--> Abstract: Upper Carboniferous Mixed Carbonate and Siliciclastic Sedimentation, North Greenland, by L. Stemmerik; #90937 (1998).

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Abstract: Upper Carboniferous Mixed Carbonate and Siliciclastic Sedimentation, North Greenland

STEMMERIK, LARS, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Thoravej 8, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark

Upper Carboniferous (Moscovian) outcrops in coastal cliff sections along the south coast of Amdrup Land and Holm Land in eastern North Greenland provide a unique opportunity to compare time-equivalent mixed carbonate and siliciclastic depositional systems on fault blocks with different syn-depositional tectonic histories. The outcrops allow detailed facies studies, lateral bed tracing and sequence stratigraphic studies of seismic scale units, and provide important information for exploration in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea.

The Moscovian succession in eastern North Greenland is dated by fusulinids and correlation between the two areas is possible on fusulinid zone level (ca. 1 Ma). It consists of stacked 40-150 m thick, wedge-shaped third order depositional sequences of mixed shallow water carbonates and shallow to deeper water siliciclastics on the syn-depositionally flexured south Amdrup Land block. In contrast, the Moscovian succession on the uniformly subsiding Holm Land block consists of tabular, poorly defined third order sequences. These gross variations in depositional style evidently influenced the finer scale depositional history. Throughout the region, the late Palaeozoic succession consists of cyclic deposits (1-10 m) that formed in response to high frequency and high amplitude glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations. In Holm Land, these cycles consist of laterally extensive transgressive and highstand shelf carbonates, mainly biogenic wackestones and packstones separated by shallow marine and fluvial siliciclastics. In Amdrup Land, the carbonates form laterally confined carbonate platforms dominated by phylloid algae-Palaeoaplysina buildups and biogenic grainstones whereas siliciclastic sedimentation was mainly confined to the deeper off platform areas.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90937©1998 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Salt Lake City, Utah