Description, palynology and paleoecology of the Hassel Formation (Cretaceous) on eastern Ellef Ringnes Island, District of Franklin

Abstract

Sedimentary structures and palyno-assemblages indicate that the sandstones of the lower part of the Hassel Formation of eastern Ellef Ringnes Island were deposited in an upper shore-face marine environment; sandstone, siltstone, shale and coal, comprising the middle and upper parts of the formation, have structures and features indicative of fluvial deposition. Thin, lenticular carbonaceous shale beds at Hoodoo Dome and Cape Cairo were analysed for their spore and pollen content. The microfloras indicate a late Albian and/or early Cenomanian age, which is consistent with regional paleontological and structural evidence. Humid, warm temperate conditions during Hassel deposition are suggested by the microflora.

Aptian to Santonian foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental change in the Sverdrup Basin as revealed at Glacier Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago

“…Jeletzky, 1970 andHall et al, 2005), diatoms (Tapia andHarwood, 2002 andWitkowski et al, 2011), radiolarians (Pugh, 2013) and palynomorph assemblages (e.g. Hopkins and Balkwill, 1993, Núñez-Betelu and Hills, 1992, Galloway et al, 2012. Those relevant to this study are mentioned in the following passage.…”

Upper cretaceous radiolarian assemblages and paleoenvironments of the Sverdrup Basin, Ellef Ringnes Island, Nunavut, Canada

“…The Hassel Formation is variable in thickness across the Sverdrup Basin, and was originally defined by Heywood (1955Heywood ( ,1957 at Isachsen Dome, Ellef Ringnes Island, as 550 m thick. This was later complimented through work by Hopkins and Balkwill (1973) and Balkwill and Hopkins (1976) with a locality east of Hoodoo Dome to approximately 300 m of strata. Mapped extensively within the Sverdrup Basin, the Hassel Formation can be found to represent deltaic to shoreface and nearshore sedimentation, with both marine and fluvial components (Hopkins & Balkwill, 1973;Embry & Beauchamp, 2008;Embry & Dixon, 1990, 1994Galloway et al, 2012).…”

“…This was later complimented through work by Hopkins and Balkwill (1973) and Balkwill and Hopkins (1976) with a locality east of Hoodoo Dome to approximately 300 m of strata. Mapped extensively within the Sverdrup Basin, the Hassel Formation can be found to represent deltaic to shoreface and nearshore sedimentation, with both marine and fluvial components (Hopkins & Balkwill, 1973;Embry & Beauchamp, 2008;Embry & Dixon, 1990, 1994Galloway et al, 2012). The Hassel Formation is sharply capped by black organic rich shales of the Kanguk Formation indicative of distal facies (Balkwill & Hopkins, 1973;Embry & Beauchamp, 2008).…”

“…The Christopher Formation was interpreted as deposited in an offshore setting (Hopkins and Balkwill, 1973;Sliter, 1981). The formation has a gradational contact to the overlying Hassel Formation.…”

“…Mapped extensively within the Sverdrup Basin, the Hassel Formation can be found to represent deltaic to shoreface and nearshore sedimentation, with both marine and fluvial components (Hopkins & Balkwill, 1973;Embry & Beauchamp, 2008;Embry & Dixon, 1990, 1994Galloway et al, 2012). The Hassel Formation is sharply capped by black organic rich shales of the Kanguk Formation indicative of distal facies (Balkwill & Hopkins, 1973;Embry & Beauchamp, 2008). It is a widespread and pan-basinal distal black shale, correlating to the west of the basin into the Mackenzie Delta region with the Boundary Creek and…”