Albian–Turonian carbon isotope chemostratigraphy: Expressions of the global carbon cycle from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Mesozoic sedimentary succession of the Arabian shelf in the United Arab Emirates is expressed by diverse carbonate and clastic sediments deposited mainly on carbonate platforms and intra-platform basins. Widespread... [ view full abstract ]

The Mesozoic sedimentary succession of the Arabian shelf in the United Arab Emirates is expressed by diverse carbonate and clastic sediments deposited mainly on carbonate platforms and intra-platform basins. Widespread transgression and platform drowning during the Cenomanian is thought to have led to the formation of an extensive intra-platform basin, the Shilaif Basin which persisted into the Turonian. Here we present a high-resolution carbonate carbon isotope record (δ13C, δ18O) from a 200 m core record, comprising presumably uninterrupted carbonate sediments of late Albian to earliest Turonian age from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Sediments in the core represent the outer ramp to basinal Mauddud to Shilaif formations and vary between laminated organic-rich and heavily bioturbated carbonate intervals. Carbon isotope values through the core range between ~1.0 ‰ and ~3.0 ‰. Isotopic evidence of the latest Albian (OAE1d), Mid-Cenomanian Event and latest Cenomanian OAE 2 are confirmed by the preliminary results gained for calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy. The carbon isotope curve is correlable with other well-calibrated carbon isotope records (eg. Tsikos et al. 2004; Jarvis et al. 2006; Gambacorta et al 2015).