麦盖提斜坡奥陶系碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素特征及其意义

依据实测的塔里木盆地麦盖提斜坡玉北地区41个碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素数据,结合岩石学方法,研究了碳氧同位素的组成、演化及其地质意义。数据显示,δ~(13) C值主要分布在-2.6‰~0.7‰,均值为-1.0‰;δ~(18) O值分布在-9.4‰~-3.5‰,均值为-6.9‰。玉北地区古盐度为118.39~126.34,平均为121.94。奥陶系碳酸盐岩淡水改造作用明显。碳氧同位素的组成和演化不但可以指示沉积环境,而且还与生物生产率以及古海平面变化呈正相关性:δ~(13) C的低值对应于局限台地台内滩亚相沉积环境;δ~(13) C的高值对应于开阔台地滩间海、台内滩亚相沉积环境。碳氧同位素组成还对成岩环境有明显响应:鹰山组δ~(13) C与δ~(18) O均向高负值偏移,表明经历过强烈的表生岩溶作用;蓬莱坝组δ~(13) C低—中负值,δ~(18) O表现为高负值,在白云岩储层中可见鞍状白云石及燧石,主要为深埋藏成岩环境;良里塔格组同位素特征为δ~(18) O高负值,δ~(13) C低正值,并且在进入埋藏岩溶阶段之前还经历过风化壳岩溶作用。     

句容地区下奥陶统仑山组海平面变化的碳酸盐岩地球化学记录

句容地区下奥陶统仑山组碳酸盐岩沉积主要由开阔台地和深水陆棚组成,仑山组层序1和层序2均由低位体系域和海侵体系域构成,反映两次海侵过程。根据δ13 C值、Sr/Ba值、1 000Sr/Ca值和V/Ni值反映的古盐度、古水深曲线,结合沉积环境变迁与体系域特征,绘制了仑山组海平面相对升降曲线。一级海平面相对升降曲线反映仑山组时期经历了一次海侵。二级海平面波动曲线显示海平面波动频繁,由两次海平面相对上升和一次海平面相对下降组成。仑山组样品碳、氧同位素组成受后期成岩作用影响较小,基本保留了原始海洋的同位素组成:δ13 C值为-0.8‰~2.3‰,均值为0.45‰;δ18 O值为-14.4‰~-9.3‰,均值为-10.2‰,主要集中在-10.0‰~-9.0‰的范围内。利用δ13 C和δ18 O值计算得到的Z值全部大于120,反映仑山组碳酸盐岩在海相环境中形成。     

二元同位素测温技术及其在白云岩储层成因研究中的应用——以塔里木盆地中下寒武统为例

作为近年来新兴的实验技术,二元同位素(D47)测温技术已被应用于碳酸盐岩成岩环境的研究中。简要介绍了二元同位素测温技术的原理及应用方法,并以塔里木盆地中下寒武统白云岩为例,优选11块样品,测试其D47值和白云石的碳氧同位素,并计算出样品的成岩温度和古流体的δ~(18)O值。综合分析认为:样品中,颗粒白云岩形成于低温准同生—浅埋藏环境,成岩流体为海水;细晶白云岩为深埋藏成岩环境中原岩受到了高温重结晶作用的改造,成岩流体为地下热卤水;孔缝中的白云石胶结物是深埋藏成岩环境富镁热卤水沉淀作用的产物。研究证明二元同位素测温技术可以较好地恢复白云岩的成岩温度,减少储层成因的多解性,它为今后储层成因研究提供了一种新的手段和依据。     

昂达尔错地区布曲组碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素特征及意义

碳酸盐岩碳、氧同位素对古气候、古环境及成岩流体示踪具重要的指示意义。通过对羌塘盆地南部昂达尔错地区QZ-11井、QZ-12井布曲组岩心观察、薄片鉴定及碳氧同位素分析,结果表明:研究区布曲组是在炎热、半干旱-半潮湿古气候条件下,在台地边缘礁滩环境发育的一套碳酸盐岩沉积;岩性包括灰岩,白云岩及过渡性岩类,白云岩主要发育在高位体系域晚期台缘浅滩微相中,白云岩包括保留先驱灰岩原始组构的颗粒白云岩、泥微晶白云岩及先驱灰岩原始组构不可见的晶粒白云岩;研究区内的碳酸盐岩δ~(13)C_(PDB)分布范围为1.5‰~4‰,δ18OPDB分布范围为-7.6‰~-12.1‰,其中灰岩的δ~(13)C_(PDB)分布范围为1.5‰~2.9‰,普遍高于同期全球海水碳同位素值,推测可能与高位体系域晚期强蒸发及生物繁盛有关,白云岩和过渡性岩类中δ~(13)C_(PDB)分布范围为1.4‰~4‰,说明为继承先驱灰岩中碳同位素组成,局部可能受到白云石化流体的改造;氧同位素组成虽然普遍低于同期海水值,但白云岩中保留先驱灰岩原始组构的颗粒白云岩氧同位素值仍高于灰岩,表明其形成与蒸发环境有关,而细晶白云岩、中粗晶白云岩氧同位素组成呈逐步降低趋势,表明可能受埋藏阶段温度升高的影响。     

浙江江山震旦系碳同位素异常及其地质意义

碳同位素已成为研究震旦纪地质事件的重要手段之一,其特征主要与古海洋生物产率、有机质埋藏量及其氧化程度有关,具体表现为生物产率、有机质埋藏量升高和(或)有机质氧化程度降低,δ13C值增大;反之,δ13C值减小。浙江江山位于扬子地台东南缘,东南以江山-绍兴断裂为界与华夏古陆毗邻。江山震旦系地层出露齐全,顶底完整。通过分析其中48个碳同位素数值特征发现,该区震旦系碳同位素特征有四处异常,这些异常出现在地质界线(系、组、段的分界线)附近,是地质事件的反映,即陡山沱组底部碳同位素负异常是“雪球地球”事件的反映;陡山沱组中部碳同位素负漂移是海平面下降和(或)洋流翻转的反映;陡山沱组顶部与灯影组底部交界附近的碳同位素负异常是海平面下降的反映;灯影组顶部的碳同位素异常是震旦系与寒武系边界时期古气候、古环境强烈变化的反映。     

塔深1井寒武系白云岩储层同位素流体地球化学示踪

通过对塔里木盆地沙雅隆起阿克库勒凸起东部塔深1井寒武系白云岩岩石学特征及成岩成因分析,影响塔深1井寒武系地层流体改变主要成岩有准同生期、埋藏期和后期热液改造期等.塔深1井寒武系白云岩及充填孔、洞、缝内方解石的氧、碳、锶同位素地球化学特征表明:准生期白云岩δ~(13)C_(PDB)值(0.9‰～1.8‰)偏正、δ~(18)C_(PDB)值(-10.1‰～-4.2‰)偏负反映准同生期泥微晶白云石成因属于高盐度的海水使得碳酸盐泥发生白云石化;埋藏期白云岩碳、氧随重结晶作用加强,白云岩晶粒由细向粗变化值随埋深增加,由于同位素分馏作用而偏负,δ~(18)C_(PDB)值(-10.02‰～-5.7‰)呈明显的下降,但δ~(13)C_(PDB)值(-1.4‰～0‰)组成变化不大;后期热液白云岩在热液作用下δ~(18)C_(PDB)值普遍低于-10‰(δ~(18)C_(PDB)/‰-13.1～-9.4,δ~(13)C_(PDB)/‰-2～-0.647);基质方解石δ~(18)C_(PDB)值为-10.1‰～-10.13‰,δ~(13)C_(PDB)值为-1.48‰～-1.62‰;充填孔洞缝粗-巨晶方解石δ~(18)C_(PDB)值为-10.89‰～-14.28‰,δ~(13)C_(PDB)值为-2‰～-3.09‰,反映准同生期→埋藏期→后期热液晶粒大小由泥微晶→细晶→中晶→粗晶氧碳同位素值逐渐变小偏负,据~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr(0.707 284～0.746 888)值均远高于现今海洋中海水的锶同位素组成(0.708)及围岩的锶同位素(0.707 284),说明鞍形白云石以及方解石结晶时的孔隙流体不是残余在岩石孔隙中的同生期海水,而是外来的富含锶的流体,也就是深部热液流体.渗透回流白云石化、埋藏白云石化和高温热液白云石化等特征表明白云岩形成于超盐度、埋藏和高温热液等3种不同的环境,因此影响储层形成与分布,从而影响对白云岩的勘探.     

湖北宜昌埃迪卡拉系陡山沱组下部无机碳同位素再研究：探寻碳酸盐岩碳同位素组成的原始海水信号

湖北宜昌地区埃迪卡拉系陡山沱组记录了多次显著的无机碳同位素(δ13Ccarb)波动事件,它们可以在华南乃至全球范围内进行广泛对比。然而,在一些特定剖面中,陡山沱组底部盖帽碳酸盐岩记录了δ13Ccarb极负值(＜30‰,VPDB),以及上覆陡山沱组二段底部地层中δ13Ccarb在正负值之间频繁波动的现象。一般认为,成岩作用中形成的碳酸盐矿物导致了这些分布不规律的δ13Ccarb波动,并对利用碳酸盐岩全岩无机碳同位素(δ13Cbulk)数据进行古海洋碳同位素组成恢复的可靠性造成了干扰。为了评估成岩作用对δ13Cbulk的影响,本文利用宜昌雾河地区埃迪卡拉系的一口钻井岩芯,对陡山沱组下部地层进行了详细的岩石学观察和碳同位素分析。研究结果表明,陡山沱组下部的碳酸盐岩中存在形成于成岩过程中的方解石矿物,而碳酸盐岩中的白云石组分并未遭受严重的后期成岩作用改造,白云石组分的碳同位素(δ13Cdolo)组成能够更加准确地反映沉积时的海水信息。为获得样品的δ13Cdolo信息,本研究首先将全岩粉末样品与30%磷酸反应2 h,去除其中的方解石组分,然后测试残余样品的碳同位素。实验结果显示,该方法可以有效去除岩石粉末中的方解石组分,最终获得的数据能够准确地反映δ13Cdolo特征。陡山沱组二段下部样品δ13Cdolo为连续稳定的正值,且明显高于δ13C bulk,δ13Cdolo 曲线更加真实地反映了新元古代冰期结束之后海洋碳同位素组成的变化特征。     

塔里木盆地麦盖提斜坡奥陶纪地层划分对比及意义

以碳同位素值的波动变化与沉积环境、海平面升降及地层界面突变等地质事件相对应为理论依据,开展碳同位素地层研究,建立了各组值域划分标准,解决碳酸盐岩地层缺乏标准生物化石情况下,地层归属难确定的问题。指出奥陶系自下而上碳同位素曲线呈现稳定-上升-正漂移的过程。其中,下统蓬莱坝组—鹰山组δ~(13)C值范围为(-4.2~-0.2)×10~(-3),始终为负值;中统一间房组δ~(13)C值范围为(-0.4~0.6)×10~(-3),以分布在零值附近为特征;上统恰尔巴克组—良里塔格组δ~(13)C值范围(0.7~3.1)×10~(-3),均为正值。在此基础上,开展了巴楚典型露头剖面与麦盖提斜坡井下奥陶系碳同位素地层与岩石地层对比研究,提出麦盖提斜坡中部及东部断洼区发育上奥陶统,除东部断裂带外,普遍残存下奥陶统顶部泥晶灰岩段。     

四川盆地开江-梁平台棚东侧长兴组礁白云岩沉积-成岩-成藏系统

长兴组礁白云岩是川东北地区最重要的天然气储层类型之一。通过对开江-梁平台棚东侧长兴组礁白云岩岩石组构、成岩演化序列、铁锰锶微量元素、碳氧锶稳定同位素、流体包裹体、油气性质及来源综合研究,认为古地貌格局控制了开江-梁平台棚东侧不同类型台缘生物礁的展布,古海平面的"升降"控制了生物礁形态及规模,台缘礁坪/礁盖滩微相及部分毗邻发育的骨架礁相带控制了优质储层发育位置和空间展布规律;可将长兴组白云岩划分为准同生白云岩和埋藏白云岩两种成因类型,优质的礁、滩相白云岩储层仅与多期次埋藏白云石化作用有关,推测成岩流体主要来源于封存地层中的早-中三叠世蒸发岩溶解产生的具低Mn含量、较低Fe含量、高Sr含量、较高δ~(13)C值、较高~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr比值特点的高盐度埋藏循环海源孔隙水,并有长兴期同生卤水和深部有机酸热液混入;按水文体制,将长兴组白云岩成岩系统划分为4类,分别为海源同生卤水、封存卤水、混源热卤水和深源混合热卤水成岩系统,认为混源热卤水成岩系统埋藏白云石化和溶蚀作用是提高储层质量的关键;论证了开江-梁平台棚东侧长兴组存在同一流体输导体系控制的埋藏白云石化作用与油气充注成藏的统一"成岩-成藏"系统,揭示了长兴组白云岩沉积-成岩-成藏耦合关系,为该地区下一步天然气勘探目标优选提供地质依据。     

四川盆地中南部寒武系白云岩特征及形成机制

四川盆地寒武系厚度达千米,岩性从下到上依次由泥页岩-粉砂质泥岩-灰质白云岩-纯白云岩组成,其优质储层主要为中—上寒武统冼象池组的白云岩。本文通过与川东北长兴组—飞仙关组、塔河油田奥陶系白云岩对比,应用微量元素、稀土元素、碳、氧、锶同位素等分析测试结果,对四川盆地中南部寒武系白云岩特征及形成机制进行了研究。研究结果表明:四川盆地中南部寒武系白云岩具有较高的铁、锰质量分数,平均值分别为6 502.9×10~(-6)和468.3×10~(-6),较低的锶质量分数,平均值为74.0×10~(-6),较低的碳氧同位素值,δ~(13)CVPDB和δ~(18)OVPDB平均值分别为-2.38‰和-7.74‰;四川盆地中南部寒武系碳酸盐岩经历了大气淡水淋滤作用,可能为准同生白云石化或混合水白云石化作用。     

Microtextural Characteristics and Origin of Dolomites in the Tepearasi Formation, SW of Beysehir-Konya, Turkey

The Tepearasi Formation of the autochthonous Geyikdagi Group in the Central Tauride Belt, SE of Beysehir, is Dogger in age and consists dominantly of massive limestones and greyish dolomites occurring within the middle to upper sections. The total thickness of the dolomitic levels ranges from 100-300 m and laterally extends 500-700 m. Three types of dolomite were distinguished through petrographic analyses: homogeneous, mottled (saddle-crystalline) and joint-filling dolomite, which were interpreted to have formed in two different stages, early diagenetic and late diagenetic. The homogeneous dolomite of the early diagenetic stage is light-coloured and monotonous-textured and shows the form of a dolosparite mosaic. The mottled dolomite formed in the late diagenetic stage is light- to dark-coloured and coarsely granular idiomorphic. The other type of late diagenetic dolomite, described as the joint-filling type, presents a crystal growth pattern from the joint walls towards the centre of the joint space. I     

Traces of brine and hydrocarbon migration in carbon,oxygen, and sulfur isotopic compositions of reservoir rocks in the Talakan petroleum field,Southwestern Yakutia

Dolomites from the productive Osa horizon (upper subformation of the Lower Cambrian Bilir Formation) in the Talakan petroleum field show a prominent 1–2‰ decrease in δ¹⁸O (from 23–24 to 21–22‰), which presumably marks a zone of relatively high water/rock ratios. Productive boreholes are characterized by moderate δ³⁴S values (from 25.1 to 30.6‰) and negative correlation between δ³⁴S in anhydrite and δ¹⁸O in associated dolomite, which points to a partial sulfate reduction during catagenesis. In nonproductive borehole, δ³⁴S values increase significantly (from 31.4 to 35.6‰) and show positive correlation with δ¹⁸O in dolomite. Rocks recovered by nonproductive borehole possibly recrystallized during early diagenesis, and, correspondingly lost their permeability and capacity to form pores. Limestones and dolomites of the Osa horizon have a carbon isotopic composition within the range of normal marine carbonates (δ¹³C = 0 ± 1 ‰), which does not indicate a significant role of organic matter in postsedimentary recrystallization of carbonate sediments. A positive δ¹³C excursion up to 4.5‰ recorded in the lower subformation of the Bilir Formation presumably occurred at the sedimentation stage under conditions of high rates of bioproductivity and organic matter burial in sediments.     

Carbon isotope composition of Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician carbonate in Korea,and its bearing on the Cambrian–Ordovician boundary and Lower Ordovician paleoceanography

This study presents an example of locating Cambrian–Ordovician boundary in the lower Paleozoic carbonate succession in Korea using carbon isotope stratigraphy. The Yeongweol Unit of the lower Paleozoic Joseon Supergroup comprises the Upper Cambrian Wagok Formation and the Lower Ordovician Mungok Formation in the Cambrian–Ordovician transition interval. Conventionally, the boundary was placed at the lithostratigraphic boundary between the two formations. This study reveals that the boundary is positioned in the basal part of the Mungok Formation based on the carbon isotope stratigraphy coupled with biostratigraphic information of conodont and trilobite faunas. The δ¹³C curve of the Lower Ordovician Mungok Formation shows a similar trend to that of the coeval stratigraphic interval of Argentine Precordillera (Buggisch et al., 2003), suggesting that the δ¹³C curve of the Mungok Formation reflects the Early Ordovician global carbon cycle.     

Paleo-environment and reservoir evolution of the Middle Ordovician Kelimoli Formation in the northern Tianhuan area,Ordos Basin,China: implications for high-quality reservoir development

The Middle Ordovician Kelimoli Formation carbonate reservoirs in the northern Tianhuan area, Ordos Basin, China are main exploration targets. Subsurface core samples, logging, drilling and production data from the area were used to characterise the carbonate reservoir and to construct a genetic model for exploration. The sedimentary facies identified include trough–continental rise, upper–lower slope, platform margin reef-shoal, open platform and evaporation-restricted platform. The slope and platform margin facies are potential zones for high-quality reservoirs. Porosity in the study area comprises intergrain, intercrystal, intragrain and intracrystal pores, fractures and vughs. The Sr/Ba (0.40–4.87) and V/(V + Ni) (0.64–0.97) ratios indicate deposition in a brackish water-dominated environment under reducing conditions, associated with sea-level fluctuations during the deposition of the Kelimoli Formation. The Sr/Ba, V/(V + Ni), ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, δ¹⁸O values and crystal texture of dolomite samples suggest that meteoric water was involved in the diagenetic fluid in the near-surface depositional environment. Isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) and trace elements (Fe and Mn) allowed the identification of seepage-reflux and mixed-water dolomitisation. The crystal textures of the samples consist of micritic, bioclastic and reefal limestones, and dolomite with gypsum, which were easily dissolved during the early diagenetic stage. The epidiagenetic stage was the key period for the development of high-quality reservoirs because of large-scale bedding-parallel karstification from meteoric water. The reservoir zones, dominated by partially filled and unfilled vughs, and fractures, are favourable exploration targets in the northern Tianhuan area.     

浙江江山寒武系碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素特征及其古环境意义探讨

对浙江江山碓边下寒武统上部—下奥陶统下部碳酸盐岩进行了碳氧同位素测定。δ1 3C、δ1 8O值变化范围和均值分别为 - 1.9‰～ 3.7‰、- 13.0‰～ - 1.3‰和 0 .86‰、- 9.76‰。碳氧同位素地层曲线与 Veizer et al.(1986 )的同位素年代演化曲线形状相似 ,在寒武纪—奥陶纪界线附近没有明显的δ1 3C、δ1 8O漂移现象。δ1 3C地层曲线具旋回性变化特征 ,大陈岭组、杨柳岗组各形成一个完整的演化旋回 ,与根据露头层序地层研究推测的海平面变化曲线吻合性较好 ,表现出δ1 3C值的高值区是海盆水体变深的反映。一个明显的碳同位素正漂移发生于晚寒武世早期 (华严寺组下部 ) ,与 Matthew etal.(2 0 0 0 )报道的在美国内华达州中东部、哈萨克斯坦 Malyi Karatau地区、澳大利亚昆士兰州西北部和湘西桃源瓦儿岗等地发现的 δ1 3C正漂移记录 (SPICE— The Steptoean Positive CarbonIsotope Excursion)和 Veizer et al.(1986 )碳同位素年代演化曲线中的正漂移波峰一致 ,为晚寒武世全球性碳同位素正漂移提供了一个佐证。     

Oxygen and carbon isotope composition of Gordon Group carbonates (Ordovician), Florentine Valley,Tasmania, Australia

The Gordon Group carbonates consist of biota of the Chlorozoan assemblage, diverse non‐skeletal grains and abundant micrite and dolomite, similar to those of modern warm water carbonates. Cathodoluminescence studies indicate marine, meteoric and some burial cements. Dolomites replacing burrows, mudcracks and micrite formed during early diagenesis.

δ¹⁸O values (‐5 to ‐7%ō PDB) of the non‐luminescent fauna and marine cement are lighter than those of modern counterparts but are similar to those existing within low latitudes during the Ordovician because of the light δ¹⁸O values of Ordovician seawater (‐3 to ‐5%o SMOW). The δ¹⁸O difference (2%o) between marine and meteoric calcite indicates that Ordovician meteoric water was similar to that in modern subtropics. Values of δ¹³C relative to δ¹⁸O indicate that during the Early Ordovician there were higher atmospheric CO₂ levels than at present but during the Middle and Late Ordovician they became comparable with the present because of a change from ‘Greenhouse’ to glacial conditions. δ¹⁸O values of Late Ordovician seawater were heavier than in the Middle Ordovician mainly because of glaciation.

Dolomitization took place in marine to mixed‐marine waters while the original calcium carbonate was undergoing marine to meteoric diagenesis.     

塔里木盆地塔北、塔中地区寒武系—奥陶系碳酸盐岩中鞍形白云石胶结物特征

通过对塔里木盆地中、北部地区寒武系—奥陶系碳酸盐岩的研究,发现鞍形白云石胶结物发育比较普遍,常见于孔洞或裂缝之中,乳白色,晶体粗大,晶面弯曲或呈阶梯状,镜下波状消光,晶体内部常见微裂缝,常与热液矿物共生。本文对28个鞍形白云石样品进行了碳、氧、锶同位素测试,结果显示鞍形白云石的δ~(13)C和δ~(18)O值分别介于-2.446‰～0.686‰和-9.101‰～-5.117‰之间,~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr值介于0.708 6～0.710 2之间;流体包裹体测温分析表明,鞍形白云石中气—液两相包裹体的均一温度(T_h)介于121～159.5℃之间,但集中分布在135～145℃之间;根据最后冰融点温度(T_m)求得的白云岩化流体盐度介于21.3%～23.1%之间。这些数据表明,该类型白云石形成于热卤水(盐度是海水的5～8倍)之中。塔里木盆地鞍形白云石与世界范围内其它盆地的鞍形白云石的碳、氧同位素特征基本相似,但其~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr值相对偏低。导致这一现象的原因可能是鞍形白云石形成于来自深部的岩浆热液流体之中,这些流体伴随岩浆侵位或通过切穿基底的深大断裂及其与之相连的次级断裂系统从深部直接进入碳酸盐岩地层中,未经过碎屑岩输导层的长时间运移,所以导致其中形成的鞍形白云石~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr值偏低。     

Fibrous calcite from the Ordovician of Tennessee: preservation of marine oxygen isotopic composition and its implications

Three categories of fibrous calcite from early to middle Caradoc platform-marginal buildups in east Tennessee can be delineated using cathodoluminescent microscopy, minor element chemistry and stable C-O isotopic composition. Bright luminescent fibrous cement has elevated Mn (>1000 p.p.m.), negative δ¹³C and intermediate δ¹⁸O values relative to other types of fibrous calcite. This cement reflects fibrous calcite that interacted with reducing Mn-rich fluids. Dully luminescent fibrous cement has elevated Fe (>400 p.p.m.), positive δ¹³C and negative δ¹⁸O values relative to other fibrous cements. This cement was stabilized by burial fluids. Nonluminescent fibrous cement has low Mn and Fe (generally below 400 p.p.m.) and positive δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values relative to other types of fibrous calcite. The latter cement is interpreted to be the best material for determining the isotopic composition of calcite precipitated in equilibrium with early to middle Caradoc seawater, which is δ¹³C=1% PDB and δ¹⁸O=?4 to ?5‰ PDB. Results from this study and Ashgillian brachiopods indicate that the average δ¹⁸O composition of the Ordovician ocean, during nonglacial periods, was probably never more negative than ?3‰ SMOW. Assuming an Ordovician seawater δ¹⁸O value of ?1‰ SMOW, Holston Formation fibrous cements would have precipitated at temperatures between 27 and 36 °C, which is near the upper temperature limit for metazoans. A seawater δ¹⁸O value of ?2‰ SMOW yields temperatures ranging from 23 to 31 °C, while a ?3‰ SMOW value yields temperatures of 18–26 °C.     

Carbon and oxygen-isotope stratigraphy of the Early Cretaceous carbonate platform of Pădurea Craiului (Apuseni Mountains,Romania): A chemostratigraphic correlation and paleoenvironmental tool

Stable C and O isotope records were obtained from carbonate rocks spanning the Hauterivian to Cenomanian interval collected in several sections from the carbonate platform of Pădurea Craiului (Apuseni Mountains, Romania). In the absence of some key biostratigraphic marker species, stable isotopes were applied as a tool for stratigraphic correlation and dating. The composite δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O curves for the Early Cretaceous shows variable conditions with large positive and negative excursions and provide information on past environmental changes. The Hauterivian and the Barremian limestones (Blid Formation) display lower δ¹³C values (−2.8‰ to +2.9‰) relative to the Aptian–Albian deposits (−2.6‰ to +5.4‰) (Ecleja, Valea Măgurii and Vârciorog Formations). The red detrital formation (Albian–Cenomanian) is characterized by a highly variable distribution of the δ¹³C values (−3.5‰ to +3.9‰). Based on the similarities between the C-isotope curve established in Pădurea Craiului and from other sections in the Tethyan and the Pacific regions, two major oceanic anoxic events characterized by δ¹³C positive excursions were clearly recognized. The first is the OAE1a event (Early Aptian) in the upper part of the Ecleja Formation and the Valea Măgurii Formation. The second is the OAE1b event (Late Aptian–Albian) in the upper part of the Vârciorog Formation and in the Subpiatră Member. The position of the Aptian/Albian boundary is estimated to be at the upper part of the Vârciorog Formation, immediately after the beginning of the δ¹³C positive excursion. The δ¹³C data show major negative excursions during the Barremian (Blid Formation), Early Aptian (Ecleja Formation), and Late Aptian (Vârciorog Formation). The O isotope variation pattern (−10.2‰ to −2.1‰) is consistent with progressively warming temperatures during the Early Barremian followed by a cooling period. A subsequent warming period culminated in the Early Aptian. A significant cooling phase corresponds to the Late Aptian and Early Albian and the climate cooled again during the Late Albian and into the Early Cenomanian stage. The data provide a better understanding of the Early Cretaceous sedimentation cycles in Pădurea Craiului and create a more reliable framework for regional correlations.