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Calcareous Nannofossils from the Ottakoil Formation, Cauvery Basin, South India: Implications on Age and Late Cretaceous Environmental Conditions

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On a Sustainable Future of the Earth's Natural Resources

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Abstract

A more or less complete Upper Cretaceous – Palaeocene age sequence is preserved in the Ariyalur- Pondicherry depression of the Cauvery basin. The Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary (KTB) has been recognized in this basin. Geochemical and isotopic anomalies with sequence stratigraphic framework from this 236 m thick Maastrichtian-Danian section in this basin showed the occurrences of double peaked nature of 87Sr/86Sr, stable isotopic, Barium and other trace elemental anomalies preceding K/T boundary. However, owing to patchy occurrences of fossils, precise dating of these anomalies could yet not be made, thwarting correlation of this section with coeval strata elsewhere. Hence, this composite section was subjected to nannofossil study. Out of 55 samples representing several formations and members in this sequence, only one sample (157B) representing upper part of the Ottakoil Formation yielded Late Maastrichtian age calcareous nannofossils. Though limited in diversity, the assemblage shows exceptional preservation for most of the forms. Most of the studied samples contain abundant organic matter and calcite mineral providing clue on prevalent destruction of nannofossils due to diagenetic transformation/dissolution-precipitation. The calcareous nannofossil taxa recorded are: Ahmuellerella octoradiata, Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis, Braarudosphaera bigelowii, Ceratolithus aculeus, Chiastozygus litterarius, Cyclagelosphaera deflandrei, Cribrosphaerella ehrengergii, Cribrosphaera sp., Eiffelithus gorkae, E. parallelus, E. turriseiffeli, Microrhabdulus undosus, Micula decussata, M. staurophora, M. swastika, Petrobrasiella? Bownii, Prediscosphaera cretacea, P. spinosa, Stradneria crenulata, Staurolithites crux, Zygodiscus minimus, Z. spiralis. Common occurrence of large sized A. cymbiformis (the LAD of which marks the base of CC25a) and the presence of A. octaradiata (the LAD of which indicates top of UC20aTP) permitted placement of the assemblage in CC 25 Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis Zone equivalent to UC 19 nannofossil Zone of Late Maastrichtian age. These observations and zonal placement of the studied rocks have helped to date the geochemical and isotopic anomalies recorded previously which in turn may help correlate the interpretations made with those anomalies with that of comparable stratigraphic sections elsewhere.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. N.C. Mehrotra, Director, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany (BSIP), Lucknow is thanked for permitting the scientific collaboration between Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem and BSIP, Lucknow. He is also thanked for having provided access to necessary research equipment. Mrs. Abha, Birbal Sahni Research Scholar, BSIP is thanked for various helps to one of us (JR) during preparation of the manuscript. Research work on the KTB environmental and climatic conditions of the Cauvery basin was supported by research grants from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi to MR.

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  1. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 58 University Road, Lucknow, India

    Jyotsana Rai

  2. Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, India

    Mu. Ramkumar & T. Sugantha

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  1. Jyotsana Rai
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    Mu. Ramkumar

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Rai, J., Ramkumar, M., Sugantha, T. (2013). Calcareous Nannofossils from the Ottakoil Formation, Cauvery Basin, South India: Implications on Age and Late Cretaceous Environmental Conditions. In: Ramkumar, M. (eds) On a Sustainable Future of the Earth's Natural Resources. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32917-3_5

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