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Paleoceanography and rotational block faulting in the Jurassic carbonate series of the Chiemgau Alps (Bavaria)

Paläo-Ozeanographie und Kippschollentektonik in den jurassischen Karbonatabfolgen der Chiemgauer Alpen (Bayern)

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Summary

The Jurassic carbonate series of the Lechtal and Allgäu Nappes in the central part of the Northern Calcareous Alps reflect formation of orogen-parallel structures with swells and basins. Regional facies patterns display the morphologies of the various depositional environments.

During the Middle Jurassic, an elongated swell evolved parallel to the overall structural strike in the central part of Lechtal Nappe, while in the southern part a basin started to subside. This configuration reflects the initial stage of rotational block faulting on the southern continental margin of the Tethys. Similar structural and facies settings were also established in the northern part of the Lechtal Nappe and in the southern Allgäu Nappe. Synsedimentary tectonics induced a variety of downslope sediment mass movements and increased facies differentiation on the slopes. In the upper section of the middle Jurassic sequences red nodular limestones with frequent intercalations of intraformational breccias and conglomerates indicate downslope sediment movements.

During the Oxfordian, the Tethyan-wide deposition of radiolarites also covered the basin in the southern Lechtal Nappe.

Contemporaneous deposition of pelagic radiolarian-bearing limestones dominated on the slope of the surrounding northern swell, while its peak was covered by a shallow water carbonate facies, e.g. a specific pseudopeloid and oolithic facies, which was also injected downslope into the pelagic facies.

The Oxfordian to Tithonian section reveals a characteristic pelagic carbonate facies succession, e.g. with Protoglobigerina facies at the base, followed by aSaccocoma facies and a calpionellids facies on top.

In the northern Lechtal Nappe and in the Allgäu Nappe various similar radiolarite basins with intersected swells were discovered.

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  1. Forschungszentrum für Marine Geowissenschaften, GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, D-2300, Kiel

    Klas S. Lackschewitz,  Uwe Grützmacher &  Rüdiger Henrich

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  1. Klas S. Lackschewitz
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  2. Uwe Grützmacher
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  3. Rüdiger Henrich
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Lackschewitz, K.S., Grützmacher, U. & Henrich, R. Paleoceanography and rotational block faulting in the Jurassic carbonate series of the Chiemgau Alps (Bavaria). Facies 24, 1–23 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536838

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