Upper Devonian carbonate platform correlations and sea level variations recorded in magnetic susceptibility

• Published in: Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology Vol. 240; no. 3; pp. 373 - 388
• Main Authors: da Silva, Anne-Christine, Boulvain, Frédéric
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 19.10.2006; Elsevier Science Bv
• Subjects: Carbonate platform; Earth sciences & physical geography; Frasnian; Magnetic susceptibility; Marine; Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences; Physique, chimie, mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Sedimentology; Sequences; ANE, Belgium; Sedimentology; Frasnian; Sequences; Carbonate platform; Magnetic susceptibility
• ISSN: 0031-0182; 1872-616X; 1872-616X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.02.012

This paper concerns the analysis of four outcrops in the Frasnian (Upper Devonian) of Belgium. We compare the results of a precise sedimentological analysis with magnetic susceptibility (MS) data. This comparison allows us to improve stratigraphic correlations and to test the relationship between magnetic susceptibility and sea level changes. Considering the sedimentological study, different microfacies have been identified, from the external belt dominated by relatively argillaceous open marine facies with crinoids, to the biostromal and the lagoonal belt dominated by algae-rich muddy facies. Fourth- and third-order sequences have also been identified and are probably related to sea level variations. Magnetic susceptibility data provides us very good fourth-order correlations and the link between magnetic susceptibility and different sedimentological parameters is obvious. More precisely, MS appears to be related to fourth- and third-order sequences and to microfacies.