The Messinian evaporites of the Mesaoria basin (North Cyprus): a discrepancy with the current chronostratigraphic understanding

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dc.contributor.authorArtiaga, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorGarcía-Veigas, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCendón, DIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorAtalar, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGilbert, Len_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-10T22:56:10Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-10-10T22:56:10Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-10-04en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-10-11en_AU
dc.description.abstractLarge volume of evaporites were deposited during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) across the Mediterranean. These evaporites are currently outcropping on land and are interpreted by seismic profiles beneath the Mediterranean floor. Biostratigraphic, magnetostratigraphic and astrochronologic data recovered from sediments below and above outcropping evaporites, together with gypsum facies associations and stratigraphic cyclicity, are the cornerstone of what is known as the MSC ‘three-stage’ model: Primary Lower Gypsum (PLG) – MSC stage 1, Resedimented Lower Gypsum (RLG) - MSC stage 2, and Upper Gypsum (UG) – MSC stage 3. Although this litho- and chronostratigraphic model is mainly based on the gypsum succession in Sicily, it is being currently applied by many investigators across the Mediterranean. The Mesaoria basin, in North Cyprus, hosts well exposed MSC gypsum deposits of the Kalavasos Fm. Two informal units are distinguished in the gypsum succession. The lower unit, largely consisting of clastic gypsum deposits, is conformably overlaid by the upper unit, mostly consisting of ‘in situ’ vertically-oriented selenite deposits. Based on the lithostratigraphic gypsum succession, the lower unit could be tentatively assigned to RLG - MSC stage 2, while the upper unit could correspond to UG - MSC stage 3. However, our lithologic and geochemical (δ34Ssulfate δ18Osulfate, 87Sr/86Sr) data in gypsum points that the upper unit fits with those of the PLG – MSC stage 1. For the first time, thick vertically-oriented selenite beds with lithofacies and geochemical signatures diagnostic of PLG deposits lay conformably over clastic gypsum successions diagnostic of RLG deposits in the currently accepted ‘three-stage’ model. In North Cyprus, ‘in situ’ selenite platforms and ‘clastic’ gravity-flow gypsum deposits are coeval involving erosion and redeposition during the same evolutive stage. The complete gypsum succession in North Cyprus must be considered as MSC Lower Evaporites in the ‘two-step’ model (Lower Evaporites and Upper Evaporites) classically proposed prior to the ‘three-stage’ model. We show how nearby Messinian evaporite basins in the same island (North and South Cyprus) can produce different sedimentary records. Our data cast doubts on the systematic application of the ‘three-stage’ litho- and chronostratigraphic model to North Cyprus and other MSC Mediterranean evaporite successions. This work highlights the importance of local processes in the sedimentation and distribution of MSC evaporites in active tectonic settings, and alerts against extrabasinal MSC correlations based on gypsum facies distribution. © The Authors CC BY 4.0en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumber110681en_AU
dc.identifier.citationArtiaga, D., García-Veigas , J., Cendón, D. I., Atalar, C., & Gibert, L. (2021). The Messinian evaporites of the Mesaoria basin (North Cyprus): a discrepancy with the current chronostratigraphic understanding. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 584, 110681. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110681en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0031-0182en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitlePalaeogeographyen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110681en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/11912en_AU
dc.identifier.volume584en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevier B. V.en_AU
dc.subjectSulfur isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectSulfatesen_AU
dc.subjectStrontium isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectEvaporitesen_AU
dc.subjectGypsumen_AU
dc.subjectCyprusen_AU
dc.subjectMediterranean Seaen_AU
dc.subjectSeismic effectsen_AU
dc.subjectSelenitesen_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectErosionen_AU
dc.subjectOxygen isotopesen_AU
dc.titleThe Messinian evaporites of the Mesaoria basin (North Cyprus): a discrepancy with the current chronostratigraphic understandingen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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