中国南方海、陆相白垩系研究进展

自21世纪以来,中国南方海、陆相白垩系研究有显著进展。依据我国南方大地构造环境和白垩系发育特点,将其白垩系划分为5个地层区和8个地层分区;文中在分析全球年代与生物地层研究进展的基础上,对我国南方海、陆相白垩纪年代地层划分、底界界线层型及陆相白垩系上/下统的界线作了扼要介绍,并指出我国西南特提斯区海相侏罗系/白垩系界线研究已接近国际水平。     

南海东北部中生界岩石学特征及沉积环境

南海东北部潮汕坳陷发现中—晚侏罗世到白垩纪的海相中生代地层,由泥岩、砂岩、放射虫硅质岩夹鲕粒灰岩及火山岩构成。岩石组合及沉积特征反映出,从中-晚侏罗世到白垩纪沉积水深经历了由浅到深,然后又转为陆地的一个完整旋回,沉积环境则经历了由滨浅海相到深海相,又到滨海过渡相和陆相河湖体系的演变过程,在深海相与滨海陆地过渡相之间存在一个明显的环境突变,为沉积环境缺失所致。与深海相放射虫硅质岩相伴,则夹有玄武岩（细碧岩）层。沉积反应的气候条件从中-晚侏罗世-早白垩世的温暖湿润气候环境过渡到晚白垩世的炎热干旱气候环境。这套海相中生代地层的存在对解释南海北部中生代大地构造演化以及古特提斯洋和太平洋的关系具有重要意义。     

克拉美丽山南缘西段盆山耦合机制

克拉美丽山位于准噶尔盆地东部,晚古生代克拉美丽洋盆向北俯冲消亡,西伯利亚板块与准噶尔地块在该地区发生碰撞造山。目前,就石炭纪之后克拉美丽山的构造活动存在持续挤压、拉分、伸展、挤压-伸展转换多种观点,构造样式也各不相同。本文应用断层相关褶皱理论,从盆山过渡带现今构造样式入手来探讨克拉美丽山南缘西段盆山耦合机制。研究结果表明,克拉美丽山西段在石炭纪之后经历了中二叠世早期、早三叠世早期、晚三叠世末期、晚侏罗世-早白垩世、晚白垩世早期和古新世末期6 次构造隆升。前4 期相对稳定沉积,晚白垩世早期,晚古生代地层沿着下二叠统底部的泥岩层滑脱面以叠瓦状构造楔样式向南楔入,构造缩短量大于15 km,现今盆山构造样式初步形成。始新世构造楔遭受后期突破断层改造。始新世后,克拉美丽山大规模的构造活动基本停止,地层遭受剥蚀最终形成现今地质结构。     

西秦岭晚白垩世原型盆地——新生代青藏高原隆起的背景

青藏高原是新生代隆升的构造地貌。本文试图通过对青藏高原东北缘的西秦岭上白垩统的研究,揭示新生代青藏高原隆升之前的晚白垩世原型盆地和构造地貌背景,这对探索青藏高原隆起过程的起始至关重要。西秦岭腹地岷县地区分布着一套角度不整合于下伏不同时代地层之上且沉积序列相近的上白垩统红层地层。该套红层现今呈离散分布,故多被认为是西秦岭陆内造山阶段不同山间盆地或走滑拉分盆地的沉积物。对不同高程和露头上的该套红层与下伏地层之间角度不整合面地质特征对比分析,特别是对不整合面之上含砾砂岩和砂岩的粒度组成和颗粒的显微结构研究表明,该套红层底部的胶结砂砾岩和其上的红色砂岩皆具有沙漠沉积的特征,也就是说西秦岭晚白垩世曾出现过干旱沙漠环境。沙漠环境的出现不仅需要干旱炎热气候条件,而且需要相对平坦的地形地貌空间条件。据此,本文提出了西秦岭在晚白垩世可能处于相对平缓的古地貌状态。现今这套红层不连续分布在相对平坦的山顶面,其下部以洪积砾岩、河床砾岩和砂岩、沙漠相砂岩互层,上部则以河一湖相红色泥岩、粉砂岩和细砂岩等细碎屑沉积为主。经研究分析认为西秦岭在上白垩统红层开始沉积之时,总体已处于地形起伏不大的洪积平原和宽谷型河流地貌,而晚期则演变为平坦湖盆地貌,其原始盆地为统一宽缓的湖相盆地。现今上白垩统红层地层和角度不整合的弥散性分布是在印度板块-欧亚板块碰撞汇聚的动力学背景下,青藏高原崛起和逆冲-走滑作用以及地壳不均匀抬升-侵蚀的结果。西秦岭晚白垩世相对平坦的古地貌状态确定可为研究西秦岭中新生代陆内构造过程和高原隆升与板内变形在东北缘的扩展提供重要线索和参考标志。     

西昆仑山前地区白垩系分布研究

白垩系是西昆仑山前地区最重要的储层,受区域构造演化控制,其岩性与分布在纵、横向上均发生变化。下白垩统为冲积扇辫状河相沉积的红色砾岩、砂岩夹泥岩;上白垩统英吉沙群在研究区西部为一套海相碳酸盐岩地层。白垩系在喀什凹陷最厚,往西、往东、往北均逐渐变薄,并发生相变与尖灭,控制储层发育。本文在研究区域首次通过地震相研究,根据白垩系反射特征精细追踪对比其层位,确定尖灭位置,进而确定白垩系分布范围。研究认为,地震相能在区域上宏观地反映白垩系的沉积特征与分布范围,进而指导油气勘探,具有很重要的现实意义。     

天山及邻区燕山期构造岩浆事件

天山及邻区中生代以来发育多个不整合面,其中下白垩统底部的不整合面规模最大,是一个贯穿全区的区域性不整合面。对中新生代沉积地层的碎屑锆石年代学研究和源区分析发现,碎屑物中含有大量晚中生代岩浆岩锆石,说明该地区存在一定规模的同时期岩浆活动。本研究认为,上述晚中生代的构造岩浆事件是燕山运动在天山及邻区的具体表现。早白垩世地层超覆不整合在不同时代的前白垩纪地层之上,不整合面以下的地层发育程度、剥蚀程度和构造变形强度在不同地区表现不同。在现今的天山山脉内部,下白垩统直接覆盖在中侏罗统头屯河组之上,上侏罗统齐古组和喀拉扎组整体缺失。在天山南北两侧的塔里木盆地、准噶尔盆地和吐哈盆地,上侏罗统局部发育,范围远小于中下侏罗统。进一步研究发现,盆地中的上侏罗统通常作为生长地层发育在晚中生代形成的褶皱古隆起翼部,依据上侏罗统齐古组中、下部凝灰岩层锆石U-Pb年代学数据和生物地层学资料,将燕山运动在天山及邻区的启动时间限定在160Ma左右。天山及邻区燕山期的构造变形具有多个方向,推测与中侏罗世晚期以来拉萨地块与亚洲南部边缘的碰撞、蒙古-鄂霍茨克洋的碰撞闭合以及俄罗斯东北部的Kolyma-Omolon地块与西伯利亚克拉通之间陆陆碰撞等构造事件的叠加影响有关,这也是晚中生代东亚多板块汇聚在天山及邻区的具体体现。     

Distribution characteristics and paleo-climatic significance of continental climate-sensitive sediments in the Late Cretaceous in China

The Cretaceous is a typical period for studying the greenhouse climate and the earth system interactions, and the world's most extensive terrestrial strata are mainly in East Asia, especially in China. Continental sediments can effectively reflect the paleo-climate change, but the previous studies of the Late Cretaceous paleo-climate, based on the combined characteristics of continental climate-sensitive sediments, were barely found in China. To obtain the Late Cretaceous paleo-climate characteristics of China, the distribution characteristics of different continental climate-sensitive sediment types in the early, middle and Late Cretaceous in China were studied in detail. According to the distribution and combination characteristics and types of continental climate-sensitive sediments, seven climate types can be divided: 1) warm-humid and warm-dry climate; 2) hot and dry climate; 3) hot-dry and arid climate; 4) hot-dry and semiarid climate; 5) hot-dry and hot-wet climate; 6) hot-dry and warm-humid climate; 7) hot-dry and warm-dry climate. The results show that in the early Late Cretaceous, the hot and dry climate was the most widespread, followed by warm-humid and warm-dry climate, but the climate was drier than the paleo-climate of the previous study of Early Cretaceous. Hot and dry climate zone became wider in the Coniacian and Maastrichtian; furthermore, it covered Xinjiang to the east of China from east to west after the Santonian Period. The hot-dry and semiarid climate zone was nearly latitudinally distributed from the northwest to the southeast and it shows a further increase in aridification. Global geological events, paleogeographic features and regional tectonic evolution had significant impacts on the paleoclimate of China in the Late Cretaceous, such as global eruptive events of volcanoes led to the temperature increase in China in the early Late Cretaceous; coastal mountain ranges in southeastern China led to the drying of the Late Cretaceous climate in southern China; Xuefeng Mountains, Wuling Mountains, Nanling Mountains and Tai-hang Mountains were the dividing line between the hot and dry climate zone and hot-dry and arid climate zone in the early Late Cretaceous, and Altun Mountains were the dividing line between the southeastern section of the hot and dry climate zone in western China in the middle Late Cretaceous.     

北羌塘盆地晚中生代地层:早白垩世海相地层的发现

针对羌塘盆地是否存在早白垩世海相沉积,以那底岗日地区主干剖面为依托,结合胜利河、托纳木、长蛇山等已初步判断为早白垩世的油页岩剖面为辅助剖面,采用古生物化石定年和同位素定年相结合的研究方法,对胜利河-托纳木地区原初步定为晚侏罗世-早白垩世的海相地层时代作了进一步研究,结果表明,其时代为早白垩世。这些海相地层在胜利河-托纳木地区广泛分布,但岩性组合存在一定的差异,在胜利河-长蛇山地区为油页岩,厚度最大,向东逐渐变薄,过渡为页岩沉积,向西过渡为灰岩沉积。区域上该套地层对下伏油气藏的保存具有重要意义。     

祁连山北缘早白垩世榆木山逆冲推覆构造与油气远景

榆木山地处祁连山北缘与河西走廊南缘的盆山结合带,是青藏高原北缘高原隆升与扩展的关键构造带。野外地质调查与构造填图发现,祁连山北缘的榆木山地区发育大型逆冲推覆构造,逆冲推覆构造之下是被掩埋的、褶皱了的早白垩世早期沉积地层,并被随后的走滑断裂活动和走滑双重构造所改造。深地震反射和大地电磁剖面测量与解释的初步结果,验证了祁连山北缘断裂以北发育的逆冲推覆构造,榆木山北缘山系构成飞来峰构造,将早白垩世酒泉盆地的一个分支掩盖在前中生代地层之下。构造关系分析给出主期逆冲推覆作用的时限大致为早白垩世早期,反映了在新生代印度—亚洲碰撞之前存在一期强烈的晚中生代构造挤压事件。逆冲推覆构造之下发现白垩纪盆地油气显示,扩展了该地区油气前景。     

福建晚中生代兜岭群时代与区域地层对比

中国东部晚中生代广布的陆相火山盆地沉积,由于海相生物化石的匮乏造成与层型地区对比的困难,长期以来该地层时代仅笼统被认为属于晚侏罗世-早白垩世。通过岩石组合、构造层和沉积构造环境的综合对比,确立闽西地区的兜岭群与闽东地区南园群、浙西建德群可以对比,构造不整合面代表区域上由挤压向拉张构造背景转化的相对等时界面。兜岭群的植物群Cupressinocladus --Brachyphyllum 组合可能与北方的Ruffordia --Onychiopsis 植物组合大体相当,叶肢介、介形类、腹足类和双壳类等化石与浙江早白垩世建德生物群、北方的热河生物群均可以对比,时代应为早白垩世欧特里夫期-阿普特期。     

南海北部白垩纪—渐新世早期沉积环境演变及构造控制*

南海北部珠江口—琼东南盆地白垩系—下渐新统记录了华南大陆边缘从主动陆缘向被动陆缘的转换过程。基于盆地构造-地层、单井相、地震相等特征的综合分析,结合南海中南部的沉积环境和区域构造演化,探讨南海北部白垩纪—渐新世早期的沉积环境演变及构造控制背景。研究发现: (1)南海北部白垩系广泛分布,古新统分布极为有限; 始新世早-中期,琼东南盆地只在部分凹陷深部发育了小规模的滨浅湖相和扇三角洲相沉积,珠江口盆地白云凹陷以大规模发育的湖泊相为特征; 始新世晚期—渐新世早期,琼东南盆地和珠江口盆地白云凹陷都受到海侵作用的影响,以海岸平原相和滨浅海相为主。 (2)构造演变包括5期:包括白垩纪安第斯型大陆边缘的“弧—盆”体系发育期,古新世区域隆升剥蚀山间盆地发育期,始新世早-中期裂陷发育,始新世晚期—渐新世早期陆缘破裂期,渐新世晚期东部海盆稳定扩张期。最后,探讨了南海盆地中生代末/新生代初的动力学转换过程及特征。     

中国东北地区东部白垩纪植物群及地层新知

中国东北地区东部白垩纪陆相地层发育,富含动、植物化石,并形成了重要的煤及油页岩等矿产.这里还保存了我国除西藏外唯一的早白垩世最早期海相地层的记录,对研究我国白垩纪古地理具有重要意义.近年来,这一地区在白垩纪地层古生物研究中有许多新发现,其中有些新发现还填补了东北地区某些地层"空白".本文简要介绍上述新发现并对这一地区晚白垩世植物群与以恐龙为代表的动物群的协同演化做初步探讨.     

The Cretaceous System in China

This paper provides an outline of Cretaceous stratigraphy and paleogeography in China, which is based on rich data obtained from recent researches. Cretaceous deposits are widespread in China. Most strata are of nonmarine origin and marine sediments occur only in Tibet, western Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, Taiwan and limited localities of eastern Heilongjiang. All deposits are rich in fossils and well-constrained biostratigraphically. The stratigraphic successions of different regions are illustrated, and general stratigraphic division and correlation have been introduced. The marine deposits are described in the Tibetan Tethys, Kashi-Hotan Region of Xinjiang, eastern Heilongjiang, western Yunnan and Taiwan; the nonmarine deposits are outlined from northeast China, southeast China, southern interior China, southwest China, the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia region, and northwestern China intermontane basins. The sedimentary facies and paleogeography are diversified. In Tibet the basin evolution is largely related to the subduction and collision of the Indian Plate against the Eurasian Continent, and shows a tectonic evolution in the Cretaceous. Foraminifera are a dominant biota in the Tibet Tethys. Nonmarine sediments include variegated and red beds, coal- or salt-bearing horizons, and volcanic rocks. These deposits contain diverse and abundant continental faunas and floras, as well as important coal and oil resources. The Cretaceous stratigraphy and paleogeography in China have presented a foundation for geological studies.     

下扬子独立地块与中生代改造型残留盆地

下扬子地块在古纬度、火山岩和花岗岩时空发育、区域成矿专属性、沉积建造和构造变形等方面具独特性,与扬子地块有显著差异,是一个晚古生代——中生代早期的独立地块。受燕山期苏鲁板间造山作用影响,下扬子地块直至燕山中期才“楔入”在印支期已拼合的扬子与华北地块,从而演化成独特的下扬子改造型残留叠合盆地。这种改造型叠合盆地的基本特点是:晚印支-早燕山同造山期前陆盆地沉积层和上叠的中燕山期陆相沉积层遭受大量剥蚀,并与古生-中生界海相沉积层一起被卷入强烈的多期次的燕山造山运动,晚白垩世——古近纪又强烈反转成为断陷盆地,形成鲜明的上部地壳的双层结构。这是造成下扬子地区海相古生-中生界油气地质勘探高复杂性、高难度性和高风险性的根本原因,也造就了下扬子区海相烃源岩的二次生烃和晚期成藏的优势。     

非海相白垩系年代学和对比

从1800年代初最早确定的白垩系定义起,白垩系就包括了海相和非海相白垩纪的地层和化石。白垩纪是一个全球性气候温暖、海平面高、构造和火山活动强烈的世界。此时,多块大陆分解,几乎所有海洋都已打开,形成了与现代相近的海陆分布的地理图案。这一变革导致了全球生物群的区域化,给全球对比带来了困难。白垩纪的全球年代地层表是主要依据菊石和微体生物(有孔虫和钙质超微浮游生物)化石,并与已完整建立的全球极性倒转年表和很多放射性同位素年龄相结合的产物。从孢粉到恐龙等各类非海相化石均已用于白垩纪生物地层学。此期专刊的特色是聚焦于区域或全球的孢粉(包括沟鞭藻)、大植物、甲壳类(包括叶肢介和介形类)、软体动物(包括腹足类和双壳类)和脊椎动物(包括硬躯体和足印)非海相白垩纪生物地层学和生物年代学。这些研究大大扩展了非海相白垩系对比的内容,并强调了将能取得更多进展的研究方向。非海相地层和化石群中直接夹有海相地层和化石的剖面/地区的非海相生物地层学更精确的研究,高分辨率的微体化石,特别是既出现于非海相又见于海相地层中的微体化石的微体生物地层学的进展,更多的直接与非海相生物地层学相关的放射性同位素和古地磁年龄的测试,非海相地层的高分辨率层序和旋回地层学分析及与非海相生物地层学对比的化学地层学的发展等,均将促进全球非海相白垩纪地层时代和对比,甚至以国际地质时标为准绳的全球非海相白垩纪地层对比框架表的建立。     

A New Understanding of the Sedimentary Environment of the Laiyang Group in the Lower Cretaceous of Lingshan Island, Shandong Province, East China

The sedimentary background and sedimentary environment of the Lower Cretaceous of Lingshan Island, Shandong, remain unclear. There is considerable controversy as to whether the sedimentary environment was marine or continental. In this study, analyses were conducted with respect to indicators of paleosalinity, the chemical composition of clay, paleobiota, the characteristics of strata exhibiting salinization in eastern China during the Early Cretaceous, and the relationship between paleosalinity and paleoclimate. The results indicate that the sedimentary environment of the Lower Cretaceous Laiyang Group of Lingshan Island was that of a salified lake rather than a marine environment. This study not only provides a reference for determining the sedimentary environment of the Lower Cretaceous Laiyang Group of Lingshan Island but also offers a new perspective for the study of Cretaceous strata with salinization characteristics in eastern China.     

Tectonics versus eustatic control on supersequences of the Zagros Mountains of Iran

At least 12 km of strata ranging in age from the latest Precambrian to the Recent are exposed in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. This sedimentary cover is characterized by distinct stratal packages separated by major unconformities forming twelve supersequences. They are informally named as: (1) Late Precambrian – Cambrian Hakhamanesh Supersequence, (2) Ordovician Kourosh Supersequence, (3) Silurian Camboojiyeh Supersequence, (4) Devonian Darioush Supersequence, (5) Mississippian – Pennsylvanian Khashayar Supersequence, (6) Permian – Triassic Ashk Supersequence, (7) Jurassic Farhad Supersequence, (8) Early Cretaceous Mehrdad Supersequence, (9) Late Cretaceous Ardavan Supersequence, (10) Paleocene – Oligocene Sassan Supersequence, (11) Oligocene – Miocene Ardeshir Supersequence, and (12) Miocene – Pleistocene Shapour Supersequence. These supersequences and their correlatives in neighboring areas have been used to infer tectonic events. The dominant interpretation has been that local or regional epeirogenic movements were responsible for the formation of these supersequences. Unconformities are considered as indications that epeirogenic movements associated with tectonic events affected the area. The present investigation provides an alternative to the established view of the Phanerozoic supersequences of the Zagros Mountains.

A good correlation exists between the lithofacies of supersequences in the Zagros Mountains and the second-order eustatic sea-level changes. Deposition of deep-water, marine shales occurred during periods of eustatic sea-level rise. Platform-wide unconformities coincided with eustatic sea-level lows. In fact, supersequences of the Zagros Mountains are nearly identical to those described from the North American Craton and the Russian Platform suggesting that these stratal packages are global. These observations suggest that supersequences of the Zagros Mountains formed by second order eustatic sea-level changes and not by local or regional epeirogenic movements.

Although tectonic events did not produce supersequences of the Zagros Mountains, they influenced regional lithofacies patterns through the formation of intrashelf depressions such as the Hormoz Salt Basin during the Precambrian and the Dezful Embayment and the Lorestan Basin during the Mesozoic. Tectonic events also affected sedimentation during the Tertiary collision of Arabia and the Central Iran microplate through uplift, erosion, and the formation of the Zagros Foreland Basin. The results of this investigation necessitate a re-evaluation of the role and the significance of pre-Tertiary tectonic events commonly used to interpret the geological evolution of the Zagros Mountains.     

柴达木盆地大柴旦地区盆地中新生代演化机制电性特征分析

柴达木盆地位于青海省西北部,是在昆仑山、阿尔金山和祁连山控制形成的山间断陷盆地,由于盆地中生代沉积了大范围的侏罗系地层,因此盆地内含有丰富的油气资源,众多学者对柴达木盆地的构造演化做了大量的研究,受限于盆地的山盆耦合模式,地形、地质条件复杂,山前地带大多是地震的空白区,仅在局部获得了地震勘探资料,但资料品质较差。由于缺乏详细资料,关于该区域构造演化的研究没能深入开展,盆地内部构造演化的研究主要在构造背景和构造格架上,对于构造的细节没有得到解析。本文通过音频大地电磁法探测大柴旦地区盆地地质特征,基于三维非线性共轭梯度(3D NLCG)反演算法,获得研究区三维电性模型,结合区域地质、地球物理资料研究盆地构造演化,结果表明：三维电性模型揭示了柴北缘地区盆地中生代以拉张为主形成一系列断陷盆地,新生代以喜山构造活动为主产生一系列挤压为主的冲断构造,造成早侏罗系-晚白垩系地层的局部缺失等地质活动的盆地演化动力学电性特征。     

Study of Residual Basin and Tectonolayering Based on Airborne Gravity and Magnetic Data

This paper takes the South Yellow Sea as an example to show a new method for comprehensive geological-geophysical research such as residual basin and tectonolayering using airborne gravity and magnetic data in China. Based on airborne gravity and magnetic data, by measuring and analyzing stratigraphic density and susceptibility, the depths to the pre-Sinian magnetic basement top, the pre-Jurassic top and the Cenozoic bottom, are obtained by forward and inverse methods constrained by seismic and drilling data; and furthermore, the residual thicknesses of the Sinian–Triassic, the Jurassic–Cretaceous and the Cenozoic are calculated. Based on airborne gravity and magnetic anomalies, the faults in the pre-Sinian magnetic basement, the Jurassic-Cretaceous and the Cenozoic are respectively interpreted by the qualitative and quantitative methods. On the basis of the above study, and combining regional important tectonic events, four tectonolayers are divided in the vertical succession in South Yellow Sea, namely the pre-Sinian magnetic basement, the Sinian-Triassic, the Jurassic-Cretaceous and the Cenozoic. The result shows that there are thick Cenozoic and Jurassic-Cretaceous strata and thin residual Sinian-Triassic strata in the Suzhong-Huangnan depression area, but there are thin or only sporadic Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial strata and thick Sinian-Triassic marine strata reserved in Subei-Huangzhong uplift area and Sunan-Wunansha uplift area. The four tectonolayers are very different in structures as well as distributions in plane.     

Accumulation of organic matter in Cretaceous oxygen-deficient depositional environments in the central Pacific Ocean

Complete records of organic-carbon-rich Cretaceous strata were continuouslycored on the flanks of the Mid-Pacific Mountains and southern Hess Rise in the central North Pacific Ocean during DSDP Leg 62. Organic-carbon-rich laminated silicified limestones were deposited in the western Mid-Pacific Mountains during the early Aptian, a time when that region was south of the equator and considerably shallower than at present. Organic-carbon-rich, laminated limestone on southern Hess Rise overlies volcanic basement and includes 136 m of stratigraphic section of late Albian to early Cenomanian age. This limestone unit was deposited rapidly as Hess Rise was passing under the equatorial high-productivity zone and was subsiding from shallow to intermediate depths. The association of volcanogenic components with organic-carbon-rich strata on Hess Rise in the Mid-Pacific Mountains is striking and suggests that there was a coincidence of mid-plate volcanic activity and the production and accumulation of organic matter at intermediate water depths in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the middle Cretaceous.Pyrolysis assays and analyses of extractable hydrocarbons indicate that the organic matter in the limestone on Hess Rise is composed mainly of lipid-rich kerogen derived from aquatic marine organisms and bacteria. Limestones from the Mid-Pacific Mountains generally contain low ratios of pyrolytic hydrocarbons to organic carbon and low hydrogen indices, suggesting that the organic matter may contain a significant proportion of land-derived material, possibly derived from numerous volcanic islands that must have existed before the area subsided. The organic carbon in all samples analyzed is isotopically light (δ¹³C ? 24 to ? 29 per mil) relative to most modern rine organic carbon, and the lightest carbon is also the most lipid-rich.There is a positive linear correlation between sulfur and organic carbon in samples from Hess Rise and from the Mid-Pacific Mountains. The slopes and intercepts of C-S regression lines however, are different for each site and all are different from regression lines for samples from modern anoxic marine sediments and from Black Sea cores.The organic-carbon-rich limestones on Hess Rise, the Mid-Pacific Mountains, and other plateaus and seamounts in the Pacific Ocean are not synchronous but do occur within the same general middle Cretaceous time period as organic-carbon-rich lithofacies elsewhere in the world ocean, particularly in the Atlantic Ocean. Strata of equivalent age in the deep basins of the Pacific Ocean are not rich in organic carbon, and were deposited in oxygenated environments. This observation, together with the evidence that the plateau sites were considerably shallower and closse to the equator during the middle Creataceous suggests that local tectonic and hydrographic conditions may have resulted in high surface-water productivity and the preservation of organic matter in an oxygen-deficient environment where an expanded mid-water oxygen minimum developed and impinged on elevated platforms and seamounts.