Surface and subsurface reworking by storms on a Cambrian carbonate platform: evidence from limestone breccias and conglomerates

Journal Title: Geologos - Year 2014, Vol 20, Issue 1

Abstract

Some limestone breccias and conglomerates from the Furongian (Late Cambrian) Chaomidian Formation (Shandong Province, China) were investigated in order to understand the depositional and deformational processes induced by storms. The sediments under study occur in a hummocky cross-stratified peloidal grainstone layer. The limestone conglomerates consist of well-rounded clasts that are mostly flat-lying or imbricated, and have erosional bases. They formed by surface reworking (erosion and rip-up) of thin-bedded grainstones by storm waves and currents. The limestone breccias consist of subangular to subrounded clasts of grainstone, which are often associated with small-scale grainstone clastic dykes. The breccias and dykes resulted from subsurface soft-sediment deformation (i.e., differential liquefaction and fluidization of heterogeneously cemented carbonate grains), most likely triggered by storm-wave loading. The limestone breccias and conglomerates bear important implications for understanding the reworking mechanisms of storms on ancient carbonate platforms.

Authors and Affiliations

Jitao Chen

Keywords

Related Articles

Sedimentological interpretation and stratigraphical position of glacigenic deposits in the Napęków area (Holy Cross Mountains, Poland)

The identification of depositional conditions and stratigraphical position of glacigenic deposits in the Napęków area is important for the genetic and stratigraphical interpretation of Quaternary deposits in the central...

Palaeontological analysis of Middle Miocene siltstones at Wiślica (Carpathian Foredeep, Poland)

Middle Miocene siltstones of the Skawina Formation that crop out at Wiślica, within the axial part of the Carpathian Foredeep in Poland, were analysed. The deposits studied contain numerous benthic and planktonic foramin...

Unravelling the complex nature of the Upper Weichselian till section at Gdynia Babie Doły, northern Poland

The complexity of glacial sequences may increase when these formed underneath ice sheets despite subsequent changes in their extent that are accompanied by alterations in the direction of the ice flow. Our aim was to det...

Peat decomposition - shaping factors, significance in environmental studies and methods of determination; a literature review

A review of literature data on the degree of peat decomposition – an important parameter that yields data on environmental conditions during the peat-forming process, i.e., humidity of the mire surface, is presented. A d...

Ornamentation of dermal bones of Placodermi from the Lower Devonian of Morocco as a measure of biodiversity

Dermal bones are formed early during growth and thus constitute an important tool in studies of ontogenetic and evolutionary changes amongst early vertebrates. Ornamentation of dermal bones of terrestrial vertebrates is...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP165667
  • DOI 10.2478/logos-2014-0002
  • Views 158
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Jitao Chen (2014). Surface and subsurface reworking by storms on a Cambrian carbonate platform: evidence from limestone breccias and conglomerates. Geologos, 20(1), 13-23. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-165667