Aspects of Fluvial Sedimentation in the Lower Triassic Buntsandstein of Europe

634 Pages·1985·19.585 MB·English

by  Dr. Detlef Mader (eds.)

Lecture Notes ni
Earth Sciences
detidE yb Somdev ,ijrahcattahB Gerald .M Friedman,
Horst .J Neugebauer dna Adolf Seilacher
4
Aspects fo
laivulF Sedimentation
ni the Lower Triassic Buntsandstein
fo Europe
detidE yb Detlef Mader
galreV-regnirpS
nilreB Heidelberg New York oykoT
Editor
Dr. Detlef Mader
RSttgerstral3e 20, D-3000 Hannover 91, F.R.G.
ISBN 3-540-13984-2 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo
ISBN 0-387-13984-2 Springer-Verlag New York Heidelberg Berlin Tokyo
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© Springer-Verlag by Berlin Heidelberg 1985
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Preface
ehT rewoL Triassic nietsdnastnuB in Middle eporuE hcihw originated in mainly -noc
tinental fluvla] tnemnorivne in eht naeporuE-diM Triassic Basin is a suomaf terrest-
rial der deb ecneuqes that is dessucsid in eht geological literature since erom naht
002 years. hcuM of eht earlier krow dah neeb detoved to stratigraphical, -oegoealap
graphical dna petrographical problemsof eht .nietsdnastnuB ehT sedimentological -ana
lysis dna deposltional modelling in eht epyt-namreG facies, ,revewoh is eht tsegnuoy
hcnarb of nietsdnastnuB investigation dna started only a wef sedaced ago. During eht
last net years nehw I nageb to etartnecnoc no eht interpretation of eht siseneg of
eht Buntsandstein, hcum krow sah neeb carried tuo dna sah already neeb detnemucod in
suoremun srepap that dessucof no various stcepsa of sedimentology, particularly no
reconstruction of fluvial dna aeolian depositional ,smsinahcem significance of -ap
laeosols, ecnatropmi of fluvial ,setaremolgnoc ygoloceoealap of eht fossils, inter-
disciplinary sedimentology, diagenesis of yvaeh minerals dna origin of eht de r-oc
lour. A yrammus of eht present egdelwonk in eht nretsew part of eht namreG nisaB is
nevig in a compilation of regional articles together with discussions general dna
evitarapmoc contributions dna especially with na extensive colour cihpargotohp -ucod
noitatnem in na earlier koob (reference no .p 12).
In eht last wef years nehw erom dna erom material emaceb available ton only morf
eht nietsdnastnuB s. str. rewoL( Triassic Scythian) in eht naeporuE-diM Triassic -aB
sin, tub also from correlative secneuqes in adjoining areas dna neve older or -nuoy
reg series of similar facies dna origin, it emaceb erom dna erom evident that a syn-
thesis of eht state of eht art dluow eb ,yrassecen if ton inevitably for outlining
eht general emarf dna illustrating eht diversification of facies associations in -un
suorem temporal dna spatial scales. That is yhw I dediced to edit na international
emu lsogvnideecorp no eht nietsdnastnuB hcihw is to elipmoc contributions from ynam
regions dna different stratigraphic units with sisahpme no various stcepsa of flu-
via] sedi~ntation, tub stressing also eht ecnatropmi of eht distribution of associa-
det stnemnorivne hcus sa aeolian senud dna calcrete palaeosols.
In spite of ym nwo msaisuhtne for eht nietsdnastnuB continental der deb formation
(the rewoL Triassic der rocks mees to evah a very special flavour for being os at-
tractive for )em dna regardless of eht noisnapxe of ym investigations from ym origi-
lan Eife] area erehw( I learnt woh to ssessa eht facies snoitaiCossa in smret of -ed
positional modelling dna erehw I collected na suomrone tnuoma of data that devres sa
a valuable esab for eht production of various esac studies hcihw were published -ud
ring eht last years) to several other regions, it saw without yna tbuod that it
dluow ton eb possible for em to alone finish hcus na overregional sgnideecorp koob
within a elbanosaer time, tub that I dah to geb various colleagues for their collabo-
ration yb writing srepap no eht nietsdnastnuB in their investigated areas for this
.emulov
hguohtlA eht esnopser to ym first dna dnoces circulars noos thadt ewohs it dluow
ton eb possible to publish a compilation of articles almost from all eht studied re-
gions, formations dna stcepsa within a elbanosaer time with avoiding oot hcum delay
of ecnaraeppa for early contributors, I ma very yppah that finally ynam seugaelloc
dedivorp em with srepap almost from all eht countries in eporuE erehw nietsdnastnuB
is gnipporc out at eht surface. In spite of eht suodnemert editorial work which saw
yrassecen to polish eht English, to eht evorpmi contents of text dna sgniward dna to
tup eht ecneuqes of srepap into a general maerts line, I dluow like to thank all ym
seugaelloc ohw contributed to this emulov for their troppus of eht project dna parti-
cularly for their gnidnatsrednu of ym editorial task, especially in esac of ym fre-
quently serious intervention into their early stpircsunam dna illustrations.
gnikooL for a publisher in eht early segats of planning eht ,emulov I dnuof -emmi
diately support yb .rD .W legnE tnemtrapeD( of Geological secneicS of eht Sprin-
ger-Verlag) ohw ylsuoreneg offered em to take eht koob into eht newly dednuof series
"Lecture setoN in Earth Sciences". morF eht gninnigeb of organization, writing dna
editing, I very appreciated hcum eht close noitarepooc with .rD legnE ohw syawla dah
na rae for ym dn asmelborp evag em eht yrassecen modeerf to finish eht emulov along
VI
eht lines of ym intention. hguohtlA eht preparation of eht ydaer-aremac tpircsunam
nearly leaves all eht krow dna responsibility with eht author, I ma especially grate-
ful to .rD legnE for his eetnaraug of almost etaidemmi publication after receipt of
eht final manuscript allowed which em to polish dna incorporate latest ideas pu to
eht very terminal .tnemom
Writing no a subject like eht nietsdnastnuB hcihw sah nevorp to eb considerably
diversified in smret of yratnemides sessecorp dna depositional ,smsinahcem it emaceb
noos tnerappa that a full discussion along ym original intention dluow easily dne pu
with several sdnasuoht of segap in size dna dluow emusnoc hcum erom naht a wef
years. gnivaH already rePeatedly decneirepxe in eht past that during esruoc of incor-
poration of nearly all eht relevant literature, eht reference list of eht final -ap
rep is often longer than eht elohw first draft of eht article after eno or owt years
collection of data dna ideas, there saw on other yaw than to to decide peek eht
bibliography short. In order to restrict eht koob to na lacimonoce frame dna ton to
frighten eht readership to death, tub especially to avoid gninword of eht der line
hguorht eht ,emulov ynam contributions dah to eb written sa yrammus presentations
without detailed discussion of eht literature. gnikaepS particularly for eht artic-
les that evah neeb written yb myself either alone or together with friends, I nac -sa
sure that this is yb on snaem eht result of duorp ecnatcelgen of other works, tub -no
ly eht necessity of streamlining of eht ,koob dna that hcum of eht detailed discus-
nois of comparative selpmaxe from eht literature sah to eb enod in tneuqesbus -eps
cial .srepap
It is impossible to egdelwonRca all eht elpoep that depleh em to arrive at eht
present goal. Special merits, ,revewoh evresed those ohw stimulated ym interest for
eht .nietsdnastnuB I ma especially detbedni to Prof. .rD .G shcuF negnulmmassednaL(
fur ,ednukrutaN Karlsruhe) ohw desoporp em net years oga to krow no eht Eifel -tnuB
nietsdnas for ym .cS.M Thesis, dna ohw later together with supervised Prof. .rD .W
htorhcaD tnemtrapeD( of ygoloeG dna ,ygolotnoealaP University of Heidelberg) eht pre-
paration of ym .D.hP Thesis. ehT doog luck of eht former to esoohc eht Eifel for em
sa a starting region (which later devorp to evah a yek position for gnihcaorppa eht
evolution of fluvial noitatnemides in ynam other nietsdnastnuB areas), dna eht ear-
lier investigations of eht latter (although largely dehsilbupnu dna neve only brief-
ly dehcuot in his contribution to this )emulov triggered ym love of eht -dnastnuB
stein which sah dehcaer a preliminary climax with eht present .koob It is ym pleasu-
re to dedicate this emulov to ym owt with supervisors former very ynam thanks for
their support dna in ruonoh of their merit to evah lighted eht fire.
It is ym sincere wish to egdelwonkca again all eht elpoep ohw contributed with ar-
ticles to this emulov for their help to eraperp this yrammus of eht state of eht art
of nietsdnastnuB fluvial .y~go]otnemides I also tnaw to sincerely thank all friends
dna colleagues ohw supplied ideas dna facts in oral or written form dna ohw dediug
em in eht field during esruoc of ym evitarapmoc investigations that depleh em consi-
ylbared in gnideecorp with eht interpretation of eht Buntsandstein. sknahT era also
eud to tumleH redaM ym( father) dna ahtraM nnamrreH ym( aunt) for their support. I
ma further detbedni to those ohw evah neeb involved in eht various technical stcepsa
of eht preparation of eht tpircsunam from eht gninnigeb of word processor typeset-
ting of eht text dna yhpargorper of eht illustrations to eht final printing.
I od hope that eht compilation of articles no fluvial stcepsa of eht -dnastnuB
stein in this koob will stimulate eht interest of ynam elpoep in eht topic of sedi-
mentological modelling of terrestrial der deb secneuqes dna will internationally
highlight eht position of ni eethstdnastnuB sa na extraordinarily attractive case hi-
story of fluvial deposition.
,revonnaH rebmetpeS 5891 Detlef redaM
elbaT of stnetnoC
Preface ......................................................................... I I I
Table of Contents ............................................................... V
1. Prologue ..................................................................... 1
1.1. Hierarchy of facies models .............................................. 2
1.2. Regional distribution of cases tudies ................................... 4
1.3. Stratigraphical distribution of case studies ............................ 6
1.4. Palaeoenvironmental distribution of case studies ........................ 6
1.5. Organization dna maturity of case studies ............................... 01
1.6. Aims dna scope of the book .............................................. 01
1.7. References .............................................................. 21
2. Spectrum of Local Sedimentary Elements ....................................... 31
Contribution 1
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Braidplain, Fleodplain dna Playa Lake, Alluvial-fan, Aeolian dna
Palaeoso] Facies gnisopmoC a Diversified Lithngenetical Sequence
in the Permian dna Triassic of South Devon (England) ......................... 51
(associated table of contents no p. )71
Contribution 2
L o p e z, J. dna A r c h e, .A (Madrid/Spain) :
Gravel Bars in Braided-river Channels of the Basal Buntsandstein-facies
Conglomerates in the Cuenca Province (Southeastern Iberian Ranges,
Central Spain) ............................................................... 56
(associated table of contents no p. 66)
3. Depositional Models of Braidplains Intertonguing with Aeolian enuD Fields .... 78
Contribution 3
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Aeolian Sedimentation in the Middle Buntsandstein in the Eifel North-
South Depression zone. yrammuS of the Variability of Sedimentary Processes
in a Buntsandstein Erg as a Base for Evaluation of the Nutual Relationships
nee~pieb Aeolian Sand Seas dna Fluvial River Systems in the Mid-European
Buntsandstein ................................................................ 90
(associated table of contents no p. )19
Contribution 4
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Depositional Mechanisms dna Facies Medels of Intertonguing Aeolian
Environment dna Fluvial Milieu in the Middle Buntsandstein of the Mid-
European Triassic Basin .................. .................................... 721
(associated table of contents no p. 128)
Contribution 5
r M o c z k o w s k i, J. (Wroclaw/Poland) dna
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Sandy Inland Braidplain Deposition with Local Aeolian Sedimentation in
the Lower dna Middle Parts of the Buntsandstein dna Sandy Coastal Braid-
plain Deposition in the Topmost Zechstein tn the Sudetes (Lower Silesia,
Poland) ...................................................................... 561
(associated table of contents no p. 166)
lV
Contribution 6
D a c h r o t h, .W (Heidelberg/Germany )GRF :
Fluvial Sedimentary Styles dna Associated Depositional Environments in
the Buntsandstein West of River Rhine in Saar Area dna Pfalz (F.R. )ynamreG
dna Vosges (France) .......................................................... 791
(associated table of contents no p. 198)
4. Depositional Models of Braidplains with Associated Calcrete Pedogenesis ...... 942
Contribution 7
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Deposittonal Mechanisms Controlling Formation of Coarse Fluvial Conglo-
merates in the Lower Triassic Continental deR Beds of Middle Europe .......... 152
(associated table of contents no p. 252)
Contribution 8
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF dna
R d z a n e k, .K (Warsaw/Poland) :
Sandy Braidplain Deposition with Minor Pedogenests in the Labyrinthodon-
ttdae Beds (Middle Buntsandstein) of the Northeastern Holy Cross Moun-
tains (Poland) ............................................................... 182
(associated table of contents no p. 282)
Contribution 9
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Minor Pedogenesis dna Local Aeolian Influences in Sandy to Pebbly Braid-
plain Deposits of the Solling-Folge (Upper Buntsandstein) in the Hessian
Depression (Hessen dna Lower Saxony, F.R. Germany) ........................... 813
(associated table of contents no p. 318)
5. Depositional Models of Braidplains without Coexisting Non-fluvial
Environments ................................................................. 943
Contribution 01
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF dna
B a r c z u k, .A (Warsaw/Poland) :
Gravelly to Sandy Braidplain Deposition in the Czerwona G6ra Beds dna
Stryczouice Beds (Middle Buntsandstein) of the Northeastern Holy Cross
Mountains (Poland) ........................................................... 153
(associated table of contents no p. 352)
Contribution 11
P r o u z a, V., T ~ s l e r, R., V a l i n, .F dna
H o l u b, .V (Prague/Czechoslovakia) :
Gravelly to Sandy Braidplain Deposition in the Buntsandstein-facies Boh-
da~in Formation in Northeastern Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) ..................... 793
(associated table of contents no p. 398)
Contribution 21
F e r n ~ n d e z, J. (Granada/Spain) dna
D a b r i o , .C (Salamanca/Spain) :
Fluvial Architecture of the Buntsandstein-facies deR Beds in the Middle
to UpperTriassic (Ladinian-Norian) of the Southeastern Edge of the Ihe-
rlanMeseta (Southern Spain) ................................................. 114
(associated table of contents no p. 412)
VII
Contribution 31
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Btmodal Palaeocurrents in Braided-type Inland Fluvial Environments in
the Buntsandstein of Middle Europe dna Other Continental Formations .......... 634
(associated table of contents no p. 437)
6. Depositional Models of Inland Braidplains Passing into Coastal dna
Marine Milieu ................................................................. 744
Contribution 41
a G l l, J.C. (Strasbourg/France) :
Fluvial Depositional Environment Evolving into Deltaic Setting with
Marine Influences in the Buntsandstein of Northern Vosges (France) ........... 944
(associated table of contents no p. 450)
Contribution 51
r G u n e r t, .S (Dresden/Germany )RDG :
Fluvial Braidplatn Evolving into Lagoonal Environment in the Coarse
Marginal Facies of the Lower Buntsandstefn Relicts in Saxony namreG(
Democratic Republic) ......................................................... 874
(associated table of contents no p. 478)
Contribution 61
N i e d e r a m y r, .G (Vienna/Austria) :
Fluvial Braidplain Passing into na Intertidal Belt at the Margin of the
Tethys aeS in the Alpine Buntsandsteln of the Drauzug in Carinthia dna
Eastern Tyrol (Austria) ....................................................... 784
(associated table of contents no p. 487)
7. Evolution of Fluvial Style in the Areal Sedimentary History .................. 794
Contribution 71
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Evolution of Fluvial Style in the Buntsandstein of the Northeastern
Holy Cross Mountains (Poland) dna Comparison with the Depositlonal His-
tory of the Buntsandstein in the Etfel (F.R. ynamreG dna Luxemboorg) ......... 005
Contribution 81
L o p e z, .M (Montpellier/France) dna
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Gravelly dna Sandy Braidplain Evolving into Floodplain dna Playa Lake
Deposition dna vice versa in the Buntsandstetn-facies Sediments dna
Harine Incursions in the Triassic of the Lod6ve Region (Southern France) ..... 905
Contribution 91
a M d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF dna
L a i m n g, D.J.C. (Exeter/England) :
BraidpIain dna Alluvial-fan Environmental History dna Climatological
Evolution Controlling Origin dna Destruction of Aeolian Dune Fields dna
Governing Overprinting of Sand Seas dna River Plains by Calcrete Pedo-
genesis in the Permian and Triassic of South Devon (England) ................. 519
IIIV
8. Postdepositional History ..................................................... 925
Contribution 02
M a d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF :
Diagenetic Evolution of euqapO dna Transparent Heavy Minerals Reflecting
Colour Genesis in Continental Fluvial Buntsandstein deR Beds of the
Eifel (F.R. Germany) ......................................................... 135
(associated table of contents no p. 532)
Contribution 12
L a n g b e i n, .R (Greifswald/Germany )RDG :
Fluvial-marine Transitional Oepositional Environment Influencing the
Diagenesis in the Buntsandstein of Thuringia namreG( Democratic Republic) .... 165
(associated table of contents no p. 562)
Contribution 22
M a d e r, .D (Hannover/Germany )GRF dna
K a r s, JH (Amersfoort/The Netherlands) :
Provenance Determination of Buntsandstein Artefacts from the Early-Medie-
val Oorestad Trading Site (The Netherlands) : na Example of the Significance
of Geological-Mineralogical Ana]ysis in Archaeology .......................... 195
(associated table of contents no p. 592)
9. Epilogue .................................................................... 526
.1 Prologue
ehT Buntsandstein in Europe (cf. palaeogeographical sketch pam in fig. )1 is a
continental red deb sequence of diversified distribution, thickness, facies dna ori-
gin. ehT terrestrial, dominantly fluvial formation is mentioned in the geological li-
terature since more than 002 years. Aspects of sedimentary processes dna depositio-
nal mechanisms have started to eb preferentially discussed about ten years ago. In
the last decade, particular emphasis sah been given to the evolution of fluvial
style, the interpretation of aeolian dune sdnas dna calcrete palaeosols in relation
to fluvial deposition, eht reconstruction of lacustrine playa sedimentation, eht dia-
genetic history dna eht origin of eht der colour.
Numerous ways can eb chosen for approaching a summary of the state of the art of
Buntsandstein research in light of depositional modelling. ehT possibilities compri-
es regional, stratigraphical dna palaeoenvironmenta] classifications dna organiza-
tions. In the early stages of collection of contributions to this volume, the papers
were ordered in a regional manner, but it emaceb soon apparent from the range of to-
pics that the regional relationship is far subordinate with respect to headlining in
Fig. I
Palaeogeographical map of the germanotype Lower Triassic in Europe (palinspastic re-
storation, redrawn after Ziegler 1982) with palaeowind and palaeocurrent directions
(for references .fc Mader 1985). Legend: i = basement (basin surroundings and swells
within the sedimentation regions), 2 = depositional area of the Buntsandstein (germa-
notype Lower Triassic), 3 = palaeocurrent directions, 4 = palaeowind directions. Tec-
tonics net respected.
Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, Voh 4,
Aspects of Fluvial Sedimentation in the Lower Triassic Buntsandstein
of Europe. Edited by D. Mader
Springer-Verlag © Berlin Heidelberg 5891
YHCRAREIH FO FACIES SLEDOM
Fig. 2
Hierarchy of the facies mo-
yratnemideS history ni eht whole lanoitisoped area I dels of sedimentological in-
terpretations. The five-
5. Stage (within the whole T succession) fold ranking reflects the
progressive expansion of
the regional stratigraphic
ediwnisaB lanoitisoped tnemnorivne J frame with compilation of
successively more extended
egatS.& (within parts of the formation) reconstructions. Based on
l,
the preceding stages, the
lo~er-level elements are in-
J Areal yratnemides noitulove J corporated into the higher-
rank model in mosaic like
3.Stage (within several sections) manner in the next step. In
the advanced stages of the
interpretation, many of the
I lanoigeR lanoitisoped ueilim J basic elements are progres-
sively obliterated by ab-
2. Stage (within one member) straction and interpola-
T tion, thus fixing the unidi-
rectional way of reconstruc-
tions and transformations
I lacoL yratnemides sessecorp dna lanoitisoped smsinahcem J
and highlighting the irre-
versibility of the orienta-
1. Stage (within one facies unit)
tion of the analysis. Sche-
matically, no scale.
GNIKNAR FO LACIGOLOTNEMIDES NOITATERPRETNI
weiv of facies associations. This is particularly eud to the ecnahc to integrate the
chain of articles into the frame of a hierarchy of depositiona] comprising models fi-
ev levels which enable to elucidate a der line throughout the book.
ehT following discussion of emos general aspects in the introductory prologue
will concentrate no the explanation of the regional, stratigraphical dna palaeoenvi-
ronmental distribution of the in total 22 papers that era delbmessa in this book, to-
gether with na outline of the hierarchy of facies models dna na illustration of aims
dna scope of the volume. In vioefw a general discussion of the evolution of deposi-
tional milieu dna especially the fluvial sedimentary history of eht ,nietsdnastnuB
the individual articles are case studies to illustrate various aspects of the story
dna are logically linked together in a hierarchical organization.
i.1. Hierarchy of facies s]edom
ehT concept of the hierarchy of facies models is based no eht integration of eve-
ry facies element into progressively larger-scale reconstructions of the depositio-
nal environment. In a mosaic-like ,rennam all the individual structures dna textures
of the are sediments particles for the construction of a gnizirammus ledom which in
turn represents eno of the elements for the establishment of the synthesis no the
next higher rank of the stair-like .ecneuqes Five successive hierarchical levels nac
eb distinguished which are deman the first, second, third, fourth dna fifth stages
of the chain of facies sledom sa follows (cf. fig. 2).
ehT first stage of the hierarchy the comprises local yratnemides sessecorp dna -ed
positional smsinahcem within eno facies unit. In this initial level of modelling,
every basic information is incorporated sa directly gnimoc from the field or from
the laboratory. Every sedimentary structure sah its significance sa the smallest ele-
tnem of a mosaic-like picture that is desopmoc of suoremun of these particles in the
next stage. ehT interpretation at the first hierarchical level focusses no detailed
tnemssessa of the events in parts of depositional .stnemnorivnebus