Platform crises of the Cenomanian Levant Platform - High-resolution studies of dysoxic sediments (Central Jordan): environmental changes, cycles, palaeoecology

Jens Wendler, Jochen Kuss, Rüdiger Stein (AWI)

DFG-Project Ku 642/20

The project focuses on two mayor targets:
A) A high-resolution investigation of the critical crises intervals concerning the switch from ventilated to dysoxic/anoxic conditions and back into oxic conditions. Major goals are firstly the palaeoecological reconstruction of the influence of oxygen-limited conditions on the platform sedimentation. Secondly, a correlation of the Jordan platform crisis events with the known boreal events will shed more light on their global triggering mechanisms.
B) High accumulation rates allow for an extraordinarily high time resolution which enables us to study high-frequency cycles. This is particularly promising in the mid-Cenomanian Karak Limestone which spans a rather short (less than 1 Myr) interval and, thus, will likely resolve sub-Milankovitch cyclicity.


Diploma Thesis of Pawel Gdaniec
Microfacies analysis and reconstruction of the palaeo-environmental development of high-resolution sedimentary cycles (Karak Limestone, Middle Cenomanian, Central Jordan )

 

Literature:

Wendler, J. E., Wendler, I., Vogt, C., Kuss, J. (2016): Link between cyclic eustatic sea-level change and continental weathering: Evidence for aquifer-eustasy in the Cretaceous, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 441, 430–437. PDF

Wendler, J.E. & Meyers, S.R., Wendler, I., Kuss, J. (2014): A milllion-year-scale astronomical control on Late Cretaceous sea-level. Newsletter of Stratigraphy. PDF

Wendler, J., Lehmann, J., Kuss, J. (2010): Orbital time scale, intra-platform basin correlation, carbon isotope stratigraphy and sea-level history of the Cenomanian–Turonian Eastern Levant platform, Jordan.- In: (Homberg & Bachmann, Eds.: Evolution of the Levant Margin and Western Arabia Platform since the Mesozoic) Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 341, 171-186. PDF

Sepúlveda, J., Wendler, J., Leider, A., Kuss, J., Summons, R., Hinrichs, K.-U. (2009): Molecular-isotopic evidence of marine productivity changes across the C/T boundary in the Levant platform (Central Jordan). Organic Geochemistry 40, 553-586.

Wendler, J., Wendler, I. and Kuss, J. (2009). Early Turonian shallow marine red beds on the Levant carbonate platform (Jordan), Southern Tethys. SEPM Special Publication 91, 179-187

Wendler, J., Kuss, J., Stein, R., (2006): Expanded platform crises at the MCE and OAE2 (Mid Cenomanian to Lower Turonian) of the Levent carbonate platform (Jordan). Terra Nostra 2006/3, 103