The Pangaea Megamonsoon records: Evidence from the Triassic Mungaroo Formation, Northwest Shelf of Australia

Abstract

Abstract An integrated analysis in this study of paleogeographic, paleontologic, seismic and sedimentologic data has been used to explain the effect of the Pangaean megamonsoon on the whole Triassic (especially the Middle–Late Triassic Mungaroo Formation) in the North Carnarvon Basin, Northwest Shelf of Australia. Our results show that the three Triassic formations from bottom to top (Locker Shale, Mungaroo Formation and Brigadier Formation) comprise a complete depositional cycle and correspond to an undeveloped, strong, and weak monsoon periods, respectively. During the strong monsoon period of the Mungaroo Formation, the palynological evidences exhibited mixture spore-pollen characteristics of the hygrophytic assemblage (spore-pollen from the pteridophyte spores, seed ferns and cycads pollen in humid environment of lowlands and coastal plain) and the xerophytic assemblage (pollen from the drought tolerant plants of the interior mountainous areas). The sedimentary evidences of the Mungaroo Formation show low-angle shingled progradational seismic reflection configuration. The highly seasonal variations in precipitation during deposition of the Mungaroo Formation exhibited typical “sandwiched” depositional characteristics of coarse channels sandstone (fining-upward fluvial aggradational cycles (FACs) with poor to moderately sorting and angular to subangular roundness), organic mudstone and coal seam interbedded. Finally, in contrast to today s typical examples of Poyang Lake Delta, a shallow-water braided delta conceptual depositional model of the Mungaroo Formation is formed with a large proximal and distal delta plain, and small delta front. The model results serve mainly to indicate the importance of various climate-forming factors (climate, topography, eustatic), whereas tectonic activity unlikely played any significant role in this process.