Reappraisal of the K–T boundary succession at Stevns Klint, Denmark

Abstract

We present stratigraphical and stable isotope data (ä 13 C, ä 18 O) for two successions selected from the K-T boundary succession seen in the cliff sections of Stevns Klint (Denmark). Although the succession at Højerup is well known from other studies, that at Kulstirenden has not been described before. It contains an exceptionally thick (c. 40 cm) development of the boundary clay (or Fish Clay), which includes the 'red layer' just above its base. There is clear evidence of shallowing in the latest Maastrichtian in advance of the K-T boundary, together with fluctuations in sea-water temperature. The detailed ä 13 C record at Kulstirenden provides a record of the environmental changes within the boundary interval with a resolution better than many other successions described in the literature.

Evolution of a Maastrichtian–Paleocene tropical shallow-water carbonate platform (Qalhat, NE Oman)

“…However, due to the dolomitization and its eVect on the 13 C values, the preservation of this event in the carbon isotope record at Qalhat is diYcult to evaluate, and the single negative value recorded immediately above the dolostone unit may be an artifact of diagenesis. While the general trends of the 13 C curve from Qalhat correspond to those of other K/P boundary sections (Berggren et al 2000;Hart et al 2004), excursions based on single samples should be interpreted with caution, considering the large scatter of 13 C values (Figs. 3,8) that is typically found in bulk rock data of shallow-water limestones.…”

Characterization of dense zones within the Danian chalks of the Ekofisk Field, Norwegian North Sea

“…Scholle et al 1998), the regional extent of the associated well-log signal suggests a basin-scale development, which is also typical of incipient hardgrounds in chalk outcrops (see Kennedy & Garrison 1975;Quine & Bosence 1991;Lasseur et al 2009). Moreover, nodular chalks, as well as incipient and mature hardgrounds at the base of the Ekofisk Formation, have also been described in coeval successions in the West Ekofisk, Tor and Albuskjell fields and onshore Denmark (Watts et al 1980;Kennedy 1987b;Surlyk 1997;Scholle et al 1998;Bailey et al 1999;Lottaroli & Catrullo 2000;Hart et al 2004;.…”

“…In chalk successions, Surlyk (1997) described the K-T boundary at Stevns Klint in Denmark and interpreted the clays present above the boundary to reflect the final phase of the end-Cretaceous sea-level fall (cf. Hart et al 2004;. Several other studies also suggest a marked fall in sea-level during late Maastrichtian and early Danian times (Hallam & Wignall 1999;Miller et al 2004;Kominz et al 2008), which was also associated with extreme climatic events (Schmitz et al 1992;Li & Keller 1998;Olsson et al 2001;Keller et al 2002), volcanic eruptions (Deccan Traps, Hoffmann et al 2000 and meteorite bolide impact(s) (Smit 1990;Bauluz et al 2000;Keller 2001;2008).…”

A paleoclimatic and paleoatmospheric record from peatlands accumulating during the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event, Western Interior Basin, Canada

“…A transient 1‰-3‰ negative shift in the carbon isotope composition (d 13 C) of planktonic carbonate across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary has been extensively documented in marine sections around the world (e.g., Thierstein and Berger, 1978;Hsü and McKenzie, 1985;Zachos et al, 1992;D'Hondt et al, 1998;Hart et al, 2004;Keller et al, 2003;Schulte et al, 2010). The fact that the shift is absent or lesser in magnitude in the contemporaneous benthos has been interpreted as evidence for the global reduction or shutdown of marine surface primary productivity (the so-called "Strangelove Ocean"; Hsü and McKenzie, 1985;Zachos et al, 1992) and/or a decrease in the flux of organic material from the surface to deep sea (D'Hondt et al, 1998;Alegret et al, 2012) at that time, resulting in the homogenization of the normal surface-to-depth positiveto-negative d 13 C gradient.…”