Age of the Tuchengzi Formation in Western Liaoning Province and the Jurassic–Cretaceous Boundary from the Continuous Core Records of Well YD1, Jinyang Basin

Abstract

The Tuchengzi Formation is widely distributed in western Liaoning Province with a clear top and bottom. It is the focal area for the delineation of the terrestrial Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary in China. Based on continuous core samples taken from well YD1, detailed lithostratigraphic sequences and zircon uranium–lead (U-Pb) dating WERE used to investigate the Tuchengzi Formation. The zircon U-Pb ages of the tuff samples taken from the First and Third Members of the Tuchengzi Formation ranged from 153.8 to 137.16 Ma, indicating that they were formed in the late Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous. Dating results from the bottom of the Second Member of the Tuchengzi Formation indicate that the sedimentary time of the stratum is no later than 145.7 ± 2.1 Ma. We concluded that the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary of the Jinyang Basin in western Liaoning province may be located at the interface at a depth of 464 m in well YD1. This conclusion is consistent with the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary that has been presumed by other researchers based on paleontological assemblage features found in recent years, and can provide useful geological marker beds for the future study of the terrestrial Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary. In addition, the authors also systematically sorted the potential development areas and layers of the terrestrial Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary line, which may also provide useful geological marker beds for the future study of the terrestrial Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary.