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Sequence-Stratigraphic Framework of the Early to Middle Triassic and Evolution of Sedimentary-Facies and Paleogeography in the Nanpanjiang Basin and Its Adjacent Areas:Discussion on Evolutionary Process from the Dianqiangui Basin to the Nanpanjiang Basin

MEI Ming-xiang, MA Yong-sheng, DENG dun, MENG Qing-fen, YI Ding-hong, LI Dong-hai   

  1. Faculty of Earth Sciences and Natural Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2003-09-20 Revised:2003-09-20 Online:2003-09-20 Published:2003-09-20

Abstract: A large-scale drowning event occurred in the transitional period between the Permian and the Triassic and resulted in the demise of some carbonate platforms in the Nanpanjiang Basin and its adjacent areas.The research areas experienced an evolutionary process of sedimentary basin from the Dianqiangui Basin to the Nanpanjiang Basin in the Triassic.Accordingly, the Triassic period is a differential period of sedimentary facies in the research areas,which are marked by the spatial changes from the connective platforms to the turbidity basin with the development of the several isolated platforms.More particularly,oolitic banks of the early epoch are developed in some isolated platforms such as in the Jingxi platform and in the Nanning platform in the southern part of the Nanpanjiang Basin.Seine as the limestones of reef and beach in the margin of the attached platform,the limestones of oolitic banks in isolated platforms came to front. Despite the differences in the time-span and the architecture of facies-succession of third-order sedimentary sequences ,the process of the third-order relative sea-level changes reflected by the sedimentary-facies succession is generally synchronous.Therefore,six third—order sequences could be discerned in the Early and the Middle Triassic in the Nanpanjiang Basin.With the two types of facies-changing surfaces and two types of diachronisms in stratigraphic records as the key elements, the framework of sequence stratigraphy from the Early to the Middle Triassic in the Nanpanjiang Basin could be constructed. The sequence-stratigraphic framework and the relevant paleogeographical features of the Early to Middle Triassic reveal the formational and the evolutionary process of the Nanpanjiang Basin,and the paleogeographical features of the Late Triassic reflect the dying of the Nanpanjiang Basin. In the research areas,the Early Triassic can be grouped into three third-order sequences SQl,SQ2 and SQ3.The forming process of SQ1 represents a building process of a ramp carbonate platform not only in the attached platform but also in the isolated platform .The forming process of SQ2 and SQ3 reflects an evolutionary process of the carbonate platform from the ramp type to the rimmed-shelf type.Correspondingly,oolitic-bank limestones constitute the HSTs from SQl to SQ3 in the background of an isolated platform .A succession from the non-compensatory sediments to the compensatory sediments of turbidity basin is form ed in the settings of a deep-water basin. Three third-order sequences from SQ4 to SQ6 of the Middle Triassic reflect three obvious changing processes in the deepening-shoaling of sedimentary environment.Consequently,turbidity rock-series are form ed in the setting of a basin;ref limestones or bank limestones are developed in the margin of attached platform ,and bioherm limestones are formed in isolated platforms. In the transitional period between the Early and Middle Triassic,in concomitance with the strong volcanic activity,there was a large-scope fall of third-order sea level changes ,which generated the unconformity of the first episode of the Indosinian movement---the top boundary of SQ3.With the rise of the crust caused by Indosinian movement in the east part of the research area,“ the Xianggui Basin”is defined by Zhao et a1.(1996)Was gradually closed,thus a unified turbidity basin i.e,”the Nanpanjiang Basin”defined by Enos et a1.(1998)was formed in the Ladinian age in the Dian qiangui area.