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Regressive diagenesis in Pleistocene eolianites from Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Author(s) -
MULLER GERMAN,
TIETZ GERD
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
sedimentology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.494
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1365-3091
pISSN - 0037-0746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3091.1975.tb01642.x
Subject(s) - subaerial , calcite , geology , diagenesis , pleistocene , intertidal zone , geochemistry , cementation (geology) , mineralogy , clastic rock , sedimentary rock , cement , paleontology , oceanography , archaeology , history
Evidence from a Late Pleistocene eolianite in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, demonstrates that red algal clasts replaced by low‐magnesian calcite in the subaerial environment show a partial re‐constitution of their original high‐magnesian calcite mineralogy when they are exposed subsequently to sea water. This process only affects the cell walls of the red algae, which, owing to their specific microarchitecture (extremely small crystal size, very large specific surface area), offer the most favourable conditions for dissolution‐reprecipitation or diffusion processes. High‐magnesian caicite precipitated as a second generation cement on fresh water calcitic cement is an equivalent of the high‐magnesian calcite cement which at many locations on the island leads to the formation of beachrock in Holocene intertidal sediments.