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Controls on deposition of shallow marine carbonates and evaporites – lower Permian Gipshuken Formation, central Spitsbergen, Arctic Norway
Author(s) -
Sorento Tone,
Olaussen Snorre,
Stemmerik Lars
Publication year - 2020
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/sed.12640
Subject(s) - evaporite , geology , facies , carbonate , paleontology , grainstone , anhydrite , permian , marine transgression , geochemistry , ooid , cyclothems , deposition (geology) , carbonate platform , carbonate rock , sedimentary rock , gypsum , structural basin , materials science , metallurgy
The interbedded shallow marine carbonates and evaporites of the 95 to 105 m thick lower Permian Vengeberget member in central Spitsbergen form a lowstand to possibly early transgressive wedge sandwiched between open marine highstand carbonates along the northern margin of Pangea. Deposition took place on a wide (much greater than 40 000 km 2 ) evaporitic platform separated from the open marine environments to the east by an inferred shelf margin barrier. Based on detailed description of facies in unique mountain‐scale outcrops, five Ca SO 4 and nine carbonate facies have been identified, all reflecting deposition in shallow evaporitic environments. The gypsum beds represent subaqueous deposition in broad hypersaline lagoons whereas the carbonates were deposited in protected shallow marine to peritidal environments and ooid‐dominated grainstone shoals. Cyclicity is expressed both as lithological shifts from carbonate to Ca SO 4 deposition and in the stacking of facies during Ca SO 4 and carbonate deposition. The number of carbonate–evaporite cycles varies from 12 to 28, but the overall thickness of the succession varies only slightly as a result of variations in cycle thickness, from 0·5 to 13·0 m. Two basic types of carbonate units can be recognized and reflect a combination of allocyclic and autocyclic controls. In addition, differential subsidence along older north–south orientated lineaments added to the complexity of cyclicity. The study provides insight into the complexity of the controls on deposition, architecture and dynamics of large‐scale mixed carbonate–evaporite successions formed in the shallow inner part of an epeiric sea or platform.