Neogene carbonate-platform slopes (NEOCARPS)

本研究的目的是解开内在和外部的控制因素，形成碳酸盐岩台地斜坡的几何形状沿着一个冷却到热带水碳酸盐岩工厂梯度。检验的假设是，虽然在不同气候条件下形成的台地斜坡具有相似的外观，但由于气候对碳酸盐生产、运输和沉积的影响，斜坡沉积过程的控制因素不同。调查将涉及三个案例研究：热带平台（墨西拿，西班牙南部），亚热带平台（Burdigalian，撒丁岛）和温带平台（上新世，西班牙南部）。将通过激光扫描定量获得斜坡的尺寸和几何形状。成分、粒度和成岩作用的变化将被记录并分配到斜坡位置。岩石数据和几何数据将与建模软件合并，以便进行综合解释。该项目的成果将为相带的横向尺寸、与古水深相关的沉积物成分变化以及成岩过程的沿坡分异提供新的认识。将建立沿着纬度断面的碳酸盐台地斜坡成因的新的面向过程的模式。

The goal of this study is to unravel intrinsic and external controlling factors shaping carbonate-platform slope geometries along a cool-to tropical-water carbonate factory gradient. The hypothesis to test is that, although platform slopes forming under different climatic regimes have a similar appearance, controlling factors of slope depositional processes differ as a consequence of climate impact on carbonate production, transport, and deposition. Investigations will deal with three case studies: a tropical platform (Messinian, South Spain), a subtropical platform (Burdigalian, Sardinia), and a temperate platform (Pliocene, South Spain). Size and geometry of clinoforms will be quantitatively obtained by laser scanning. Variations of composition, grain size, and diagenesis will be recorded and assigned to slope positions. Rock data and geometrical data will be merged with a modelling software allowing integrated interpretation. The outcomes of the project will shed new light on lateral dimensions of facies belts, paleowater-depth related sediment compositional variations, and alongslope differentiation of diagenetic processes. New process-oriented models for the genesis of carbonate platform slopes along a latitudinal transect will be established.