Evaluating the Baluti Formation at Sararu village,Ora Anticline,Iraqi Kurdistan: a stratigraphic and geochemical approach

Here, we report that a lithostratigraphic unit that outcrops at Sararu village, 6 km northeast of Qumri village that had previously been assigned to the Baluti Formation is not Triassic in age and therefore can not be a correlative equivalent of the Baluti Formation. The outcropping unit at Sararu comprises intercalation of calcareous mudstones and limestones, and is indeed lithologically similar to the Baluti Formation (Late Triassic). The Baluti Formation (also known as the Baluti Shale) is known from a typical section found at the Gara Anticline and from many deep drilled oil exploration wells. It is generally composed of alternations of the shales, limestones, dolomites, and dolomitic limestones. It is underlain by the Kurra Chine Formation (Upper Triassic) and overlain by the Sarki Formation (Lower Jurassic). In this study, detailed field observations, an assessment of stratigraphic successions, studies of microfossils such as age-specific planktonic foraminifera (e.g., Globotruncana bulloides), and age-specific biomarkers (oleanane index and C28/C29 regular sterane index) reveal that the lithostratigraphic unit at Sararu village can not be a correlative equivalent of the Baluti Formation, and it is more likely from the Upper Cretaceous. There are a number of Upper Cretaceous formations found in this part of Kurdistan, but based on fossil-type and palaeoenvironmental associations, the Hadiena Formation, from the Upper Cretaceous, is considered as the most likely correlative equivalent to the calcareous mudstone and limestone succession found at Sararu village.     

Stratigraphy of the Triassic?Jurassic Boundary Successions of the Southern Margin of the Junggar Basin, Northwestern China

The Triassic?Jurassic (Tr?J) boundary marks a major extinction event, which (~200 Ma) resulted in global extinctions of fauna and flora both in the marine and terrestrial realms. There prevail great challenges in determining the exact location of the terrestrial Tr?J boundary, because of endemism of taxa and the scarcity of fossils in terrestrial settings leading to difficulties in linking marine and terrestrial sedimentary successions. Investigation based on palynology and bivalves has been carried out over a 1113 m thick section, which is subdivided into 132 beds, along the Haojiagou valley on the southern margin of the Junggar Basin of the northern Xinjiang, northwestern China. The terrestrial Lower Jurassic is conformably resting on the Upper Triassic strata. The Upper Triassic covers the Huangshanjie Formation overlaid by the Haojiagou Formation, while the Lower Jurassic comprises the Badaowan Formation followed by the Sangonghe Formation. Fifty six pollen and spore taxa and one algal taxon were identified from the sediments. Based on the key-species and abundance of spores and pollen, three zones were erected: the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) Aratrisporites?Alisporites Assemblage, the Early Jurassic (Hettangian) Perinopollenites?Pinuspollenites Assemblage, and the Sinemurian Perinopollenites?Cycadopites Assemblage. The Tr?J boundary is placed between bed 44 and 45 coincident with the boundary between the Haojiagou and Badaowan formations. Beds with Ferganoconcha (?), Unio?Ferganoconcha and Waagenoperna?Yananoconcha bivalve assemblages are recognized. The Ferganoconcha (?) bed is limited to the upper Haojiagou Formation, Unio?Ferganoconcha and Waagenoperna?Yananoconcha assemblages are present in the middle and upper members of the Badaowan Formation. The sedimentary succession is interpreted as terrestrial with two mainly lake deposit intervals within Haojiagou and Badaowan formations, yielding fresh water algae and bivalves. However, the presence of brackish water algae Tasmanites and the marine?littoral facies bivalve Waagenoperna from the Badaowan Formation indicate that the Junggar Basin was influenced by sea water caused by transgressions from the northern Tethys, during the Sinemurian.     

滇中鱼坝村组的建立及陆相侏罗系底界

滇中及相邻地区上三叠统舍资组含煤层与下侏罗统冯家河组红层之间，连续沉积了一套杂色细碎屑岩过渡层。其分布稳定，该层所含化石及磁性地层特征表明其时代属早侏罗世。因此建立下侏罗统鱼坝村组，并确定该组底界为陆相侏罗系的底界。     

Sedimentology of the Baluti Formation in the Galley Derash,Amadiya, North Iraq: insight on carbonate turbidite facies and their depositional environmental

The Baluti Formation is exposed succession of the Rhaetian age (Upper Triassic). These strata are interpreted herein for the first time to redeposit in a deep marine setting (distally steepened carbonate ramp/medial to distal slope) on the northwestern margin of the Neo-Tethys. The Galley Derash section is apparently continuous with no evidence for either subaerial exposure or submarine erosion. The absence of erosional scours in the study area confirms emplacement of these strata below both fair-weather and storm wave base. Event beds, particularly those resulting from sediment gravity flows, dominate the Rhaetian interval. The Upper Rhaetian strata are primarily assigned to the Galley Derash Valley. It records an upward transition from moderate-scale, olistolith-bearing debris flow deposits (debrite) to medium-/thin-bedded turbidites remobilized as sediment slumps/slides. The succession is dominated by medium- to thin-bedded calcareous turbidites and hemipelagic suspension deposits. Very low fossil assemblages, particularly stromatolite fragments, and planktonic bivalves occur within some intervals in the section. Rapid and relatively continuous sedimentation is attested to by the thickness of the section, the abundance of calcareous turbidites, and the thin nature of the intercalated hemipelagic beds. Low content of badly preserved fossils and evidence of continuous and rapid sedimentation refer to alteration by tectonic disturbances or diagenesis. This makes the Baluti Beds as a supplementary section for the Rhaetian successions in Iraq.     

Geochemistry and mineralogy of the Al-rich shale from Baluti formation,Iraqi Kurdistan region: implications for weathering and provenance

The mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Upper Triassic Baluti shale from the Northern Thrust Zone (Sararu section) and High Folded Zone (Sarki section) Kurdistan Region, Iraq, have been investigated to constrain their paleoweathering, provenance, tectonic setting, and depositional redox conditions. The clay mineral assemblages are dominated by kaolinite, illite, mixed layers illite/smectite at Sararu section, and illite > smectite with traces of kaolinite at Sarki. Illite, to be noted, is within the zone of diagenesis. The non-clay minerals are dominated by calcite with minor amounts of quartz and muscovite in Sararu shale; and are dominated by dolomite with amounts of calcite and quartz in Sarki shale. Baluti shale is classified as Al-rich based on major and minor elements. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) is significantly higher in the Sararu than the Sarki shales, suggesting more intense weathering of the Sararu than the Sarki shales. The index of compositional variability (ICV) of the Sararu shale is less than 1 (suggesting it is compositionally mature and was deposited in a tectonically quiescent setting). More than 1 for Sarki shales (suggest it is less mature and deposited in a tectonically active setting). Most shale of the Baluti plot parallel and along the A-K line in A-CN-K plots suggest intense chemical weathering (high CIA) without any clear-cut evidence of K-metasomatism. Clay mineral data, Al enrichment, CIA values, and A-CN-K plot suggest that the source area experienced high degree of chemical weathering under warm and humid conditions, especially in Sararu. Elemental ratios critical of provenance (La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Cr, Th/Co, Ce/Ce*_PN, Eu/Eu*_PN, and Eu/Eu*_CN) shows slight difference between the Sararu and Sarki shales; and the ratios are similar to fine fractions derived from the weathering of mostly felsic rocks. The Eu/Eu^* _CN, Th/Sc, and low K₂O/Al₂O₃ ratios of most shales suggest weathering from mostly a granodiorite source rather than a granite source, consistent with a source from old upper continental crust. Discrimination diagrams based on major and trace element content point to a role of the felsic-intermediate sources for the deposition of Baluti Formation, and probably mixed with mafic source rocks at Sararu section. The chondrite-normalized rare earth elements (REE) patterns are similar to those of PAAS, with light REE enrichment, a negative Eu anomaly, and almost flat heavy REE pattern similar to those of a source rock with felsic components. The source of sediments for the Baluti Formation was likely the Rutba Uplift and/or the plutonic-metamorphic complexes of the Arabian Shield located to the southwest of the basin; whereas the Sararu shale was affected by the mafic rocks of the Bitlis-Avroman-Bisitoun Ridge to the northeast of Arabian Plate. The tectonic discrimination diagrams, as well as critical trace and REE characteristic parameters imply rift and active setting for the depositional basin of the shale of Baluti Formation. The geochemical parameters such as U/Th, V/Cr, V/Sc, and Cu/Zn ratios indicate that these shales were deposited under oxic environment and also show that Sarki shale was deposited under more oxic environment than Sararu.     

The Middle Jurassic radiolarites and pelagic limestones of the Nieves unit (Rondaide Complex, Betic Cordillera): basin starvation in a rifted marginal slope of the western Tethys

Middle Jurassic radiolarites and associated pelagic limestones occur in the Rondaide Nieves unit of the Betic Cordillera, southern Spain. The Rondaide Mesozoic includes: (a) a thick succession of Triassic platform carbonates, comparable to the Alpine Hauptdolomit and Kössen facies; (b) Lower Jurassic pelagic limestones comparable to the Alpine Hierlatz and Adnet facies; (c) the Middle Jurassic Parauta Radiolarite Formation, described herein; and (d) a thin Upper Jurassic-Cretaceous condensed limestone succession. The Parauta Radiolarite Formation and associated limestones were studied with respect to stratigraphy, petrography, micropalaeontology (radiolarians, calcareous nanno- and microfossils) and facies. Radiolarite sedimentation occurred in the Middle Bathonian in a restricted and dysoxic deep Nieves basin, perched in the distal zone of a continental margin fringing the Tethyan ocean. This margin was adjacent to a young narrow oceanic basin between the South-Iberian margin and a continental block called Mesomediterranean Terrane. The Nieves basin was part of a marine corridor between the Proto-Atlantic and Piedmont-Ligurian basins of the Alpine Tethys. The regional tectonic position, the stratigraphical evolution since the Triassic, the age and the nature of the Mesozoic facies and the palaeogeographic relations to adjacent domains show striking analogies between the Betic Rondaide margin and coeval units of the Alps.     

Late Triassic rifting and Jurassic–Cretaceous passive margin development of the Southern Neotethys: evidence from the Adıyaman area,SE Turkey

Evidence of rifting and continental break-up to form the S Neotethys is found within the volcanic-sedimentary Koçali Complex. This is a folded, thrust-imbricated succession that includes lavas, volcaniclastic sediments, pelagic carbonates, radiolarites and manganiferous deposits. Interbedded ribbon cherts contain radiolarians of Late Triassic to Late Jurassic age. The lower part of the succession of Mid?-Late Triassic age (Tarasa Formation) is dominated by enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt (E-MORB). The overlying Late Triassic to Mid-Jurassic interval (Konak Formation) is characterised by intercalations of ocean island basalt and E-MORB. Taking account of structural position, the basalts erupted within the outer part of a continent–ocean transition zone. Continental break-up probably occurred during the Late Triassic (Carnian–Norian). Early to Mid-Jurassic lavas and volcaniclastic sediments record volcanism probably after continental break-up. In addition, the Karadut Complex is a broken formation that is located at a relatively low structural position just above the Arabian foreland. Pelagic carbonates, redeposited carbonates and radiolarites predominate. Radiolarians are dated as Early to Mid-Jurassic and Late Cretaceous in age. The pelagic carbonates include planktic foraminifera of Late Cretaceous age. The Karadut Complex resulted from the accumulation of calcareous gravity flows, pelagic carbonate and radiolarites in a relatively proximal, base-of-slope setting. After continental break-up, MORB and ophiolitic rocks formed within the S Neotethys further north. Tectonic emplacement onto the Arabian platform took place by earliest Maastrichtian time. Regional interpretation is facilitated by comparisons with examples of Triassic rifting and continental break-up in the eastern Mediterranean region and elsewhere.     

The Triassic of Timor: Lithostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and palaeogeography

The palaeontologically rich and lithologically diverse Triassic successions of Timor provide a key stratigraphic and palaeontological link between northwestern Australia and other terranes of former eastern Gondwana (present-day Southeast Asia). Timor is now located in the zone of collision between the northern margin of the Australian continent and island arc terranes bordering the Eurasian plate, with the Triassic successions exposed in a fold-and-thrust belt and an extensive mélange complex. Three formal lithostratigraphic units have been defined previously within the main Triassic succession in Timor (Niof, Aitutu and Babulu formations), with a fourth, the Wai Luli Formation, primarily Jurassic in age but extending down into the Triassic. The Niof Formation (Anisian to Ladinian, possibly also Early Triassic) is a fine-grained deepwater succession, succeeded conformably by the Aitutu and Babulu formations (Ladinian to Norian/Rhaetian), which were deposited contemporaneously, with the Aitutu Formation continuing locally into the Lower Jurassic. The Aitutu Formation consists of deep shelf limestones interbedded with shales and marls, while the Babulu Formation is a deltaic to turbiditic siliciclastic succession. The Late Triassic to Jurassic Wai Luli Formation is characterised by marine shales and marls.Informal stratigraphic units include the Cephalopod Limestone Facies, a Rosso Ammonitico-type deposit, which contains an extremely rich fossil fauna (particularly ammonoids) and ranges through the entire Triassic; and the Fatu Limestone and Pualaca Facies which consists of shallow to marginal marine carbonates (mud mounds, oolitic limestones and reefs) restricted to the Late Triassic. Facies diversity was low during the Early Triassic and Anisian, but became more pronounced from the Ladinian and continuing through the Late Triassic, probably as a consequence of renewed tectonic extension. Triassic extension was not associated with major volcanism, unlike a previous phase of extension in the Early Permian.The Cablac Limestone Formation, originally defined as a Miocene stratigraphic element, is now recognised to be at least partly Late Triassic–Early Jurassic in age, with lithologies comparable to parts of the Fatu Limestone. The stratigraphy of these shallow marine carbonate sequences is clearly in need of rigorous revision, but it is not yet possible to suggest appropriate redefined formations.     

The aftermath of the Carnian carbonate platform demise: a basinal perspective (Dolomites, Southern Alps)

In the Dolomites of northernmost Italy the carbonate‐platform growth came to a standstill late in the Early Carnian (Late Triassic). The response to this shutdown of shallow‐water carbonate production in the interplatform basins is largely unknown because erosion has removed most of the soft basinal sediments, giving rise to today's scenic landscape of the Dolomites. Mapping in the central part of the Dolomites and newly available core material has recently revealed a well‐preserved succession of basinal rocks within the Heiligkreuz Hospiz Basin (ital. Ospizio di Santa Croce Basin). In this paper, the regional depositional nature of arrested carbonate platform production is reconstructed by tracing its sedimentological record across the slope and into the basin. The uppermost St. Cassian Formation, the time‐equivalent basinal rocks to the prograding carbonate platforms, is overlain by the Heiligkreuz Formation, whose basal succession was deposited in a restricted and oxygen‐depleted environment immediately post‐dating the platform demise. The succession consists mainly of mudrocks, marlstones, and peloidal packstones, with abundant low‐diversity ostracod and pelecypod fauna and early diagenetic dolomite. C and O isotope values of the basal Heiligkreuz Formation, post‐dating platform demise, average + 2·4 and ? 2·4‰, respectively, and largely overlap the isotopic composition of St. Cassian carbonates. A shift toward slightly lower δ¹³C values in the Heiligkreuz Formation may reflect incorporation of isotopically depleted C released during bacterial sulphate reduction in the Heiligkreuz sediments. Sedimentological, palaeobiological and geochemical indices suggest that near‐normal marine conditions persisted long after the shutdown of shallow water carbonate‐platform growth, although there are clear indications of severely reduced oxygen levels in the restricted Heiligkreuz Hospiz interplatform basin. The Early Carnian platform demise induced a distinct switch in the locus of carbonate production from the shallow‐water platform and slope to the basin floor and a decrease in the availability of dissolved oxygen in the basinal waters. It is inferred that anoxia extended at least temporarily to the top of the carbonate slope, as indicated by the onlap of normal‐marine mounds by dark marlstones of the basal Heiligkreuz Formation.     

试论川渝河包场地区上三叠统须家河组沉积相

川渝河包场地区发育上三叠统须家河组,该组假整合于中三叠统雷口坡组海相碳酸盐岩侵蚀面之上,不整合／整合伏于侏罗系红层之下的一套以砂泥岩为主,砂岩与泥岩不等厚互层夹薄煤层的“煤系”地层,该组的沉积相长期存在争议。笔者据野外实测剖面资料,结合室内薄片分析,从沉积学观点系统地分析了其砂体展布、岩性、组构等特征,认为河包场地区的须家河组沉积相为湖泊相,沉积亚相主要为滨浅湖亚相及滨岸沼泽。     

Foraminiferal biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy of peritidal carbonates at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary (Karaburun Peninsula,Western Turkey)

Continuous shallow marine carbonates spanning the Triassic–Jurassic boundary are exposed in the Karaburun Peninsula, Western Turkey. The studied section (Tahtaiskele section) consists of Upper Triassic cyclic shallow marine carbonates intercalated with clastics overlain by Lower Liassic carbonates. Based on the microfacies stacking patterns, three main types of shallowing-upward cycles have been recognized. Cycles are mostly composed of subtidal facies at the bottom, intertidal/supratidal facies and/or subaerial exposure structures at the top. The duration of the cycles suggests that cycles were driven by the precessional Milankovitch rhytmicity. In the sequence stratigraphic frame of the Tahtaiskele section 4 sequence boundaries were detected and globally correlated. The first sequence boundary is located at the Alaunian–Sevatian boundary nearly coinciding with the first appearance of Triasina hantkeni. The second falls in the Rhaetian corresponding to a major sea level fall which led to the invasion of forced regressive siliciclastic deposits over the peritidal carbonates. The third occurs close to the T/J boundary and the fourth lies slightly above the base of the Jurassic. In the studied section, extinction, survival and recovery intervals have been recognized based on the stratigraphic occurrence patterns of benthic foraminifera and algae. Foraminifers became nearly totally extinct in the inner carbonate shelves at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary and an interval of approximately 0.5 my passed before the begining of the recovery of Jurassic foraminifera.     

西班牙南部Subbetic中带Río Fardes剖面Turonian-Coniacian大洋红层

Río Fardes剖面位于西班牙南部Granada东北,构造上属于深水环境的Subbetic中带。该剖面主要由白垩纪Fardes组第Ⅱ段和第Ⅲ段(半)远洋沉积构成,并出现浊流沉积和混杂沉积。本次研究在Fardes组浊流层序内首次发现两段红色沉积。钙质超微化石表明红层的时间从Turonian早期(UC7 带)到Coniacian中期—晚期界线(UC10/?UC11带)。红层由mm级红色泥岩夹灰色、杂色、偶尔黑色泥岩和钙质泥岩组成。沉积学研究表明新发现的Turonian Coniacian远洋红色泥岩沉积形成于CCD面之下深水盆地环境,浊流和碎屑流沉积强烈地影响着(半)远洋环境的背景泥岩相,并成为红色沉积结束的原因。     

The stratigraphy of the Gault and Upper Greensand Formations (Albian stage,Cretaceous) of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site,U.K.

The Upper Greensand Formation, in part mainly underlain by the Gault Formation and overlain by the Chalk Group, has extensive cliff outcrops in the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site (WHS). The argillaceous Gault, up to 20 m thick in the Isle of Purbeck, is poorly exposed due to its involvement in extensive landslides, but the exposures of Upper Greensand are the most complete in England. The Gault (Middle Albian) rests unconformably on progressively older Jurassic and Triassic strata when traced westwards and becomes more arenaceous in the same direction. On the east Devon coast, the Upper Greensand comprises up to 55 m of sandstones and calcarenites that were deposited in fully marine, shallow-water environments. The formation is divided into three members there (Foxmould, Whitecliff Chert and Bindon Sandstone) each bounded by a prominent erosion surface. The full thickness of the Upper Greensand, up to 60 m, was formerly exposed in cliffs in the Isle of Purbeck in and adjacent to the steeply dipping limb of the Purbeck Monocline. The lower (Foxmould) part of the succession is similar to that in east Devon, but the upper part (White Nothe Member) is lithologically different and probably the correlative of only the Bindon Sandstone. Much of the fauna of the Gault and Upper Greensand of the WHS is not age-diagnostic with the result that the ages of parts of the succession are still poorly known. However, diverse ammonite assemblages recorded from a few thin beds in the lower and highest parts of the succession show that all except one of the Albian ammonite zones is present.     

Upper gondwana succession of the Rewa Basin,India: Understanding the interrelationship of lithologic and stratigraphic variables

The current work attempts to address a century old problem regarding the stratigraphic disposition of the Upper Gondwana succession of the Rewa basin based on geological mapping and litholog preparation along well exposed transects. The proposed Upper Gondwana stratigraphy of the Rewa basin comprises a continuous and thick package of Triassic sediments unconformably overlain by the Jurassic Parsora Formation. The Triassic succession consists of a basal Pali Formation, an intermediate and newly designated Karki Formation and the overlying mud-dominant Tiki Formation. These formations are well defined based on physical attributes such as lithology, textures and sedimentary structures, and are easily distinguishable in the field. Based on stratigraphic correlation and fossil content, a Lower-Middle Triassic age has been assigned for the Pali and Karki formations, while the Tiki Formation is Upper Triassic (Carnian) in age. Preliminary observations based on lithological characteristics, sand body geometry and sand: mud ratios suggest that within a fluvial setting there were considerable changes in environments of deposition through time, especially during Triassic to Jurassic transition.     

Ammonoid discoveries in the Antimonio Formation,Sonora, Mexico: new constraints on the Triassic–Jurassic boundary

The Triassic–Jurassic systemic boundary was recently reported in the middle part of the Antimonio Formation, northwestern Sonora, where five informal sedimentary packages were delineated and characteristic ammonoid faunas were used to establish age control within the succession. The boundary was suggested to lie within the middle part of the 24 m-thick package 4, in relatively unfossiliferous and organic-rich, laminated clay-silt mudstone. Despite the absence of diagnostic Hettangian fossils above the postulated boundary interval, its existence was predicted on characteristic uppermost Triassic Crickmayi Zone Choristoceras ammonoids occurring below in package 3 and upper Hettangian to lower Sinemurian (Badouxia Zone) ammonoids found above in package 5. Recent field investigations yielded new ammonoids of the uppermost Triassic Crickmayi Zone, which are described herein. They are assigned to Choristoceras cf. C. nobile Mojsisovics and Rhabdoceras cf. R. suessi Hauer. These characteristic ammonoids occur within the middle and top of package 4. Their discovery along with other stratigraphic evidence necessitates a revision of the boundary and recognition of a previously unrealized unconformity at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary in Sonora. A revised sea-level curve is necessary to account for these new stratigraphic and paleontological findings.     

Nannostratigraphy and investigation of sedimentation conditions of the lower boundary and the upper boundary of the Aitamir Formation in the east and west Kopet Dagh,northeast of Iran

By attention to the stratigraphic value of calcareous nannoplanktons for the age determination of sedimentary beds, for the first time Late Cretaceous calcareous nannofossil taxa, their distributions and relative abundances were recorded from the lower and the upper boundary of Aitamir Formation located in northeast Iran. In the present study, biostratigraphy and paleoecological conditions were reconstructed. The Aitamir Formation comprises glauconitic sandstones and olive-green shales. In this work, samples were prepared with smear slides, and nannofossils of these boundaries are listed and figured. They were photographed under a light microscope. Based on nannoplanktons and as a result of biostratigraphic studies, the age of the lower boundary of the Aitamir Formation in the east Kopet Dagh is Early/Middle Turonian, the age of the lower boundary in the west Kopet Dagh is Late Turonian/Early Coniacian, the age of the upper boundary of the Aitamir Formation in the east Kopet Dagh is Late Santonian, and the age of the upper boundary of this Formation in the west Kopet Dagh is Early Campanian. Based on paleoecological interpretation, the Aitamir Formation was deposited in a shallow marine environment, at relatively low latitude. A deepening trend of the sedimentary basin is recognized passing from Aitamir Formation to the overlying Abderaz Formation while in the lower boundary from Sanganeh to Aitamir Formation depth decreased.     

西藏江孜-浪卡子一带的侏罗-白垩纪界线地层

侏罗系/白垩系界线是显生宙所有系级界线中存在问题最多的一个。西藏南部出露有良好的侏罗-白垩纪地层,本次工作在喜马拉雅地层区的康马隆子地层分区开展了海相侏罗系/白垩系的界线研究。江孜地区的界线地层被划分为维美组和甲不拉组;浪卡子地区的甲不拉组之下发育一套含大量火山岩层的火山－沉积地层,被称为桑秀组。该地层分区的地层系统由下至上为：维美组浅灰色厚层状粗-细粒石英砂岩;桑秀组黑色页岩、安山岩和玄武岩;以及甲不拉组黑色页岩、硅质泥页岩夹砂岩和砂质灰岩。维美组中含化石稀少,仅在江孜地区发现零星菊石Haplophylloceras、Himalayites等。桑秀组下部页岩和粉砂岩中找到少量菊石化石,属于Spiticeras、Berriasella、Haplophylloceras的一些种,和富集成层的双壳类Inoceramus everesti等。江孜甲不拉组下部化石丰富,划分为Spiticeras-Berriasella下组合和Himalayaites-Haplophylloceras上组合。本研究区的生物地层可与聂拉木地区的菊石化石组合对比。通过生物地层学对比,江孜-浪卡子地区的维美组时代为晚侏罗世Tithonian期,江孜地区甲不拉组下部和浪卡子地区的桑秀组均属于下白垩统。桑秀组下部的页岩段与江孜甲不拉组的最下部地层相当,上部火山岩的同位素年龄为133 Ma。据此,桑秀组的时代为Berriasian至Hauterivian期,侏罗系/白垩系的界线位于该组之底,以Virgatosphinctes、Aulocosphinctes的消失和Spiticeras的出现为标志。侏罗纪末期西藏特提斯海区普遍形成大规模海退,表现为维美组和门卡墩组顶部砂岩的同期沉积。     

粤东晚三叠世小水组——早侏罗世金鸡组古气候及构造背景的矿物和地球化学记录

对揭西灰寨剖面上三叠统小水组和惠州黄洞剖面下侏罗统金鸡组采集的泥岩和砂岩样品进行了全岩分析和ICP-MS微量、稀土元素测试和矿物成分分析,根据元素含量及其比值的变化,提出了粤东揭西地区晚三叠世小水组和惠州地区早侏罗世金鸡组水体整体为还原、厌氧环境,以干燥炎热气候为主。小水组w(∑REE)较大,轻稀土富集(LREE/HREE为10.86和15.63),重稀土较稳定(w(∑HREE) 为6.09×10^-6和7.99×10^-6),Eu负异常(δEu为0.67和0.87);金鸡组轻稀土富集(LREE/HREE=7.29~10.03),重稀土较稳定(w(∑HREE)为(15.39~19.72)×10^-6),Eu负异常(δEu=0.59~0.65)。泥岩稀土元素分布模式图和源岩判别图解显示,小水组和金鸡组源岩来自上地壳的沉积岩、花岗岩和玄武岩,小水组下部样品沉积物源岩较上部要深,金鸡组上部沉积物源岩较中下部要深。Dickinson图解、K₂O/Na₂O-w(SiO₂)、Zr-Th、La-Th-Sc、Th-Co-Zr/10判别图解和稀土元素特征值显示,晚三叠世揭西地区的构造背景为弧后伸展盆地,有被动大陆边缘特性,但也有大陆岛弧(由安第斯大陆边缘弧转变而来)的特性,其物源来自火山弧造山带。早侏罗世黄洞地区为弧后挤压盆地,具有被动陆缘特性,沉积物物源来自于切割的岩浆弧。     

Significance of pot and gutter casts in a Middle Triassic carbonate platform, Betic Cordillera, southern Spain

Pot casts and gutter casts are described for the first time in the lower part of the Majanillos Formation, a Middle Triassic carbonate unit located in the External Zones of the Betic Cordillera (southern Spain). Their identification, as well as their relation to tempestites, enables the better interpretation of the depositional environments and the shoreline-to-offshore facies transition on the Anisian muddy carbonate ramp of the southern Iberian Massif. The Majanillos Formation contains three members, which become progressively more marly towards the top. Well-preserved pot and gutter casts and thin intercalations of calcarenite, which are interpreted as tempestites, are abundant in the lowest member. Above the pot and gutter casts, thicker calcarenite beds, which locally contain hummocky cross-stratification, predominate. Bioturbated nodular limestones are prevalent at the top of the member. The remaining succession, which records a long-term Triassic transgressive cycle, consists mostly of fine-grained limestones deposited in very shallow-marine environments. Calcarenitic sediments only accumulated within potholes and gutters in the nearshore. They developed during storms when strong currents transported sediment to the outer shelf, where it was deposited as tempestite beds. Pot and gutter casts characterize sedimentation in the bypass zone. It is concluded that storm deposits provide important constraints for the interpretation of palaeobathymetry; it is proposed that gutter casts display a trend of increasing width/thickness ratios towards the outer shelf. The identification of these structures in marine successions elsewhere should prove useful in the interpretation of depositional environments.     

Middle carboniferous marine transgression,Bjørnøya,Svalbard: facies sequences from an interplay of sea level changes and tectonics

The Svalbard Platform, in middle Carboniferous time, was dominated by a series of NNW-SSE oriented, asymmetric rift basins. The Landnørdingsvika Formation represents the infill of one such basin in the Bjørnøya (Bear Island) area and consists of red beds deposited during a regional rise of sea level. The basin was filled mainly from the west and southwest across a Carboniferous fault zone, the West Bjørnøya. Fault, which bounded the deep edge of the basin. The basin succession is dominated by floodplain and coastal plain deposits in its lower part and fanglomerates interbedded with shallow marine clastics and carbonates in its upper part. The marine facies gradually increase in volume upwards and culminate in the overlying, carbonate-dominated Kapp Kåre Formation (Moscovian). This continental-marine transition, which has also been identified in the other Svalbard basins, thus reflects an important middie-late Palaeozoic transgression. Analysis of the facies sequences shows that there are repeated submergence-emergence events which are superimposed on the longer term transition. These are interpreted in terms of repeated basin floor tilting and sinking against the upland block.