The North Devon Basin: a Devonian passive margin shelf succession

The North Devon Basin, situated in a more proximal passive margin regime than the rift basins to the south, is not constrained but its succession is thought to represent in large part the sediments debouched from a northerly hinterland. Rather than that immediate source being South Wales an original location of the basin well to the south-east and west of the Ardennes massif is considered probable, with its present position being attained by Carboniferous displacement along the Bristol Channel-Bray Fault. The basin's thick (6000 m) succession comprises terrestrial and marine deposits that form two major sedimentary cycles, which are apparently closely linked to rift basin formation to the south. The GCR sites span a relatively straightforward shelf succession that extends from the late Early Devonian to the Carboniferous. The sedimentology, palaeontology, and depositional environments of terrestrial and marine facies lithostratigraphical units are detailed, some sites providing the macrofossil assemblages important in the identification and definition by Sedgwick and Murchison of the Devonian System.     

The response of lake margin sedimentary systems to climatically driven lake level fluctuations: Middle Devonian,Orcadian Basin,Scotland

Lake margin sedimentary systems can provide highly sensitive records of sedimentary response to climate change. The Middle Old Red Sandstone of Northern Scotland comprises a thick succession of cyclic lacustrine sediments. Within this succession the deepest lake phase, the Achanarras fish bed, allows bed‐scale correlation over 160 km across the basin. This provides a unique opportunity to examine the character of synchronous lake margin deposits, and their response to climatically driven lake level fluctuations, across a large continental basin. Detailed characterization of two separate lake margin systems was carried out utilizing multiple sections in western Orkney, in the north, and Easter Ross, in the south. Seven facies have been recognized, which include upper and lower shoreface, deep lake, shallow lake, playa, turbidite and fluvial facies. Differences in vertical and lateral facies stacking patterns reflect the response of these systems to climatically driven fluctuations in lake level. Comparison of the northern and southern systems examined highlights the variable response of lake margin systems to the same climatic change and related lake level fluctuations. In the south, a greater fluvial influence is recognized on the development of the lake margin successions, whereas in the northern example, which lay on the downwind margin of the lake, shore zone facies are more commonly developed. The variability recognized can be accounted for by regional variations in sediment supply, coastal physiography, lake size, bathymetry and potential fetch. Lake level stability is also recognized as a major control on the development of lake margin sedimentary systems, as is the linked or unlinked relationship of the catchment and the lake basin climate for which a conceptual model is proposed.     

南盘江盆地南缘富宁—那坡地区早—中三叠世火山-沉积组合形成环境

南盘江盆地南缘发育大量早—中三叠世岩浆岩和巨厚三叠系,为研究沿中越边界一带是否发生洋盆俯冲消亡过程提供了重要的岩浆-沉积证据。选取中越边界地区出露面积最大的富宁—那坡地区早—中三叠世火山岩及相关沉积作为研究对象,通过系统的地质填图和剖面测量,查明这套火山-沉积组合具有下部玄武安山岩,上覆碳酸盐岩质砾岩、含砾粗砂岩和钙质砂岩的沉积序列,与岛弧环境火山-沉积序列相似。玄武安山岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年结果为247±1 Ma和246±3 Ma,与野外产于中三叠统碎屑岩之下的地质事实相符。结合前人研究成果,确定这套火山岩形成于早—中三叠世(247~242 M a)。全岩地球化学分析结果显示,玄武安山岩富集大离子亲石元素(LILEs,R b、T h和U)和轻稀土元素(LR EE),其具有明显的Nb、Ta和Ti负异常。火山-沉积序列和火山岩地球化学特征表明,富宁—那坡地区早—中三叠世火山-沉积组合形成于与俯冲相关的弧环境。中越边界地区早—中三叠世弧火山岩与蛇绿混杂岩带的时空展布特征表明,该地区晚古生代洋盆发生了向北的俯冲消减。     

The Undoolya sequence: Late Proterozoic salt influenced deposition,Amadeus Basin,central Australia

Parts of the Late Proterozoic to Cambrian sequence along the northeastern margin of the Amadeus Basin were deposited under the influence of salt movement within the underlying Bitter Springs Formation. Later folding during the Devonian Alice Springs Orogeny and subsequent erosion has exposed salt‐influenced structures to provide a rare opportunity to observe the effects of diapiric growth on local facies and structure. Such effects are commonly only seen in seismic section. Salt withdrawal led to normal faulting and syn‐sedimentary thickening of adjacent units. The Undoolya Sequence, a previously undescribed 710 m section, was deposited within a salt‐withdrawal basin adjacent to a proposed diapiric structure. Periods of salt mobilization are recorded by syn‐depositional thickening and localized unconformities within units flanking the diapiric structure. This structure is representative of the influence salt movement had on deposition in the northeastern Amadeus Basin during the Late Proterozoic.     

Basin inversion by distributed deformation: the southern margin of the Bristol Channel Basin, England

Several models of basin inversion described in the literature are tested in a study of Triassic and Early Jurassic strata exposed along the southern margin of the Bristol Channel Basin in Somerset, England that has been exhumed by <3 km. Two key features of the superbly exposed normal faults are that they formed at several times during basin evolution—not during Triassic to Early Jurassic growth, but during Late Jurassic rifting, and during and after inversion; and that >95% of them are still in net extension, despite widespread kinematic evidence for reverse reactivation. When coupled with the general absence of thin-skinned thrusts and the widespread occurrence of regional contractional folds, it appears that none of three main inversion models—the fault-reactivation model, the thin-skinned model and the buttress model—are by themselves applicable. We erect a new model of basin inversion, the distributed deformation model, which consists of three stages of basin inversion. Stage one involved early partial reactivation of large-displacement steep normal faults. Stage two was dominated by folding, wherein fault blocks underwent oblique (non-coaxial) shortening by map scale folding, accompanied by formation of outer arc normal faults, minor cleavage and neoformed thrusts. Stage three involved reverse reactivation of outer arc normal faults and activation of oblique and strike-slip faults that partitioned deformation into compartments.     

Evaluation of the relative roles of global versus local sedimentary controls on Middle to Late Pleistocene formation of continental margin strata,Canterbury Basin,New Zealand

Determining the relative influence of eustasy versus local sedimentary processes on strata formation is a fundamental challenge in the study of continental margin stratigraphy. In this paper, the relative contribution of these factors on continental margin evolution during the Middle to Late Pleistocene is evaluated using samples from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 317. Core‐logging, biostratigraphy and quantitative X‐ray diffraction mineralogy are used to delineate continental shelf sedimentary systems. Major lithological unconformities bound stratigraphic sequences that contain recurring compositional patterns and that resemble other examples of Middle to Upper Pleistocene sequences. However, a preliminary chronology suggests that sequence boundary formation cannot be linked ‘one to one’ with eustatic cycles and therefore these sequences can contain multiple ca 100 ka eustatic cycles. Smaller amplitude, higher frequency transitions in sediment composition are interpreted as stratigraphic sequences driven by more rapid perturbations in the interplay of accommodation and sediment supply; their stratigraphy is variable in time and across the shelf, suggesting a strong influence of local sedimentary forcing in their formation. Changes in sediment composition after the Middle Pleistocene Transition indicate that sediment transfer from onshore sources in the glaciated Southern Alps to the middle‐shelf occurred over a single 100 ka glacio‐eustatic cycle, with an additional 100 ka lag before the mineralogical signal was preserved on the outer‐shelf. This phenomenon is coincident with rapid shelf progradation in this basin, suggesting a causal relation between across‐shelf sediment transport and margin progradation. This is one of very few studies that provide insights at the core scale into the processes driving continental margin evolution during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. This work shows that compositional changes in mud‐dominated successions can lead to a sequence stratigraphic interpretation and the identification of high‐frequency sequences, which may not be possible using a conventional stratigraphic approach.     

准噶尔盆地东缘中侏罗统头屯河组层序地层与沉积演化

为揭示准噶尔盆地东缘中侏罗统头屯河组(J2t)层序地层特征及其沉积充填规律,结合露头、岩心及测井资料并运用高分辨率层序地层理论,对研究区头屯河组层序地层进行划分对比,对其沉积相展布特征和沉积环境演化规律进行研究。结果表明:头屯河组可划分出个1个Ⅲ级旋回、3个Ⅳ级旋回及9个Ⅴ级旋回,沉积物岩性以砂砾岩和泥岩为主,沉积环境主要为辫状河、辫状河三角洲和滨浅湖,发育向上"变深"对称型和非对称型的两种结构类型。头屯河组沉积时期湖泊较浅,沉积基底平缓,湖泊边缘坡度小,在头屯河组下段(J2t1)时期到头屯河组上段(J2t2)段时期经历了湖侵演变过程。结合研究区的层序地层和沉积相展布特征,认为研究区中侏罗统头屯河组具有辫状河、辫状河三角洲及湖泊3种沉积环境相结合的沉积演化模式。     

松辽盆地南部乾安地区上白垩统青三段高分辨率层序地层及沉积特征*

综合利用岩心和测井资料,系统总结了松辽盆地南部乾安地区上白垩统青山口组三段高分辨率层序界面的识别标志,建立了高分辨率层序地层格架,对高分辨率层序地层格架内地层叠置特征进行了探讨,并进一步分析了层序地层格架内河道砂体展布特征及沉积相演化规律。识别出冲刷面、底部滞留沉积和滑塌沉积3种高分辨率层序界面识别标志,以及泥岩颜色转换和含油性变化2类辅助性证据,在此基础上将青三段划分为2个三级层序(SQ1,SQ2)、13个四级层序(HFSQ1-HFSQ13),层序内可进一步划分出湖侵体系域(LTST)和湖退体系域(LRST)。四级层序体系域内识别出单向加深A1型、单向加深A2型、单向变浅B型、复合对称C1型和复合对称C2型共5类四级层序结构;三级层序湖平面升降可划分为4个阶段,各阶段内四级层序组合模式各不相同。根据砂体连井对比和平面相分析成果,结合体系域阶段划分,在研究区青三段高分辨率层序地层格架内共总结出4类沉积模式。其中,湖退体系域早期沉积模式砂体分区叠置,河道平面呈分支树杈状。湖退体系域晚期沉积模式砂体规模最大,整体连片叠置,河道平面呈网络交织状,分流河道间湾在河道间呈零星点状分布。湖侵体系域早期沉积模式砂体规模较小,孤立分布,河道平面呈分支树杈状。湖侵体系域晚期沉积模式砂体规模最小,零星分布,河道平面呈曲流状—分支树杈状。     

Paralic parasequences associated with Eocene sea-level oscillations in an active margin setting: Trihueco Formation of the Arauco Basin, Chile

The Eocene Trihueco Formation is one of the best exposed successions of the Arauco Basin in Chile. It represents a period of marine regression and transgression of second-order duration, during which barrier island complexes developed on a muddy shelf. The strata are arranged in classical shoaling-upward parasequences of shoreface and beach facies capped by coal-bearing, back-barrier lagoon deposits. These fourth-order cycles are superimposed upon third-order cycles which caused landward and seaward shifts of the coastal facies belts. The final, punctuated rise in sea level is represented by shelf mudrocks with transgressive incised shoreface sandstones. Relative sea-level oscillations as revealed in the stratigraphy of the Trihueco Formation show a reasonable correlation with published Eocene eustatic curves.     

基准面变化与层序地层——以塔里木盆地陆相地层为例

以海平面变化为基础的层序地层学理论在研究陆相盆地中遇到了困难;地层基准面变化在解释地层层序成因和地层层序划分中发挥了重要作用。本文通过基准面变化过程中地层层序的形成和演化的研究,来建立基准面变化曲线和地层成因分析,划分地层层序,从而建立层序地层格架。以基准面变化曲线为基础的层序地层学方法在塔里木盆地东南部露头剖面中成功地解释了三叠系一侏罗系陆相层序,并可与塔里木盆地北部地层层序进行对比。     

松辽东缘羊草沟盆地层序地层划分与地层对比

羊草沟盆地位于松辽盆地东南缘,其地层可与松辽盆地地层对比。羊草沟盆地层序(三级)地层应与松辽盆地Ⅰ～Ⅹ层序(火石岭组、沙河子组、营城组、登娄库组和泉头组)地层相对应。羊草沟盆地地层应该划分为侏罗系上统火石岭组(J3h);白垩系下统沙河子组(K1sh)、营城组(K1y)、大羊草沟组(K1d)和泉头组(K1q);第四系(Q)。主要可采工业煤层产在大羊草沟组。     

民和盆地南缘盐锅峡组的建立及其地质意义

民和盆地下白垩统地层出露广泛,在其中部有一整套以水下沉积构造和其中特有的蓝灰色标志层为主体的细碎屑岩系,与上、下地层有着极大差异,命名为"盐锅峡组"。该组地层剖面连续,出露甚好,顶底清楚,具独特的岩性、岩相特征。该组岩石地层单位的正式建立,不但便于区内地层划分与对比的需要,而且对盆内层序地层、构造演化、作用相分析都具重要作用。     

鄂尔多斯盆地中部延安地区中侏罗统延安组高分辨率层序地层研究

利用高分辨率层序地层学方法,以延水河剖面研究为重点,详细剖析了中侏罗统延安组不同级次基准面旋回划分,建立了鄂尔多斯盆地延安地区延安组高分辨率层序地层格架。共识别出了36个短期、8个中期和3个长期基准面旋回。讨论了不同级次基准面旋回叠加式样与沉积相、沉积作用和构造作用等的响应关系,进一步通过基准面旋回层序研究了盆地的充填演化史。     

碳酸盐岩层序地层格架内组构选择性孔隙分布特征——以塔里木盆地塔中地区上奥陶统良里塔格组台地边缘相为例*

组构选择性孔隙是塔中地区良里塔格组台地边缘相油气储集层的重要孔隙类型,目前该类型的孔隙在层序地层格架内的分布特征仍不清晰。作者在前人建立的层序地层格架的基础上,通过大量的岩心、薄片、测井及地震资料的分析,在塔中地区良里塔格组台地边缘相识别出7类主要组构选择性孔隙: 粒内溶孔、粒间溶孔、铸模孔、粒间孔、窗格孔、生物体腔孔及格架孔。高频层序中,组构选择性孔隙在90%的礁(丘)滩复合体中上部的大气淡水渗流带—潜流带中成层集中发育,厚度10~40 m,且各类型孔隙纵向上分布特征不同。受研究区湿润的古气候、相对海平面的频繁波动、台地边缘礁滩相较大的沉积速率及较好的初始渗透性等因素控制,组构选择性孔隙的发育具有层位性、旋回性及区块差异性等分布规律。即组构选择性孔隙层主要发育在高位体系域内沉积的良三段—良一段中;纵向上发育5期,主要分布在进积型准层序组6、8及9中,其次是加积型准层序组5、7、10;自东向西,各井区孔隙层数量、厚度及物性均逐步降低,主要孔隙类型由粒内溶孔、铸模孔、粒间溶孔及体腔孔逐渐变为以窗格孔、粒内溶孔及粒间溶孔。     

The Mid-Cenomanian Event in shallow marine environments: Influence on carbonate producers and depositional sequences (northern Aquitaine Basin,France)

The Mid-Cenomanian Event was a positive carbon-isotope (δ¹³C) excursion recorded in hemipelagic basins of the western Tethyan Sea, North to Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and Japan. It is thought of as a prelude to the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2. However, the Mid-Cenomanian Event has never been studied in detail in shallow marine platform deposits and it is not known how it relates to carbonate production and stratigraphic geometry. To better understand how this carbon cycle disruption influenced the neritic biological communities in shallow carbonates during the Cenomanian, a facies, geochemical, diagenetic, and sequence stratigraphic study of the northern Aquitaine platform has been conducted. Seventy-six δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O measurements have been made on micrite, rudists, and diagenetic cements. Fifteen sedimentary facies have been arranged into four depositional environments. Three third-order sequences (C_B, C_C, C_D) are defined from late early Cenomanian to early late Cenomanian and are well correlated with eustatic cycles in European basins. Two peaks of the Mid-Cenomanian Event (MCE1a, +1.2‰, and MCE1b, +1.7‰) have been identified for the first time in shallow marine carbonates. Analysis of diagenetic blocky calcite cements suggests that diagenesis did not affect the δ¹³C of micrite, which can be discussed in terms of the initial signal. The Mid-Cenomanian Event was synchronous with a turnover in neritic carbonate producers marking a transition from photozoan to heterozoan facies. This facies change resulted from the establishment of mesotrophic to eutrophic conditions at the early/mid-Cenomanian transition, reflecting a clear connection between the Mid-Cenomanian Event and neritic biological communities. Depositional geometry and carbonate production varied with δ¹³C during the Mid-Cenomanian Event on the Aquitaine platform. When δ¹³C values were between 2.5‰ and 3‰, the geometry was a flat platform with a high carbonate sedimentation rate leading to the formation of sandbars and rudist bioherms (Accommodation/Sedimentation ratio less than 1, A/S < 1). When the δ¹³C value exceeded 3‰, a carbonate demise occurred and clays and marls were deposited in the lower offshore environment (A/S >> 1). The general carbonate demise affecting the northern Aquitaine platform during the mid-Cenomanian can be explained by both a eustatic sea-level rise and the establishment of eutrophic conditions. The coincidence of the Mid-Cenomanian Event with both (1) the occurrence of mesotrophic to eutrophic conditions marked by carbonate producer turnover from photozoan to heterozoan facies and (2) the transgressive cycles, suggests that eustatic sea-level rise leading to high trophic conditions could explain this positive δ¹³C excursion in the Atlantic and western Tethyan domain. During the mid-Cenomanian, carbon cycle perturbations largely controlled the neritic biological communities on shallow carbonate platforms in a part of the western Tethyan domain.     

A genetic model of thrust-bounded intermontane basin using scaled sandbox analogue models: an example from the Karewa Basin, Kashmir Himalayas, India

The Himalayan mountain system has many depressions of regional dimensions, which are found oriented mostly E–W to NE–SW, mainly to the north of the main boundary fault (MBF). The Karewa Basin in the Kashmir Himalaya has sediments belonging to late Neogene to Quaternary formations, which represent an almost 1,300-m-thick succession of sand, mud and gravels exposed in the river valleys and the plateau margins of the entire Kashmir Valley. Sandbox analogue experiments show a great variety of wedge shapes showing significant changes in the taper angles due to the change in basal friction. Between two pop-ups or depressions (pop-down) of significant dimensions develop along the strike of the growing wedge. In order to maintain the critical angle, these depressions initially receive material from the hinterland, and later on, from the foreland end of the wedge. The depressions have developed due to the change in the surface slope of the wedge, and receive the eroded material only from the adjacent upheaved portions of the wedge. On continuation of the experiments (in cases where the wedge is highly unstable), these depressions are coupled with the wedge along with their sand-fills. The depositional history of the Karewa sediments indicates a sequential evolutionary pattern of the basin and thus represents a natural analogue of the sandbox experiments.     

A sequence stratigraphic model for an intensely bioturbated shallow-marine sandstone: the Bridport Sand Formation, Wessex Basin, UK

The Bridport Sand Formation is an intensely bioturbated sandstone that represents part of a mixed siliciclastic‐carbonate shallow‐marine depositional system. At outcrop and in subsurface cores, conventional facies analysis was combined with ichnofabric analysis to identify facies successions bounded by a hierarchy of key stratigraphic surfaces. The geometry of these surfaces and the lateral relationships between the facies successions that they bound have been constrained locally using 3D seismic data. Facies analysis suggests that the Bridport Sand Formation represents progradation of a low‐energy, siliciclastic shoreface dominated by storm‐event beds reworked by bioturbation. The shoreface sandstones form the upper part of a thick (up to 200 m), steep (2–3°), mud‐dominated slope that extends into the underlying Down Cliff Clay. Clinoform surfaces representing the shoreface‐slope system are grouped into progradational sets. Each set contains clinoform surfaces arranged in a downstepping, offlapping manner that indicates forced‐regressive progradation, which was punctuated by flooding surfaces that are expressed in core and well‐log data. In proximal locations, progradational shoreface sandstones (corresponding to a clinoform set) are truncated by conglomerate lags containing clasts of bored, reworked shoreface sandstones, which are interpreted as marking sequence boundaries. In medial locations, progradational clinoform sets are overlain across an erosion surface by thin (<5 m) bioclastic limestones that record siliciclastic‐sediment starvation during transgression. Near the basin margins, these limestones are locally thick (>10 m) and overlie conglomerate lags at sequence boundaries. Sequence boundaries are thus interpreted as being amalgamated with overlying transgressive surfaces, to form composite erosion surfaces. In distal locations, oolitic ironstones that formed under conditions of extended physical reworking overlie composite sequence boundaries and transgressive surfaces. Over most of the Wessex Basin, clinoform sets (corresponding to high‐frequency sequences) are laterally offset, thus defining a low‐frequency sequence architecture characterized by high net siliciclastic sediment input and low net accommodation. Aggradational stacking of high‐frequency sequences occurs in fault‐bounded depocentres which had higher rates of localized tectonic subsidence.     

鄂尔多斯西缘冲断带南段构造特征及其对古生界天然气成藏演化的影响

鄂尔多斯盆地西缘处在阿拉善地块、鄂尔多斯地块及北祁连褶皱带之间的特殊构造位置,因而也是构造-沉积演化特征明显不同于盆地本部的一个复杂构造区。本文试图在西缘南段与盆地本部沉积演化特征对比分析的基础上,结合构造演化与古生界天然气成藏关系的研究,评价优选西缘南段古生界天然气成藏的有利区带和目标。主要形成以下几方面的认识：1）相对盆地本部而言,西缘南段早古生代沉积结束的晚、晚古生代沉积开始的早,表现出拉张、裂陷为主的早期构造活动特征,形成上、下古生界两套有利的成藏组合;中生代（尤其是侏罗纪）以来,则由于受冲断推覆构造活动的影响,西缘南段侏罗系及其后续构造层系的地层厚度在横向上变化较大,各构造层系的厚度差异可达千余米以上;2）西缘南段在大规模冲断推覆构造前即已基本成藏,燕山中-晚期以来的强烈冲断推覆构造,使部分地区古生界地层抬升剥露至近地表附近,导致古生界先成气藏遭受大面积破坏;3）在推覆体系的宽缓向斜区、以及主冲断层下盘的原地岩体中,古生界地层保存相对完整,受断裂破坏程度低,仍具有相对较好的保存条件;4）综合分析认为石沟驿向斜、韦州向斜、红寺堡向斜及银洞子向斜等4个宽缓向斜构造区的上古生界,以及处在惠安堡-沙井子主冲断层下盘原地岩体中的奥陶系台缘相带,是西缘南段古生界岩性圈闭气藏勘探的有利目标。     

测井信号小波变换在层序地层划分中的应用——以南海北部莺歌海盆地D14井黄流组为例

本文介绍了小波变换的基本原理和步骤,探讨了测井信号小波变换在层序地层划分中的方法和地质意义。对南海北部莺歌海盆地D14井黄流组自然伽马(GR)测井信号利用Daubechies小波系db5小波进行了一维连续小波变换和一维离散小波变换。根据其时频色谱图特征和高频离散系数曲线特征,将黄流组一段划分出1个长期旋回、3个中期旋回和9个短期旋回。显示出小波变换在测井层序地层划分中较高的分辨率、在识别地质作用中的隐蔽旋回特征的优势。实践证明,将一维连续小波变换和一维离散小波变换进行综合分析,更有利于不同级次的层序旋回识别。