Basin-scale fluvial correlation and response to the Tethyan marine transgression: an example from the Triassic of central Spain

Franzel, Maximilian; Jones, Stuart J.; Meadows, Neil; Allen, Mark B.; McCaffrey, Ken; Morgan, Tim

Abstract

The relationships between large‐scale depositional processes and the stratigraphic record of alluvial systems, e.g. the origin and distribution of channel stacking patterns, changing architecture and correlation of strata, are still relatively poorly understood, in contrast to marine systems. We present a study of the Castillian Branch of the Permo‐Triassic Central Iberian Basin, north‐eastern Spain, using chemostratigraphy and a detailed sedimentological analysis to correlate the syn‐rift Triassic fluvial sandstones for ~80 km along the south‐eastern basin margin. This study investigates the effects of Middle Triassic (Ladinian) Tethyan marine transgression on fluvial facies and architecture. Chemostratigraphy identifies a major, single axially flowing fluvial system lasting from the Early to Middle Triassic (~10 Ma). The fluvial architecture comprises basal conglomerates, followed by amalgamated sandstones and topped by floodplain‐isolated single‐ or multi‐storey amalgamated sandstone complexes with a total thickness up to ~1 km. The Tethyan marine transgression advanced into the basin with a rate of 0.04‐0.02 m yr‐1, and is recorded by a transition from the fluvial succession to a series of maximum flooding surfaces characterised by marginal marine clastic sediments and sabkha evaporites. The continued, transgression led to widespread thick carbonate deposition infilling the basin and recording the final stage of syn‐rift to early‐post rift deposition. We identify the non‐marine to marine transition characterised by significant changes in the Buntsandstein succession with a transition from a predominantly tectonic‐ to a climatically‐driven fluvial system. The results have important implications for the temporal and spatial prediction of fluvial architecture and their transition during a marine transgression.

Citation

Franzel, M., Jones, S. J., Meadows, N., Allen, M. B., McCaffrey, K., & Morgan, T. (2021). Basin-scale fluvial correlation and response to the Tethyan marine transgression: an example from the Triassic of central Spain. Basin Research, 33(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12451

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 11, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Apr 27, 2020
• Publication Date: Jan 22, 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 13, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 30, 2020
• Journal: Basin Research
• Print ISSN: 0950-091X
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2117
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-25
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12451
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1266372