Summary
The Asselian-Sakmarian strata of the Fosheim-Hamilton subbasin represent a distinct 15 000 km2 depocentre located at the northeast margin of the main Sverdrup Basin in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Approximately 35 high-frequency cycles composed mainly of platformal carbonates with subaqueous evaporites accumulated at a time of renewed rifting activity in this subbasin.
A general depositional model based on the facies analysis of the Asselian-Sakmarian strata shows that the carbonate platforms surrounding the Fosheim-Hamilton subbasin were segmented by the position of critical interfaces including the: 1) base of the fairweather wave abrasion zone; 2) base of the storm wave abrasion zone; and 3) base of the photic zone. The base of the fairweather wave abrasion zone divided the platforms into two broad parts; an inner shelf with a relatively quiet, semi-restricted lagoon and more agitated, open marine barries and shoals and an open marine mid-shelf with numerous reefal and non-reefal subenvironments extending from the base of fairweather wave abrasion zone to below the photic zone. Outer shelf and associated slope and basin were not present within the Fosheim-Hamilton subbasin but were present farther west along the margin of the main Sverdrup Basin.
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Morin, J., Desrochers, A. & Beauchamp, B. Facies analysis of lower permian platform carbonates, sverdrup basin, canadian arctic archipelago. Facies 31, 105–130 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536936
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536936