Solving a tuff problem: Defining a chronostratigraphic framework for Middle to Upper Jurassic nonmarine strata in eastern Australia using uranium–lead chemical abrasion–thermal ionization mass spectrometry zircon dates

Wainman, Carmine; McCabe, Peter J.; Crowley, James L.

doi:10.1306/07261717140

Cited by 32 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…These units have been interpreted to be unconformably overlain by sandstone units (Springbok Sandstone in the Surat Basin, Adori Sandstone in the Eromanga Basin and Kangaroo Creek Sandstone in the Clarence-Moreton Basin) (Exon, 1976;McKellar, 1998;Cook et al, 2013b;Wainman et al, 2015) (Figure 2). However, the existence of such a regional unconformity has recently been questioned based on new zircon ages from the Surat Basin (Wainman et al, 2018), which show a lack of a major time break between the deposition of the Walloon Coal Measures and the Springbok Sandstone.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Late Jurassic movement along the Demon Fault was partially coeval with the deposition of widespread ash-fall volcanic tuffs in the Clarence-Moreton, Surat and Eromanga Basins (Figures 1, 2). Zircon U/Pb ages from tuff and volcanogenic sandstone samples from the Walloon Coal Measures, Birkhead Formation, Springbok Sandstone and Westbourne Formation (Figure 2) yielded ages from ~168.07 to 149.08 Ma (Wainman et al, 2015;Wainman et al, 2018) .…”

Section: Origin Of the Late Jurassic Intraplate Faultingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the origin of Middle-Late Jurassic ash-fall tuff layers in the sedimentary basins are proposed to be related to the eruptions of subduction-related super-volcanos. Tuff layers are very fine-grained (Wainman et al, 2018), indicating a long travel from the super-volcanoes which were possibly situated between ~1000 and 2500 km away (based on plate tectonics reconstruction, Seton et al, 2012). A modern example of such super-volcanos is the ~74,000-year-old Toba Volcano eruption (northern Sumatra), which resulted in the deposition of ash-falls thousands of km away, in the Indian Ocean Basin, Indian subcontinent, and South China Sea (Shane et al, 1995;Pattan et al, 1999;Bühring et al, 2000;Song et al, 2000).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late Jurassic intraplate faulting in eastern Australia: A link to subduction in eastern Gondwana and plate tectonic reorganisation

2019

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Eastern Gondwana was subjected to subduction processes during the Middle-Late Jurassic, but how these processes affected intraplate deformation in eastern Australia is poorly understood.Here we present 40 Ar/ 39 Ar, K-Ar, and Rb-Sr geochronological data from illitic clay-bearing fault gouges associated with the northern part of the 200 km long, N-striking, dextral strikeslip, Demon Fault in eastern Australia. We show a major range of geochronological ages at 162.99±0.74 -152.1±4.8 Ma, indicating that the Demon Fault was active during the Late Jurassic. This period partially coincides with the Middle-Late Jurassic deposition of widespread ash-fall tuffs in the Clarence-Moreton, Surat, and Eromanga basins. We propose that Middle-Late Jurassic intraplate tectonism in eastern Australia was influenced by subduction processes farther east, which produced extensive calc-alkaline magmatism in New Zealand from ~170 Ma. A global plate reorganisation event, related to the development of Early-Middle Jurassic sea-floor spreading of the Pacific Plate, possibly acted as the driving mechanism responsible for the intensification of magmatism and intraplate faulting in eastern Gondwana.

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Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Origin Of the Late Jurassic Intraplate Faultingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late Jurassic intraplate faulting in eastern Australia: A link to subduction in eastern Gondwana and plate tectonic reorganisation

2019

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“…Fortunately, total uncertainty can be reduced with complementary CA-TIMS geochronology, which mitigates and assesses Pb loss for Mesozoic-Cenozoic zircon, is not subject to laser-induced matrix effects, and yields dates commonly ∼50× more precise than LA-ICP-MS. Recent DZ studies have combined LA-ICP-MS and CA-TIMS to determine MDAs (e.g., Wainman et al, 2018), but experiments that explicitly explore the law of DZ and compare dates and MDAs from these two methods are lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the law of detrital zircon: LA-ICP-MS and CA-TIMS geochronology of Jurassic forearc strata, Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA

Herriott

Crowley

Schmitz

et al. 2019

Geology

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Uranium-lead (U-Pb) geochronology studies commonly employ the law of detrital zircon: A sedimentary rock cannot be older than its youngest zircon. This premise permits maximum depositional ages (MDAs) to be applied in chronostratigraphy, but geochronologic dates are complicated by uncertainty. We conducted laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and chemical abrasion–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-TIMS) of detrital zircon in forearc strata of southern Alaska (USA) to assess the accuracy of several MDA approaches. Six samples from Middle–Upper Jurassic units are generally replete with youthful zircon and underwent three rounds of analysis: (1) LA-ICP-MS of ∼115 grains, with one date per zircon; (2) LA-ICP-MS of the ∼15 youngest grains identified in round 1, acquiring two additional dates per zircon; and (3) CA-TIMS of the ∼5 youngest grains identified by LA-ICP-MS. The youngest single-grain LA-ICP-MS dates are all younger than—and rarely overlap at 2σ uncertainty with—the CA-TIMS MDAs. The youngest kernel density estimation modes are typically several million years older than the CA-TIMS MDAs. Weighted means of round 1 dates that define the youngest statistical populations yield the best coincidence with CA-TIMS MDAs. CA-TIMS dating of the youngest zircon identified by LA-ICP-MS is indispensable for critical MDA applications, eliminating laser-induced matrix effects, mitigating and evaluating Pb loss, and resolving complexities of interpreting lower-precision, normally distributed LA-ICP-MS dates. Finally, numerous CA-TIMS MDAs in this study are younger than Bathonian(?)–Callovian and Oxfordian faunal correlations suggest, highlighting the need for additional radioisotopic constraints—including CA-TIMS MDAs—for the Middle–Late Jurassic geologic time scale.

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“…The formation in the Surat Basin was long thought to be Middle Jurassic (Aalenian to Callovian) and possibly Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) in age (Bradshaw & Yeung, 1992b;Morris & Martin, 2016). Recent dating of tuffs using uranium-lead (U-Pb) chemical abrasion-thermal ionisation mass spectrometry dates (CA-TIMS) (Wainman et al, 2015(Wainman et al, , 2018c demonstrates that the formation was deposited over a substantially longer time period (Middle Jurassic Callovian to Late Jurassic Tithonian), and that the coal-rich facies of the Walloon Coal Measures accumulated during two episodes and are separated by an unconformity. Precise dating of the formation was possible because of numerous tuff beds, with up to 10 beds in any one core through the formation.…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Walloon Coal Measures In The Surat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

Wainman

McCabe

2018

Sedimentology

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The Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin in eastern Australia host the continent's most significant coal bed methane resources. Previous studies have interpreted the Walloon Coal Measures within a single depositional facies model encompassing a wholly terrestrial setting. Using a multidisciplinary approach (facies analysis, palynology and wireline logs), the evolution of the Walloon Coal Measures is described within a new chronostratigraphic framework defined by accurate and precise U-Pb tuff dates. Analysis of sedimentary facies indicates that the majority of the Walloon Coal Measures was deposited by relatively small (<300 m wide), low gradient rivers on a poorly-drained floodplain with numerous small lakes and mires. However, this study also identified some marine-influenced facies with brackish palynomorphs (notably dinoflagellate cysts) and tidal sedimentary structures. These facies appear to have been deposited in estuaries during times of transgression. The evidence for base level shifts suggests that the coals may not have coevally accumulated with at least some of the thicker sandstones. Palaeogeographic maps for eleven time intervals suggest that rivers drained towards to the south/south-west and south-east, as indicated by sandstone percentage and gross unit isopach maps, presumably into proximal estuarine complexes. Marine incursions into the continent probably came from the north and east during times of high eustatic sea level and as precursors to those of the more persistent and extensive transgressions of the Early Cretaceous. A similar multidisciplinary approach should help to elucidate the evolution of other fluviolacustrine systems in other basins and aid in resource prediction.

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Solving a tuff problem: Defining a chronostratigraphic framework for Middle to Upper Jurassic nonmarine strata in eastern Australia using uranium–lead chemical abrasion–thermal ionization mass spectrometry zircon dates

Cited by 32 publications

References 37 publications

Late Jurassic intraplate faulting in eastern Australia: A link to subduction in eastern Gondwana and plate tectonic reorganisation

Late Jurassic intraplate faulting in eastern Australia: A link to subduction in eastern Gondwana and plate tectonic reorganisation

Exploring the law of detrital zircon: LA-ICP-MS and CA-TIMS geochronology of Jurassic forearc strata, Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

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