High-precision U–Pb ages in the early Tithonian to early Berriasian and implications for the numerical age of the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary

Abstract. The numerical age of the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary has been controversial and difficult to determine. In this study, we present high-precision U–Pb geochronological data around the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary in two distinct sections from different sedimentary basins: the Las Loicas, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, and the Mazatepec, Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico. These two sections contain primary and secondary fossiliferous markers for the boundary as well as interbedded volcanic ash horizons, allowing researchers to obtain new radioisotopic dates in the late Tithonian and early Berriasian. We also present the first age determinations in the early Tithonian and tentatively propose a minimum duration for the stage as a cross-check for our ages in the early Berriasian. Given our radioisotopic ages in the early Tithonian to early Berriasian, we discuss implications for the numerical age of the boundary.

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Cross-continental age calibration of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary

10.5194/se-2018-57 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luis Lena ◽

Rafael López-Martínez ◽

Marina Lescano ◽

Beatriz Aguirre-Urrreta ◽

Andrea Concheyro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Precision ◽

Sedimentary Basins ◽

Minimum Duration ◽

Zircon Age ◽

The Past ◽

Age Determinations ◽

Tithonian Stage

Abstract. The age of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary has remained elusive for the past decades. In this study we evaluate how well the determined boundary age agrees between two distinct sections from different sedimentary basins, and whether we can constrain a globally valid Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary age. Here we present high-precision U-Pb zircon age determinations on single grains of volcanic zircon of two sections that span the Jurassic/Cretaceous: the Las Loicas section, Argentina, and the Mazatepec section in Mexico. These two sections display well-established primary and secondary stratigraphic markers as well as interbedded volcanic horizons that allow bracketing the age of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary at 140.22 ± 0.13 Ma. We also present the first age determinations in the early Tithonian and tentatively propose a minimum duration of ~ 7 Ma for the Tithonian stage.

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A high precision U–Pb radioisotopic age for the Agrio Formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Implications for the chronology of the Hauterivian Stage

Cretaceous Research ◽

10.1016/j.cretres.2017.03.027 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 193-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Beatriz Aguirre-Urreta ◽

Mark Schmitz ◽

Marina Lescano ◽

Maisa Tunik ◽

Peter F. Rawson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Precision ◽

Neuquen Basin ◽

Neuquén Basin

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Altered volcanic ash layers of the Late Cretaceous San Felipe Formation, Sierra Madre Oriental (Northeastern Mexico): U Pb geochronology, provenance and tectonic setting

Journal of South American Earth Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jsames.2016.04.010 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 70 ◽

pp. 18-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Fernando Velasco-Tapia ◽

Margarita Martínez-Paco ◽

Alexander Iriondo ◽

Yam Zul Ernesto Ocampo-Díaz ◽

Esther María Cruz-Gámez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Late Cretaceous ◽

Volcanic Ash ◽

Tectonic Setting ◽

Sierra Madre Oriental ◽

Sierra Madre ◽

Northeastern Mexico

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U-Pb geochronology and paleogeography of the Valanginian–Hauterivian Neuquén Basin: Implications for Gondwana-scale source areas

Geosphere ◽

10.1130/ges02284.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

E. Schwarz ◽

E.S. Finzel ◽

G.D. Veiga ◽

C.W. Rapela ◽

C. Echevarria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Delivery System ◽

Early Cretaceous ◽

Detrital Zircon ◽

Sedimentary Basins ◽

Early Jurassic ◽

Source Areas ◽

Base Level ◽

The North ◽

Neuquen Basin ◽

Neuquén Basin

Sedimentary basins located at the margins of continents act as the final base level for continental-scale catchments that are sometimes located thousands of kilometers away from the basin, and this condition of exceptionally long sediment transfer zones is probably reinforced in supercontinents, such as Gondwana. One of the most prominent marine basins in southwestern Gondwana during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous was the Neuquén Basin (west-central Argentina), but its role as a sediment repository of far-flung source areas has not been extensively considered. This contribution provides the first detailed detrital-zircon U-Pb geochronology of the Valanginian–Hauterivian Pilmatué Member of the Agrio Formation, which is combined with sedimentology and paleogeographic reconstructions of the unit within the Neuquén Basin for a better understanding of the fluvial delivery systems. Our detrital-zircon signatures suggest that Triassic–Permian zircon populations were probably sourced from the adjacent western sector of the North Patagonian Massif, whereas Early Jurassic, Cambrian, Ordovician, and Proterozoic grains were most likely derived from farther east, in the eastern sector of the North Patagonian Massif, as well as presently remote terranes such as the Saldania Belt in southern Africa. We thus propose a Valanginian–Hauterivian longitudinal delivery system that, starting in the mid-continent region of southwestern Gondwana and by effective sorting, was bringing fine-grained or finer caliber sand to the Neuquén Basin shoreline. This delivery system was probably active (though not necessarily continuously) from Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous until finally coming to an end during the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean in the latest Early Cretaceous.

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Paleobiogeography of Cretaceous South American Mesoeucrocodylia: Contribution to the Knowledege of Biogeographical History of Gondwana and Laurasia

10.31233/osf.io/pcyza ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Caio Fabricio Cezar Geroto

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Early Cretaceous ◽

Sedimentary Basins ◽

Main Role ◽

South American ◽

Ancestral State ◽

Data Set ◽

Neuquen Basin ◽

Neuquén Basin ◽

Bauru Group

Aim: Despite Mesoeucrocodylia been the most expressive faunal elements in outcrops of Gondwana, with special attention to South American basin like Bauru Group in Parana Basin and Neuquén Group in Neuquén Basin the biogeographical studies has been almost descriptive. These studies point the hypothesis that vicariance, specially the event of breakup of Gondwana, occupy a main role in speciation and diversification of Mesoeucrocodylia in Cretaceous. The present research investigates the possibility of this hypothesis been true use two complementary methods of biogeographic analysis a priori.Location: The studied reach the sedimentary basins for Gondwana and Laurassa when Mesoeucrocodylia fossils are found (South America, Africa and Eurasia continents)Methods: Brook Parsimony Analysis, with use maximum parsimony, Bayesian Binary Method for Ancestral State, a maximum like hood method to large data set, and S-DIVA to test the vicariance hypothesis. The area cladograms area time calibrating used the Temporal Calibrating GACs.Results: Allow reconstruct the ancestral area to the ancestral lineages and track the origin of “Gondwanasuchia” mesoeucrocodylian to African portion, posterior dispersion to South America. Notosuchia had an almost South American history with only peripheral ancestral reach Africa and Peirosauridae divide in two lineages, Peirosaurinae developed almost in Africa and reach South America in Early Cretaceous and Pepesuchinae an endemic South American lineage. Main Conclusions: Dispersal, not vicariance, take the main role in the diversification of the Mesoeucrocodylia during the Cretaceous. Three migration routes between drain channels take place in Early Cretaceous, one of Peirosaurinae from Araripe Basin to southern portion of South America, another from Pepesuchinae to Bauru Group and the last one of Araripesuchidae from Neuquén Basin do Araripe Basin. With the isolation of Bauru Group in Santonian a series of sympatric speciation take place in Mesoeucrocodylia lineages and other groups like titanosaurids. These sympatric events need future investigations.

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