Carbon-isotope anomalies in the Sinemurian of the Southern Alps, Italy

What is it about?

The carbonate factory is controlled by many factors, including climatic changes. This paper investigates whether or not the well-documented demise of Sinemurian carbonate platforms in the Tethyan region was a response to a global event by examination of carbon-isotope anomalies in successions of different facies that record this interval of time. factory is controlled by many factors. This paper investigates whether or not the well-documented demise of Sinemurian carbonate platforms in the Tethyan region was a response to a global climatic event by examination of carbon-isotope anomalies in successions of different facies that record this interval of time.

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Why is it important?

Starting from the documented demise and/or drowning of several Tethyan carbonate platforms at some point during the Sinemurian Stage, a chemostratigraphic transect through this interval has been generated across the whole domain of the Eastern Southern Alps to investigate the response of both shallow- and deep-water domains during this time interval. The data presented here demonstrate that the major negative CIE of “Arnioceras Time” is represented across the entire eastern Southern Alps, invariably associated with environmental reorganization of carbonate platforms and regional deepening. Taking in account also the widespread occurrence of definitive demise and drowning during the Sinemurian Stage in many parts of the Tethyan area, the negative CIE likely represents a global climatic event that pre-conditioned many carbonate platforms for demise and ultimate drowning.

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