About This Item
- Full TextFull Text(subscription required)
- Pay-Per-View PurchasePay-Per-View
Purchase Options Explain
Share This Item
The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database
CSPG Special Publications
Abstract
Stratigraphy of Special Areas
Devonian of the Cantabrian Mountains, northwestern Spain
Abstract
Two main facies can be distinguished in the Devonian of the Cantabrian Mountains: (1) the Asturo-Leonese facies, and (2) the Palencian facies. The Asturo-Leonese facies is characterized by an alternation of clastic (sandstones to shales) and carbonate rocks, with a predominantly benthonic fauna. Most of the carbonate formations or members show a strong biostromal development. This facies occurs in a belt of about 250 km along the south and west side of the Asturian Carboniferous. On the whole its features suggest a warm, shallow and well-aerated sea.
The Palencian facies is characterized by a more irregular alternation of fine-grained carbonates, siltstones and shales; sandstones occur only in the lowermost and uppermost part of the succession. The sparse fauna, rather poor both in number and variety, is dominated by pelagic elements. This facies is known to occur only in the northern part of Palencia, bounded on the south by the Asturo-Leonese facies. The overall picture suggests deposition in a quiet, more or less restricted basin, perhaps slightly deeper than the sea of the Asturo-Leonese facies.
The two facies are separated by a more stable ridge, although its effectiveness in separating the two adjoining areas changed more than once in the course of the Devonian.
Tectonic movements during the Devonian were of little importance. Tilting, however, occurred over a large area towards the end of the Devonian, and consequently the uppermost, strongly transgressive Devonian sandstone, rests on a variety of older deposits.
Pay-Per-View Purchase Options
The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.
Watermarked PDF Document: $14 | |
Open PDF Document: $24 |