Abstract: Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic Palynostratigraphy of Northwestern Libya

P. H. Swire

Recent palynostratigraphical work, undertaken on subsurface material from northwestern Libya, yielded abundant information on the development and succession of Upper Palaeozoic (Carboniferous and Permian) and Mesozoic (Triassic) sedimentary sequences and their respective palynofloral contents. A palynostratigraphical zonation detailing 10 Triassic (with divisions up to sub-stage level), 5 Permian, 1 Permian/Carboniferous and 5 Carboniferous biozones is presented.

Results illustrate the effects of the Hercynian unconformity during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian in the area; also there is evidence for a major marine transgression in the latest Permian and earliest Triassic, this extended far south onto the northern Gondwanan platform; in addition the effects on sedimentation are shown of Late Triassic uplift in the region.

Biostratigraphical, chronostratigraphical, lithostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental information from the area are all fully integrated.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90956©1995 AAPG International Convention and Exposition Meeting, Nice, France