Abstract
The Cretaceous Period stands out in Earth’s geologic history by ubiquitous and sustained massive eruption of lava, forming several enormous igneous plateaus in the ocean basins worldwide. It has been proposed that the subaerial phases of Cretaceous oceanic plateau formation spurred the global environmental deterioration, yet this view is supported by patchy fossil and/or rock evidence for uplifting of the plateau summits above the sea level. Reported here is by far the most comprehensive case of Cretaceous plateau emergence at northern Shatsky Rise, Northwest Pacific, based on the integration of unique micropalaeontological and seismic evidence. From just above the flat-topped igneous edifice, recent Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (at Site U1346) recovered early Cretaceous (Hauterivian) ostracod and foraminiferal assemblages showing marked shallow-marine preferences. Most intriguing discovery is an ostracod taxon with well-developed eye tubercles, which serves as compelling palaeobiological evidence for a very shallow, euphotic setting. By linking the nearshore biofacies (<20 m water depth) to the basement topography undoubtedly shaped by subaerial weathering and/or erosion, it is obvious that northern Shatsky Rise was remarkably emergent during its final emplacement phase. We suggest that early Cretaceous surface environments might have been affected, at least in part, by Shatsky Rise subaerial volcanism.
Highlights
The Cretaceous Period stands out in Earth’s geologic history by ubiquitous and sustained massive eruption of lava, forming several enormous igneous plateaus in the ocean basins worldwide
It has been proposed that the subaerial phases of Cretaceous oceanic plateau formation spurred the global environmental deterioration, yet this view is supported by patchy fossil and/or rock evidence for uplifting of the plateau summits above the sea level
By linking the nearshore biofacies (
Summary
The Cretaceous Period stands out in Earth’s geologic history by ubiquitous and sustained massive eruption of lava, forming several enormous igneous plateaus in the ocean basins worldwide. The mechanism of formation of massive basaltic plateaus (or large igneous provinces [LIPs]) in time and space has been one of highly intriguing topics in solid-earth geoscience since the early 1990’s when the mantle plume hypothesis became popular[1] It has become an important key to understand the evolution of Earth’s biosphere because such volcanic pulses might have been the fundamental drivers of past major environmental deterioration and biotic crises[2,3]. Shirshov Massif was drilled at IODP Site U1346 (Fig. 1), for which pre-cruise seismic survey illustrated a thin sediment cover blanketing the flank of this volcanic edifice, thereby assuring the ease of access to the basaltic basement Site selection at this peripheral area of the plateau, eventually, led to unprecedented opportunity to study the conspicuous sedimentary record[12] that had not been encountered through the history of Shatsky Rise drilling. And as detailed below, a variety of well-preserved benthic foraminifera and ostracods have been retrieved from a thin, semi-consolidated marly interval in the uppermost Unit IV
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