Carbon isotopes, stratigraphy, and environmental change: the Middle–Upper Cambrian Positive Excursion (SPICE) in Port au Port Group, western Newfoundland, Canada

Barili, Rosalia; Neilson, Joyce Elaine; Brasier, Alexander Thomas; Goldberg, Karin; Pastro Bardola, Tatiana; De Ros, Luiz Fernando; Leng, Melanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1115-5166. 2018 Carbon isotopes, stratigraphy, and environmental change: the Middle–Upper Cambrian Positive Excursion (SPICE) in Port au Port Group, western Newfoundland, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 55 (11). 1209-1222. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2018-0025

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2018-0025

Abstract/Summary

In many basins, Upper Cambrian carbonate successions display intervals with a positive carbon isotope excursion (CIE) of up to +5‰. In North America, this marks the boundary between the Sauk II–III super-sequences. A Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion (SPICE) locality previously identified in the Port au Port peninsula, western Newfoundland, has been revisited and an additional potential SPICE locality found. In both locations, a CIE is found to be associated with a prominent bioherm and sandstone layer within a sequence of carbonate rocks. At March Point columnar stromatolites occur, whereas at Felix Cove thrombolites can be seen. In the latter, the sandstone immediately overlies the thrombolites coincident with the CIE, whereas at March Point a dolomitized grainstone occurs above the stromatolites. The sandstone at this locality post-dates the CIE. Although lower than the SPICE in some localities, a positive CIE is present in both sections: March Point (+1.1‰) and Felix Cove (+1.8‰). Additionally, δ13Corg rises from −30.0‰ to −22.0‰ at March Point and from −27‰ to −24.0‰ at Felix Cove and, in accordance with previously published work, we suggest that this could be the SPICE. Comparison of the stratigraphy and petrography between the two localities suggest that both depositional and diagenetic factors could have influenced the nature of the interpreted SPICE in Newfoundland. It is also possible that the local carbon isotopic signature may have been influenced by a semi-restricted depositional and early diagenetic environment related to the paleogeographic configuration rather than the global marine excursion.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2018-0025
ISSN:	0008-4077
Date made live:	04 Oct 2018 11:08 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/521121

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2018-0025

ISSN:

0008-4077

Date made live:

04 Oct 2018 11:08 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/521121