A sandy tidal coast in the uppermost Muschelkalk and the origin of the Muschelkalk/Keuper boundary in the southwestern Germanic basin

Abstract

 A tidal coast is documented in mixed siliciclastic and carbonate sands of the uppermost Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) along the southwestern margin of the Germanic basin in Luxembourg. The coastal sediments are vertically and laterally stacked channel fills, interpreted to have formed in a tidal flat environment. The channel fills overlie carbonates of a shallow subtidal ramp. The strong progradation of the tidal flat indicates deposition during a late stage of sea-level highstand, but before sea-level fall. In their upper part, the channel fills are overprinted by a thick paleosol, which resulted from subaerial exposure around the time of the Muschelkalk/Keuper boundary. The exposure and formation of the paleosol in the subtidal coastal sediments and, in basinward sections, the deposition of dolomicrites above the Muschelkalk/ Keuper boundary in the lowermost Keuper both indicate a sea-level fall.