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Changes in paleoenvironments in the Atlantic Ocean during Cretaceous times: results from black shales studies

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Zusammenfassung

Der kretazische atlantische Ozean zeichnet sich durch weitverbreitete Vorkommen von organisch-kohlenstoff-reichen Sedimenten (»Schwarzschiefer«) aus. Die maximale Verbreitung der Schwarzschiefer konzentriert sich dabei auf die Zeitintervalle Apt/Alb und Cenoman/Turon. Um die Genese dieser Schwarzschiefer in bezug auf Änderungen der paläogeographischen Rahmenbedingungen, der paläoozeanischen Zirkulation und des Paläoklimas zu erklären, wurden detaillierte Untersuchungen der Menge und Zusammensetzung der organischen Substanz durchgeführt. Die Arbeit basiert hauptsächlich auf Akkumulationsraten der terrigenen und marinen organischen Substanz, der Beziehung zwischen Corg-Gehalt und Sedimentationsrate und der Abschätzung der ozeanischen Paläoproduktivität.

Da die Menge und die Zusammensetzung der organischen Substanz in den Schwarzschiefern aus den verschiedenen Teilbecken des Atlantiks als auch aus den unterschiedlichen Zeitintervallen deutliche Unterschiede zeigen, müssen auch sehr unterschiedliche Mechanismen, die zu dieser Corg-Anreicherung in den Sedimenten geführt haben, angenommen werden:

  1. (1)

    Eine erhöhte Zufuhr von terrigener organischer Substanz war der Hauptfaktor für die Akkumulation von Corgreichen Sedimenten im Nordwest-Atlantik während des Hauterives und des Albs.

  2. (2)

    Eine erhöhte Produktivität von mariner organischer Substanz war wichtig für die Schwarzschieferbildung im Nordost-Atlantik während des Albs.

  3. (3)

    Während des Cenoman/Turons deuten die Schwarzschiefervorkommen im gesamten Nord-Atlantik auf eine erhöhte Erhaltungsrate von (mariner) organischer Substanz unter anoxischen Ablagerungsbedingungen hin. Im Nordost-Atlantik mag zusätzlich eine erhöhte Paläoproduktivität zu den extrem hohen Akkumulationsraten von mariner organischer Substanz geführt haben.

  4. (4)

    Lokal war die schnelle Einbettung und damit erhöhte Elrhaltung von organischer Substanz in Turbiditen ein wichtiger Faktor für die Bildung von Schwarzschiefern im kretazischen Atlantik.

Abstract

Large parts of the Cretaceous Atlantic Ocean are characterized by the wide-spread deposition of organic-carbon-rich sediments (»black shales«), with a maximum occurrence during Aptian/Albian and Cenomanian/Turonian times. In order to explain the origin of these black shales, changes in the amount and type of organic matter in relation to changes in paleogeography, paleoceanic circulation, and paleoclimate have been investigated in detail. The study is mainly based on calculation of accumulation rates of marine and terrigenous organic carbon, organic carbon/sedimentation rate relationships, and estimates of paleoproductivity.

Because both the amount and type of organic matter in the black shales change markedly with location and age, different mechanisms must have caused the accumulation of these organic-carbon-rich sediments:

  1. (1)

    Terrigenous organic matter supply was the dominant factor for black shale formation during Hauterivian and Albian times in the Northwest Atlantic.

  2. (2)

    Increased oceanic productivity was important for black shale deposition in the Northeast Atlantic during Albian times.

  3. (3)

    Increased preservation of (marine) organic matter in anoxic environments due to extremely reduced deep-water circulation was probably the main cause for the formation of Cenomanian/Turonian black shales, rather than increased supply of organic matter due to higher oceanic productivity.

  4. (4)

    Locally, rapid burial by turbidites may have been an important mechanism for increased preservation of organic matter.

Résumé

L'Océan Atlantique crétacé est caractérisé par le dépôt sur de grandes surfaces de sédiments riches en carbone organique, avec un maximum au cours des périodes Aptien/Albien et Cénomanien/Turonien. Dans le but d'expliquer l'origine de ces shales noirs, on a procédé à une investigation détaillée des variations de la quantité et de la nature de la matière organique en fonction de la paléogéographie, de la circulation paléo-océanique et du paléoclimat. L'étude se base en ordre principal sur le calcul du taux d'accumulation du carbone organique marin et terrigène, sur les relations entre le carbone organique et le taux de sédimentation et sur des estimations de la paléoproductivité.

Comme la quantité et le type de matière organique contenue dans les shales noirs varient tous deux de manière significative d'un endroit à l'autre et d'une époque à l'autre, divers mécanismes doivent en avoir provoqué l'accumulation:

  1. 1.

    L'apport de matière organique terrigène a été le facteur dominant de la formation des shales noirs pendant l'Hauterivien et l'Albien dans la partie nord-ouest d l'Atlantique.

  2. 2.

    L'accroissement de la productivité océanique a joué un rôle important à l'Albien dans le nord-est de l'Atlantique.

  3. 3.

    Au Cénomanien/Turonien, la cause principale de la formation de shales noirs a probablement été une meilleure préservation de la matière organique dans les conditions anoxiques inhérentes à une circulation très réduite des eaux profondes plutôt qu'un apport accru découlant d'une productivité océanique plus élevée.

  4. 4.

    Localement, un enfouissement rapide par processus turbiditiques peut avoir joué un rôle important dans la préservation de la matière organique.

Краткое

содержание Атлантический океан мелового периода характеризовался широким распростран ением седиментов, бог атых органическим С («черн ый сланец»). Максималь ное его распространение отмечается в веках ап т/ альб и сеноман/турон. Ч тобы выяснить происх ождение этого черного сланца в зависимости от изме нения палеогеографически х взаимоотношений, палеоокеанической циркуляции и палеокл имата, провели точные исследования количе ства и состава органи ческого вещества. Старались у становить гл. обр. скор ость накопления органического вещес тва материкового и морского происхожде ния, связь между содер жанием

Cорг и скоростью осад конакопления и прове сти оценку океанической палеоп родуктивности. Т.к., как количество, так и состав органическо го вещества в черных сла нцах из различных бас сейнов Антлатического океа на в различные отрезк и времени геологических перио дов проявляют значит ельные колебания, то предположили нали чие нескольких механ измов, которые могут быть от ветственны за накопл ение Cорг в седиментах, име нно:

  1. 1.

    Повышенный принос ор ганического веществ а материкового происхождения, как ос новной фактор при накоплении седимент ов, богатых Сорг в северозападной части Атлантики во вр емя готерива и альба.

  2. 2.

    Повышенная продукти вность органическог о вещества морского происхожде ния во время альба явилась важным факто ром при образовании ч ерного сланца в северо-восто чной части Атлантиче ского океана.

  3. 3.

    По пробам черного сла нца в северной части Атлантического океа на, относящихся к сено ману/турону можно заключить о выс окой степени сохранн ости огранических вещест в морского происхожд ения, находящихся в бескис лородных условиях от ложения. В северо-восточной ча сти Атлантического о кеана отмечается еще допол нительное повышение полеопродуктивност и, что приводит к чрезвы чайно высокому накоплению органиче ских веществ морског о происхождения.

  4. 4.

    Быстрое захоронение органического вещес тва в турбидитах на отдель ных участках и достиг нутая т.о. его значительная сох ранность явились важ ными факторами, ответстве нными за образование черного сланца в Атлантическ ом океане в меловом пе риоде.

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  1. R. Stein

    Present address: Institut für Geowissenschaften und Lithosphärenforschung (IGL), Universität Gießen, Senckenbergstr. 3, 6300, Gießen, FRG

  2. J. Rullkötter & D. H. Welte

    Present address: Institut für Erdöl und Organische Geochemie, KFA Jülich GmbH, Postfach 1913, 5170, Jülich, FRG

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    Stein, R., Rullkötter, J. & Welte, D.H. Changes in paleoenvironments in the Atlantic Ocean during Cretaceous times: results from black shales studies. Geol Rundsch 78, 883–901 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01829328

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