--> Abstract: Anatomy of Forced Regressive Wedges in Carbonate Platforms: An Icehouse Case Study from the Early Permian (Wolfcampian), Hueco Group, West Texas, by L. H. Piccoli and J. A. Toni Simo; #90039 (2005)

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Anatomy of Forced Regressive Wedges in Carbonate Platforms: An Icehouse Case Study from the Early Permian (Wolfcampian), Hueco Group, West Texas

L. H. Piccoli and J. A. Toni Simo
University Of Wiscosnin-Madison, Madison, WI

The Asselian/Sakmarian (Wolfcampian) Hueco Group is an example showing the typical constructional character and evolution of carbonate platforms developed during icehouse periods. These platforms show an internal stratal and diagenetic complexity that resulted from the interaction of sea-level changes, syn-depositional platform morphology, variable carbonate production and inherited topography. The single most important difference with greenhouse platforms is the volumetric significance of forced regressive wedges, e.g. shallow water sedimentary bodies that keep track of relative sea level drops, which are here assigned to the falling stage systems tract (FSST). These wedges show conspicuous downstepping geometries and represent production, accumulation and preservation of shallow water sediments in the outer ramp, slope and basin. Internally, these wedges consist of a complex amalgamation of homoclinal and distally steepened ramps bounded by exposure and marine truncations. Homoclinal ramps developed preferentially during transgressions and early highstand whereas distally steepened ramps were favored by low accommodation conditions existing through the late highstand, falling-stage and lowstand system tracks. An exhaustive process sedimentology analysis based on outcrop facies analysis, mapping of internal geometries and cycle (a)symmetry, gamma-ray logs, ground penetrating radar (GPR) and available 3D seismic from equivalent strata in the Midland Basin provide details on the resulting expressions of high-frequency, high-amplitude, stepped sea level falls characteristic of ice-house climates.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005