A multi‐technique study of the glacial stratigraphy of Co. Clare and Co. Kerry,southwest Ireland

A multi‐technique approach has been adopted in a study of the lithostratigraphy of glacial deposits in southwestern Ireland, including clast lithological analysis, fine sand geochemistry, low frequency mass specific susceptibility and fine sand calcium carbonate (equivalent) content. A revised lithostratigraphical scheme is suggested for the Quaternary glacial deposits of the region, together with a simple strategy that may be adopted for stratigraphical studies in other regions of southern Ireland. It appears that geochemical determinations via inductively coupled plasma–atomic absorption spectrometry are particularly useful in characterising and discriminating between till units within local stratigraphical studies and may be used to inform the applicability of other utilitarian techniques for use on a regional scale. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lubbock Lake: Late Quaternary cultural and environmental change on the Southern High Plains,USA

Lubbock Lake (Southern High Plains of Texas) contains a cultural, faunal, and floral record within a virtually complete geological record spanning the past 11 100+ years. More than 88 archaeological occurrences have been excavated from five major stratigraphic units. The Paleoindian record (11 500–6500yr BP) begins with Clovis-age occupation (ca. 11 100yr BP) found within fluvial deposits (stratum 1). Subsequent Paleoindian occupations are found in lake and marsh sediments (stratum 2). Archaic occupations (8500-2000yr BP) are contained within aeolian and marsh deposits (strata 3 and 4). Ceramic occupations (2000-500yr BP) are found on a soil developed in stratum 4, in marsh sediments (strata 4 and 5), and in slopewash and aeolian sediments (stratum 5). The Protohistoric (500-300yr BP) and Historic (300-100yr BP) remains are in slopewash, aeolian, and marsh sediments (stratum 5) and associated soils. The Southern High Plains remained a grasslands throughout the last 11 500 years and neither man nor bison abandoned the region. The successive local faunas reflect changing ecosystems under pluvial to arid to more mesic to semiarid conditions. The occupation of Lubbock Lake through time appears to have been by small groups of people for both economic and short-term residential uses. These hunter-gatherer peoples underwent adaptive change brought about by climatic stress and alterations to food resources.     

Diagenetic signatures of stratal surfaces in the Upper Jurassic Fulmar Formation, Central North Sea, UKCS

Sedimentation rate and changes in relative sea level affect early diagenetic cementation along key stratal surfaces within the deeply buried Upper Jurassic Fulmar Formation, South Central Graben, UKCS. As a result of the bioturbated nature of the shallow marine strata, variations in ichnofabrics and cross-cutting relationships between trace fossils are important in identifying and correlating stratal surfaces. Two transgressive and two regressive surfaces/sequence boundaries were studied, using petrographical, mineralogical and geochemical techniques. Cements, including early diagenetic pyrite framboids, grain-rimming apatite, microcrystalline dolomite and ankerite, occur at, above and immediately below both transgressive and forced regressive surfaces/sequence boundaries. Breaks or subdued rates of sedimentation associated with both types of surfaces meant that the sediment package resided within early diagenetic zones for prolonged periods of time, enhancing diagenetic reactions at and below the surfaces. The distribution of ankerite, despite being a deep-burial cement, was primarily controlled by concentrations of bioclasts that are particularly abundant at transgressive surfaces. The diagenetic character of the forced regressive surfaces/sequence boundaries is more complex than that of the transgressive surfaces, both in terms of mineralogy and paragenesis. This is attributed to the superimposition of diagenetic assemblages as a result of erosion, re-sedimentation and sediment by-passing. Although the diagenetic signature of the surfaces has been modified by dissolution/replacement reactions during deep burial, early diagenetic signatures can still be distinguished.     

The magnetic properties of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments in the southern North Sea

Cores from boreholes penetrating late Quaternary, glacial, interglacial and postglacial sediments and the underlying late Cenozoic delta complex of the southern North Sea have been examined for their magnetic properties. A magnetic polarity stratigraphy has been established as an aid to biostratigraphic dating of the sediments; the Kaena-Gauss and Gauss—Matuyama transitions and the base and top of the Olduvai subchron have been identified. The strength and stability of laboratory-induced isothermal remanent magnetisation display clear magneto-petrological variations, which match lithostratigraphic changes in the cores. Principal component analysis has picked out a basin-wide and palaeoenvironmental consistency in the magnetic data. Large, multi-domain magnetite grains predominate in the post-deltaic and fluvio-deltaic sediments, whereas smaller greigite or titanomagnetite grains are concentrated in the intertidal and marine deltaic facies. Since heavy mineral analysis indicates that most of the deltaic detritus derived from common source areas, the differences in magnetic mineralogy have probably been caused by the sediment transport processes operating within the delta complex.     

南盘江坳陷二叠系层序地层格架及古地理环境

南盘江坳陷二叠系划分为12个三级层序,平均每个层序延续时限为3Ma。进而将三级层序划分为4个Ⅰ型层序和8个Ⅱ型层序。三级层序虽然在不同地区发育完整性有所不同,但总体可以进行对比。三级层序构成两个超层序。超层序SS1沉积期,南盘江坳陷主要为台、盆相间古地理格局,具有狭窄的台地边缘一台地斜坡沉积。钦防地区为半深海环境。超层序SS2沉积末期,右江地区从台、盆相间格局演化到盆包台格局。上扬子古陆主体为开阔台地一局限台地,而靠近川滇古陆则变为陆相环境。     

Criteria for defining and recognizing the various orders of sequences in outcrop sequence stratigraphy

Sequence stratigraphy which began in the late seventies of the previous century has not only enriched and widened the scope of stratigraphy, but also has been widely used in sedimentary geology, basin analy-sis, exploration of oil and gas, and other fields of ge-ology. In the last two decades and more, sequence stratigraphy, as a new branch of stratigraphical disci-pline, has become a cornerstone of modern stratigra-phy, and has produced more profound influences than all others. The currently …     

Carbon isotope stratigraphy of Lochkovian to Eifelian limestones from the Devonian of central and southern Europe

Lower to Middle Devonian carbonates of the Prague Syncline, the Carnic Alps, the Montagne Noire, and the Cantabrian Mountains were investigated for δ¹³C_carb and δ¹³C_org. These values were measured on bulk rocks, selected components and cements. Many carbonates exhibit primary marine values, but some are altered by diagenesis. A δ¹³C curve can be presented for the latest Pridolian to Emsian time interval. Several sharp or broad positive excursions are obvious in the woschmidti-postwoschmidti, sulcatus, kitabicus, Late serotinus, and kockelianus conodont zones. The excursion at the Silurian–Devonian boundary is known worldwide and therefore considered global in nature. Some of the others are described for the first time from central and southern Europe, and their global nature has to be verified by further investigations in other regions. Most excursions relate to and/or started during major regressions whereas sea-level highstands correspond to minimal δ¹³C values. Similar relationships between sea-level changes and δ¹³C have been observed from other early Palaeozoic intervals. The transgressive Chote? (?) and Ka?ák events are marked by positive isotope excursions, this type of combination is usually observed in late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic black shale events.     

Climatic implications of correlated Upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits on the Cinca and Gállego Rivers (NE Spain) based on OSL dating and soil stratigraphy

We correlate Upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits of the Cinca and Gállego River valleys (south central Pyrenees and Ebro basin, Spain) using geomorphic position, luminescence dates, and time-related trends in soil development. The ages obtained from glacial deposits indicate glacial periods at 85 ± 5 ka, 64 ± 11 ka, and 36 ± 3 ka (from glacial till) and 20 ± 3 ka (from loess). The fluvial drainage system, fed by glaciers in the headwaters, developed extensive terrace systems in the Cinca River valley at 178 ± 21 ka, 97 ± 16 ka, 61 ± 4 ka, 47 ± 4 ka, and 11 ± 1 ka, and in the Gállego River valley at 151 ± 11 ka, 68 ± 7 ka, and 45 ± 3 ka. The times of maximum geomorphic activity related to cold phases coincide with Late Pleistocene marine isotope stages and Heinrich events. The maximum extent of glaciers during the last glacial occurred at 64 ± 11 ka, and the terraces correlated with this glacial phase are the most extensive in both the Cinca (61 ± 4 ka) and Gállego (68 ± 7 ka) valleys, indicating a strong increase in fluvial discharge and availability of sediments related to the transition to deglaciation. The global Last Glacial Maximum is scarcely represented in the south central Pyrenees owing to dominantly dry conditions at that time. Precipitation must be controlled by the position of the Iberian Peninsula with respect to the North Atlantic atmospheric circulation system. The glacial systems and the associated fluvial dynamic seem sensitive to 1) global climate changes controlled by insolation, 2) North Atlantic thermohaline circulation influenced by freshwater pulses into the North Atlantic, and 3) anomalies in atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic controlling precipitation on the Iberian Peninsula. Our scenario of glacial and fluvial evolution during the Late Pleistocene in northern Spain could be extrapolated to other glaciated mountainous areas in southern Europe.     

塔木察格盆地塔南凹陷下白垩统层序结构特征及控制因素分析

摘要:应用层序地层学原理对塔南凹陷下白垩统地层进行了划分和对比,建立了等时的层序地层格架,分析了不同级别层序界面的特征。对层序结构特征的研究表明,不同沉积期的层序类型、沉积体系的空间展布和配置关系有明显区别。SQ1层序为初始裂谷期湖泊层序,发育冲积扇、滨浅湖等沉积组合; SQ2层序为裂谷高峰早期湖泊层序,发育冲积扇、扇三角洲、滨浅湖等沉积组合;SQ3层序为裂谷高峰中晚期湖泊层序,发育扇三角洲、湖底扇、浅湖、深湖等沉积组合;SQ4层序为裂谷后期过渡层序,发育半深湖一深湖,大型长轴三角洲、滨浅湖、等沉积组合。不同层序发育期各层序的结构特征决定着特定沉积相带的展布,沉积体系域的沉积相构成也有变化。     

Stratigraphic evolution of an outcropping continental slope system, Tres Pasos Formation at Cerro Divisadero, Chile

Depositional slope systems along continental margins contain a record of sediment transfer from shallow‐water to deep‐water environments and represent an important area for natural resource exploration. However, well‐preserved outcrops of large‐scale depositional slopes with seismic‐scale exposures and tectonically intact stratigraphy are uncommon. Outcrop characterization of smaller‐scale depositional slope systems (i.e. < 700 m of undecompacted shelf‐to‐basin relief) has led to increased understanding of stratigraphic packaging of prograding slopes. Detailed stacking patterns of facies and sedimentary body architecture for larger‐scale slope systems, however, remain understudied. The Cretaceous Tres Pasos Formation of the Magallanes Basin, southern Chile, presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the stratigraphic evolution of such a slope system from an outcrop perspective. Inherited tectonic relief from a precursor oceanic basin phase created shelf‐to‐basin bathymetry comparable with continental margin systems (～1000 m). Sedimentological and architectural data from the Tres Pasos Formation at Cerro Divisadero reveal a record of continental margin‐scale depositional slope progradation and aggradation. Slope progradation is manifested as a vertical pattern exhibiting increasing amounts of sediment bypass upwards, which is interpreted as reflecting increasing gradient conditions. The well‐exposed, seismic‐scale outcrop is characterized by four 20 to 70 m thick sandstone‐rich successions, separated by mudstone‐rich intervals of comparable thickness (40 to 90 m). Sedimentary body geometry, facies distribution, internal bedding architecture, sandstone richness and degree of amalgamation were analysed in detail across a continuous 2·5 km long transect parallel to depositional dip. Deposition in the lower section (Units 1 and 2) was dominated by poorly channellized to unconfined sand‐laden flows and accumulation of mud‐rich mass transport deposits, which is interpreted as representing a base of slope to lower slope setting. Evidence for channellization and indicators of bypass of coarse‐grained turbidity currents are more common in the upper part of the > 600 m thick succession (Units 3 and 4), which is interpreted as reflecting increased gradient conditions as the system accreted basinward.