) and a major flooding surface towards the hangingwall. Stage 2 reflects the bulk of platform aggradation, significant platform growth towards the hangingwall and the development of reef margins and cyclic facies arrangements. Thickening of this stage towards the hangingwall indicates that accommodation was generated by rotation of the fault block and overlying platform. Stage 3 records a major flooding and backstep of the platform margin. The Hull platform illustrates important elements of margin‐attached carbonate platforms in a half‐graben setting, including: (i) prominent, but limited, coarse siliciclastic input that does not have a major detrimental effect on carbonate production near the rift margin in arid to semi‐arid settings; (ii) wedge‐shaped accommodation created by syn‐depositional rotation of fault blocks and tilting of the hangingwall dip slope, resulting in shallow‐water facies and subaerial exposure up‐dip of the rotational axis and deeper water facies down‐dip; and (iii) evolution of a ramp to rimmed shelf, coincident with a sequence boundary–flooding surface, that is accelerated by tilting of the hangingwall dip slope during fault‐block rotation.     

Stratigraphic evolution of the nearshore to fluvial plain of the Upper Cuyo Group,Neuquén,Argentina

The upper portion of the Cuyo Group in the Zapala region, south‐eastern Neuquén Basin (Western Argentina), encompasses marine and transitional deposits (Lajas Formation) overlain by alluvial rocks (Challacó Formation). The Challacó Formation is covered by the Mendoza Group above a second‐order sequence boundary. The present study presents the stratigraphic framework and palaeophysiographic evolution of this Bajocian to Eo‐Calovian interval. The studied succession comprises the following genetic facies associations: (i) offshore and lower shoreface–offshore transition; (ii) lower shoreface; (iii) upper shoreface; iv) intertidal–subtidal; (v) supratidal–intertidal; (vi) braided fluvial to delta plain; (vii) meandering river; and (viii) braided river. The stratigraphic framework embraces four third‐order depositional sequences (C1 to C4) whose boundaries are characterized by the abrupt superposition of proximal over distal facies associations. Sequences C1 to C3 comprise mostly littoral deposits and display well‐defined, small‐scale transgressive–regressive cycles associated with fourth‐order depositional sequences. Such high‐frequency cycles are usually bounded by ravinement surfaces associated with transgressive lags. At last, the depositional sequence C4 delineates an important tectonic reorganization probably associated with an uplift of the Huincul Ridge. This is suggested by an inversion of the transport trend, north‐westward during the deposition of C1 to C3 depositional sequences (Lajas Formation) to a south‐west trend during the deposition of the braided fluvial strata related to the C4 depositional sequence (Challacó Formation).