0000000001086297
AUTHOR
G Zarcone
Sedimentology and biostratigraphy of a peritidal succession across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary: Monte Sparagio, north western Sicily
A 490 m thick section of shallowing upward peritidal cycles spanning the Triassic-Jurassic boundary is exposed along the northern slope of Mount Sparagio in the San Vito Lo Capo Peninsula (Western Sicily). A detailed microfacies analysis allowed defining the aspects of cyclic sedimentation of this section and especially the stratigraphic occurrence patterns of benthic foraminifera and algae across the T/J boundary. The lower part of cycles commonly shows medium to low energy subtidal facies, typical of the inner lagoon of the carbonate platform. Subtidal facies such as coral bafflestone in some cycles suggest more open lagoonal conditions (patch reefs), while some higher energy layers such …
Acidification processes in a peritidal carbonate succession across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary (Sicily)
For the first time, a correlation between biostratigraphic events and δ13C curve was attempted along an UpperTriassic-Lower Jurassic peritidal limestone succession cropping out in westernmost Sicily. The peritidal carbonates are organized in shallowing upward cycles characterized by subtidal skeletal mudstone to grainstone, intertidal microbial mats and supratidal paleosoils. About 300 meters of this succession covering the Triassic-Jurassic interval were studied in details. On the base of the macro- and microfossil assemblages from the subtidal facies, four informal units have been recognized along the studied section. Unit R1 (at the base, 111 m thick) is dominated by large megalodonts, r…
A Km-scale Cretaceous slope in western Sicily (Italy)
Cretaceous slopes are well known from many regions of the world, since they are among the most prone depositional systems to host hydrocarbons. As far as Italy, in spite of fully described examples as the Majella and Gargano escarpments, detailed sedimentological and biostratigraphic studies from Sicily are not available, although the presence of slope carbonates of Cretaceous age in northwestern Sicily, is mentioned in several papers dealing with regional geology or geological mapping. The Cretaceous slope carbonates from this area, i.e. the San Vito Lo Capo Peninsula, belong to several thrust sheets of the Maghrebian chain. The stratigraphic setting in these tectonic units allows to recon…