Jayagopal Madhavaraju

Microtextures on detrital quartz grains of upper Maastrichtian-Danian rocks of the Cauvery Basin, Southeastern India: implications for provenance and depositional environments

Quartz grains from the Kallamedu (late Maastrichtian) and lower Niniyur (Danian) Formations, Cauvery Basin, Southeast India were examined under a scanning electron microscope, and twenty three distinct microtextures were observed. These microtextures have been grouped into three modes of origin, viz. mechanical (thirteen features), mechanical and/or chemical (five features) and chemical (five features) origins. Quartz grains from the Kallamedu and lower Niniyur Formations show conchoidal fractures, straight steps and arcuate steps which are the characteristic microtextures of quartz grains derived from crystalline source rocks. Quartz grains from the upper Kallamedu and lower Niniyur Formations show angular to subangular outline, whereas those from the lower Kallamedu Formation show subangular to rounded outline. The dominance of angular to subangular grains and the presence of straight and arcuate steps suggest that these clastic sediments were undergone short transportation and rapid deposition. The presence of rounded grains in the lower part of the Kallamedu Formation suggests that significant amounts of quartz grains are of recycled origin. Vs, straight scratches and curved scratches, the characteristic features of marine environment, are common on the quartz grains from the lower Niniyur Formation, which is consistent with the previous interpretation. However, quartz grains from the lower Kallamedu Formation exhibit very low frequency of these features, whereas they are moderately present in the upper Kallamedu Formation, suggestive of a change in depositional conditions with time. The lower Kallamedu Formation exhibits planar and trough cross-beddings, which suggests the fluvial depositional environment. The unfossiliferous upper Kallamedu Formation contains appreciable amount of illite and mixed-layer (illite/smectite) clay minerals, which suggests that the saline conditions prevailed during its deposition. Microtextures on the quartz grains coupled with dominant clay mineral types suggest the deltaic depositional environments for the upper Kallamedu Formation.

Carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopic signatures in Maastrichtian-Danian limestones of the Cauvery Basin, South India

A petrographic, carbon, oxygen and strontium study of the carbonate succession of the shallow marine Kallankurichchi and Niniyur formations of the Cauvery Basin, Tamil Nadu, India was conducted to understand the isotopic variations in seawater during Maastrichtian-Danian. The limestones from both the Kallankurichchi and Niniyur formations show large variations in Mn and Sr concentrations and high Mn/Sr ratios indicate alterations of primary isotopic signatures during shallow burial diagenesis. The limestones of both the Kallankurichchi and Niniyur formations show negative δ13C (−4.73 to −0.49‰ VPDB; −5.63 to −1.87‰ VPDB; respectively) and −18O values (−8.89 to −3.66‰ VPDB; −8.56 to −5.41‰ VPDB; respectively). The carbon and oxygen isotope composition, δ13C vs. δ18O plot and Mn/Sr ratio suggest that the measured δ13C and δ18O values have been significantly altered during diagenesis. The limestones from both the Kallankurichchi and Niniyur formations show large variations in 87Sr/86Sr values (0.709310 to 0.711962; 0.708280 to 0.708398, respectively) which are higher than 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the contemporary Lower Maastrichtian (87Sr/86Sr: 0.707760) and Danian (0.707819 to 0.707833) seawaters. The elevated 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the limestones of the Kallankurichchi Formation suggest that these limestones were significantly modified by pore fluids during meteoric diagenesis. The observed large fluctuations in 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the Niniyur Formation resulted from variations in riverine input. One sample from the Niniyur Formation exhibits an unaltered 87Sr/86Sr ratio (0.707828) which is interpreted to indicate an age of 65.02 Ma.

Facies, biostratigraphy, diagenesis, and depositional environments of Lower Cretaceous strata, Sierra San José section, Sonora (Mexico)

We used petrofacies analysis, carbon, oxygen and strontium isotope data to interpret the isotopic variations in the carbonate rocks of the Mural Formation of Sonora (Sierra San Jose section), Mexico. The petrographic study reveals a range of lithofacies from wackestone to packstone. The analyzed limestones show significant negative δ18O values (-18.6 to -10.9 VPDB) and δ13C values ranging from negative to positive (-2.6 to +2.5‰ VPDB). The absence of correlation between δ13C and δ18O values suggests a primary marine origin for the δ13C values of limestones from the Sierra San Jose section. The limestones have large variations in 87Sr/86Sr values (0.707479 to 0.708790). Higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios in various levels of the studied section suggest that most of the sediments were derived from the Proterozoic basement of the Caborca block during Early Cretaceous time. A decrease in 87Sr/86Sr ratios at certain levels indicates an influx of lesser amounts of radiogenic Sr that could have been caused by contribution of sediments from the Triassic and Jurassic volcanic rocks.

Provenance and Tectonic Setting of the Proterozoic Clastic Rocks of the Kerur Formation, Badami Group, Mohare Area, Karnataka, India

The clastic rocks of the Kerur Formation Group were analyzed for major, trace and rare earth elements to infer the tectonic settings and provenance signatures. The lithology of the Kerur Formation includes basal arenite (BA), lower conglomerate (LC), quartz arenite (QA) and upper conglomerate (UC). The CIA and PIA values and A–CN–K diagram indicate a moderate to intense chemical weathering for the clastic rocks of the Kerur Formation. The bivariate plot and multidimensional diagram based on major-trace elements suggesting the clastic rocks were derived mainly from the passive margin setting. A silicic source for clastic rocks of the Kerur Formation is indicated by higher ratios of SiO2/Al2O3, ΣLREE/ΣHREE, elemental ratios, bivariate and ternary plots. REE patterns and Eu anomalies support that TTG (Tonalite-Trondhjemite gneiss), granodiorite, granitic rocks of the Dharwar Craton and the basement rock (schist) of the Kaladgi-Badami Basin could be the source rocks for the Kerur Formation. REE modeling suggests that the average composition of the Kerur Formation represents a mixture of sediments derived from a provenance consisting of 40% TTG, 30% granite, 20% granodiorite and 10% schist.

Paleo-Redox Conditions of the Albian-Danian Carbonate Rocks of the Cauvery Basin, South India: Implications for Chemostratigraphy

Abstract To understand the paleo-redox conditions that occurred during the Albian-Danian, we have analyzed major and trace elements from limestone samples collected from three sections of the Cauvery Basin. In the Vadugarpettai quarry section, coral algal limestone (CAL) and bedded limestone show small variations in CaO content (54.4–55.5%; 51.3–54.1%, respectively) than marl and gray shale (GS) (31.9–49.7%; 26.9–40.3%, respectively). In the Vellipirangiyam quarry section, oyster Gryphaea limestone (OGL) shows larger variations in CaO content (42.5–53.9%) than Inoceramus limestone and fossiliferous limestone (52.00–52.50%; 52.70–52.80, respectively). The concentrations of immobile trace elements (Zr and Th) varied significantly between different litho-units of the sedimentary rocks of Albian-Danian age. In addition, Al2O3 shows a positive relationship with immobile trace elements such as Zr and Th, suggesting a terrigenous origin for these elements. Enrichment of U and V contents is higher in the GS and particular intervals of CAL and marl bedded limestone (MBL) of the Vadugarpettai quarry section, lower and upper parts of the OGL of the Vellipirangiyam quarry section, and lower and middle parts of the limestone sequence of the Periakurichchi quarry section. The GS and lower part of MBL (Vadugarpettai quarry section); lower and upper parts of the OGL (Vellipirangiyam quarry section); and lower, middle, and upper parts of the Periakurichchi quarry section also show enrichment of Mo. Furthermore, high values of U/Th were noticed in the CAL and MBL of the Vadugarpettai quarry section, OGL of the Vellipirangiyam quarry section and certain intervals of the Periakurichchi quarry section. Such variations in U, V, and Mo contents and the U/Th ratio in the studied sections suggest that the Cauvery Basin experienced oxic to suboxic-anoxic conditions during Albian-Danian.