The Zambezi Delta draining the Southern African Plateau and the southern part of the East African Rift is one of a the largest delta of Africa with a long-lasting history starting during Early ...Cretaceous with more than 12 km of sediments deposited. The Zambezi Delta is therefore a unique archive of the past topographic evolution of southern and eastern Africa and their related deformations, but also of the climate changes, global and regional (consequences of local topographic growths). Understanding this archive supposes to get a high-resolution dating of the sediments. Our two objectives are here (1) to construct an age model of the Zambezi Cenozoic delta using a combination of biostratigraphy, orbital stratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy and (2) to determine the palaeoprecipitation variations of the Zambezi catchment from the Oligocene to present day in a known tectonic framework. The Neogene sequences were dated at high-resolution assuming that the third order sequences are of eustatic origin and record long-term eccentricity cycles. The sequences were correlated in ages on the calculated Earth orbital solutions of Laskar for the time intervals provided by the biostratigraphy (nannofossils, planktonic foraminifers). The palaeoprecipitation record was based on the definition of a humidity index based on pollen analysis and associated botanical associations. The late Oligocene was a quite wet period getting dryer in the uppermost Chattian. The base Tortonian (11 Ma) was a humid period. The Messinian was a dry period with a slight increase of the humidity during the Zanclean and a sharp increase around the Zanclean-Piacenzian boundary. The Zambezi Delta has recorded the uplifts of the Southern African Plateau (around 85 Ma and around 25 Ma) and those of the southward migration of the East African Rift (since 5.5 Ma).
Display omitted
•Dating sediments with a resolution of 0.1 Myr combining seismic stratigraphy, biostratigraphy an orbital stratigraphy.•Quantifying palaeoprecipitations using a humidity index on botanical associations from pollens.•Characterization of uplifts at 85 and 25 Ma (South African Plateau) and 5.5 Ma (migration of the East African Rift).
A new stratigraphic standard for the open lacustrine to deltaic Pannonian Stage is emerging from the combined sedimentological, lithostratigraphical, sequence stratigraphical, biostratigraphical, ...seismic stratigraphical, geochronological, and magnetostratigraphical investigations of 6 long drill cores. These were drilled by Paks II Nuclear Power Plant Plc. as a preparatory step for the construction of a new power plant near the city of Paks, Central Pannonian Basin, between 2015 and 2016. The boreholes are in a distance of 8-12 km from each other, and five of them fully penetrated the local Pannonian sequence in a thickness of 390 to 662 m. Each core includes offshore clay marl deposited far from sediment entry points (Endrőd Fm), heterolithic, sandy siltstones of a <200 m high shelf-margin slope (Algyő Fm), and several stacked deltaic deposits from prodelta silts to sandy mouth bars, heterolithics, lignite and sandy channel-fills of the delta plain (Újfalu Fm). Magnetostratigraphic investigations from two cores and authigenic 10Be/9Be dating from two others were combined by means of seismic correlation between the boreholes, and thus they provide a solid geochronological and chronostratigraphic basis for the interpretation of the sedimentologial and paleontological records of the cores. The continuous representation of the earliest Pannonian (11.6–9.1 Ma) in the cores needs further investigation, as neither magnetostratigraphy nor authigenic 10Be/9Be dating gave reliable age data from the basal, condensed calcareous marls. The 9.1 to 6.5 Ma interval, however, is represented in the cores by various lithologies and abundant and sometimes excellently preserved fossils. In the deltaic succession, 8 sedimentary sequences were correlated between the cores; as their duration is not more than 400 kyr each, they can be regarded as 4th-order sequences. The paleontological record of the cores shows a very good agreement with the formerly established biochronostratigraphical system. The cores provide an insight into the evolution of the sedimentary environment and the biota of Lake Pannon between 9.1 and 6.5 Ma with a so far unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution.
Detailed microbiostratigraphy and basin evolution of the Lower Cretaceous deposits in the Rayen area, south of Kerman Region, SE Iran are investigated for the first time in two sections. The section ...no. 1 is 324.6m in thickness and comprises five lithostratigraphic units. The section no. 2 is 218 m in thickness and includes three lithostratigraphic units. The identified fauna and flora include 41 benthic foraminifera and 11 calcareous algae species. The identified assemblage indicates that the marine strata in both sections were deposited during the Barremian to Albian. The microfacies analyses carried out on 22 carbonate and 2 clastic microfacies indicate that the deposits in the section no. 1 were deposited on a homoclinal carbonate ramp, whereas in the section no. 2 they were deposited on a rimmed carbonate shelf. Generally, the Cretaceous deposit in the two studied sections represent different sedimentary models and fossil content indicating different basin evolution histories. The paleogeographic setting of the studied area on the south eastern margin of the Central- East Iranian Microcontinent and the active tectonic history during the Mesozoic suggest that the syndepositional tectonism influenced the basement’s morphology and resulted in changes in the fossil diversity and sedimentary nature of adjacent sedimentary basins.
La microbioestratigrafía detallada y la evolución de la cuenca de los depósitos del Cretácico Inferior en el área de Rayen, al sur de la región de Kerman, sureste de Irán, se investigan por primera vez en dos secciones. La sección núm. 1 tiene 324.6 m de espesor y comprende cinco unidades litoestratigráficas. La sección núm. 2 tiene 218 m de espesor e incluye tres unidades litoestratigráficas. La fauna y flora identificada incluye 41 foraminíferos bentónicos y 11 especies de algas calcáreas. El conjunto identificado indica que los estratos marinos en ambas secciones fueron depositados durante el Barremiense al Albiense. Los análisis de microfacies realizados en 22 microfacies carbonatadas y 2 clásticas indican que los depósitos en la sección no. 1 se depositaron en una rampa de carbonato homoclinal, mientras que en la sección no. 2 se depositaron en una plataforma carbonatada con borde. En general, el depósito del Cretácico en las dos secciones estudiadas representan diferentes modelos sedimentarios y contenido fósil que indican diferentes historias de evolución de la cuenca. El marco paleogeográfico del área estudiada en el margen suroriental del microcontinente iraní centro-oriental y la historia tectónica activa durante el Mesozoico sugieren que el tectonismo sindeposicional influyó en la morfología del basamento y resultó en cambios en la diversidad fósil y la naturaleza sedimentaria de sedimentos adyacentes. cuencas.
Las rocas de la Formación Ahuichila han sido objeto de atención en la literatura por casi 80 años. Durante este tiempo sólo se han publicado descripciones estratigráficas generalizadas de la ...Formación Ahuichila. En este artículo se incluye la descripción de secciones estratigráficas medidas entre el Bajío de Ahuichila (localidad tipo de esta formación) y el Valle Nazareno. Las rocas estudiadas fueron agrupadas en cuatro asociaciones de litofacies: I. Ortoconglomerado que se presenta, dependiendo de la sección, ya sea en la base o en la cima de la formación, pero que en ninguna sección fue observado en ambas posiciones; II. Litarenita-limolita-lutita; III. Yeso-dolomía-limolitalutita y IV. Caliza con microbialitas. Se interpreta que las cuatro asociaciones se acumularon en una cuenca continental cerrada, con sub-ambientes de pie de monte, fluvial y lacustre somero. La presencia de evaporita y microbialita es consistente con un clima árido durante su depósito. Los icnogéneros Planolites, Palaeophicus y Cochlichnus pertenecen a la icnofacies Mermia indicativa de ambiente lacustre. En el área estudiada no se observa vulcanismo intracuenca, esto contrasta con la litología de otras sucesiones de capas rojas continentales en el centro y norte de México equivalentes a la Formación Ahuichila, en donde las rocas volcánicas de intracuenca son comunes. Tobas intercaladas en la sucesión Ahuichila sugieren vulcanismo extracuenca contemporáneo, al menos, en parte, con la sedimentación. El contacto inferior de la Formación Ahuichila cuando aflora es una superficie de erosión. Según la localidad sus capas pueden ser paralelas a la inclinación de la sucesión sedimentaria marina del Mesozoico, o presentar una clara discordancia angular con ésta. Cuando el contacto es una discordancia paralela, la actitud estructural de las rocas mesozoicas y continentales de la Formación Ahuichila es igual y en lugares llega a ser sub-vertical, por lo que se interpreta que la Formación Ahuichila fue deformada junto con las rocas subyacentes. En donde la discordancia es angular hay evidencias de al menos un pulso de deformación compresiva anterior a la acumulación de Ahuichila. La forma inferida de la paleocuenca de Ahuichila es alargada y paralela a las estructuras en el Sector Transversal de Parras de la Sierra Madre Oriental, el límite occidental de la paleocuenca posiblemente fue el Levantamiento de Villa Juárez, y el límite oriental se cree fue el Levantamiento de San Julián. La deformación documentada en la Formación Ahuichila sugiere interpretar que su depósito fue sin-tectónico, acumulada sobre una cuenca tipo piggy-back sobre la Napa de Parras, en el Sector Transversal de Parras.
Rocks in the Ahuichila Formation have been described in the literature for the last 80 years. In this time only generalized descriptions of the Ahuichila Formation have been published up to now. This paper includes the description of stratigraphic logs measured at the Bajío Ahuichila (type locality of this formation) and the Nazareno valley. The studied rocks are grouped into four lithofacies associations: I. Orthoconglomerate, which depending on the locality, occurs as either at the base or at the top of the formation, but never both in the same stratigraphic positions in the same section, II. Litharenite-limolite-shale, III. Gypsumdolomite-limolite-shale, and IV. Limestone with microbialites. The four lithofacies associations are interpreted as consistent with deposition in a closed continental basin, and correspond to fluvial, alluvial, and shallow lake sub-environments. The occurrence of evaporite and microbialite is consistent with an arid climate at the sedimentation time. The Planolites, Palaeophicus and Cochlichnus ichnogenera belong to the Mermia ichnofacies in a lacustrine environment. Intrabasinal volcanic lava flows are not founded in the Ahuichila Formation at the study area, this feature is a difference with similar lithologies in other continental red beds successions in central and northern Mexico, where intrabasinal volcanic rocks are common. Distal tuffs interlayered in the Ahuichila succession suggest extrabasinal volcanism contemporaneous, at least in part, with the sedimentation. The lower contact of the Ahuichila Formation, where is exposed out is always an erosional surface. Depending on the location, a disconformity with the beds in the underlying Mesozoic marine sedimentary rocks, or a clear angular unconformity can be observed. In those places where the contact is a disconformity, the structural attitude of the Mesozoic marine sediments and the continental Ahuichila rocks is the same, despite the fact that in some places, it might be sub-vertical; this is interpreted as clear evidence that the Ahuichila Formation was deformed together with the Mesozoic rocks. In those places where a clear angular unconformity exists it is obvious that at least one shortening pulse occurred prior to the Ahuichila deposit. The inferred shape of the Ahuichila paleobasin is elongated and parallel to the structures in the Parras Transversal Sector of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the paleobasin limits could be in the west at the Villa Juárez uplift and at the San Julián uplift in the east. The documented deformation in the Ahuichila Formation suggests the assumption of a syn-tectonic deposit, on a piggy-back type basin located atop the Parras Nappe, next to the Parras Tranversal Sector.
PDF
