Abstract
A new lithostratigraphic scheme is erected for the uppermost Ordovician and lower Silurian shelf carbonate rocks of Peary Land and Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. All carbonate rocks were deposited on a fairly stable shelf which was bordered to the north and east by deep-water basins. The shelf foundered in the latest LIandoverian, terminating carbonate production. Five formations and two members are defined and extend from the uppermost Ordovician (Cincinnatian) to the uppermost LIandoverian, or possibly lowermost Wenlock in the Silurian. Lithostratigraphic units include: Turesø Formation (new) composed of alternating light and dark grey peritidal to shallow subtidal laminated or massive dolomites, cryptalgal laminites and fenestral lime mudstones – uppermost Ordovician (Richmondian, Cincinnatian) to Lower or Middle Llandoverian; Ymers Gletscher Formation (new) composed of light grey peritidal lime mudstones, fenestral lime mudstones and cryptalgal laminites 0150 Lower to Middle Llandoverian; Odins Fjord Formation (new) composed of shallow to deep subtidal dark lime mudstones, wackestones and commonly floatstone and rudstone biostromes – Middle (possibly Lower) to Upper Llandoverian; Melville Land Member (new) composed of light grey peritidal lime mudstones, fenestral lime mudstones and cryptalgal laminites – Middle (possibly Lower) Llandoverian; Bure lskappe Member (new) composed of drowned shelf, dark grey to black laminated lime mudstone with terrigenous mudstone interbeds – Upper Llandoverian; Samuelsen Høj Formation (new) composed of light grey to white reef limestones – uppermost Llandoverian; Harefjeld Formation (new), a faulted, folded and cleaved black lime and terrigenous mudstone unit in eastern Kronprins Christian Land – Ordovician to Silurian (Llandoverian).
Highlights
A new lithostratigraphical scheme is erected for the uppermost Ordovician and lower Silurian carbonate sediments deposited on the carbonate shelf of eastern North Greenland
The location of the northem shelf margin was controlled by a series of faults and lineaments and its position varied throughout the early Palaeozoic (Hurst & Surlyk, 1984; Surlyk & Hurst, 1983, 1984)
This conc1usion is suggested by the fact that Peel et al (1981) report that reefs which are here referred to the Samuelsen Høj Formation start slightly lower in the succession in Kronprins Christian Land as there is some interdigitation between the basal part of the Samuelsen Høj Formation and the top of the level-bedded limestones, here referred to the Odins Fjord Formation
Summary
A new lithostratigraphical scheme is erected for the uppermost Ordovician and lower Silurian carbonate sediments deposited on the carbonate shelf of eastern North Greenland (figs l, 2). The most recent work on the carbonate strata of eastern North Greenland was under the auspices of a three year expedition mounted by the Geological Survey of Greenland during the summers of 1978, 1979 and 1980 As aresult of these activities a more detailed picture is emerging concerning the facies, thickness and age variation of the Silurian carbonates of southern Peary Land and Kronprins Christian Land (Aldridge, 1979; Armstrong & Lane, 1981; Boucot & Hurst, 1979; Christie & Ineson, 1979; Hurst, 1979; Hurst & McKerrow, 1981a, b; Lane & Peel, 1980; Lane & Thomas, 1979; Mabillard, 1980; Pedersen, 1979; Peel, 1980; Peel et al, 1981). Apart from the Harefjeld Formation, the lithologic descriptions of the formations are based on Peary Land which is the Ieast deformed and best known area
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