Sedimentary cycles in the Callovian-Oxfordian of the Jaisalmer Basin, Rajasthan, western India

Abstract

The Callovian and Oxfordian marine sediments of the Jaisalmer Basin constitute the uppermost part of the Jaisalmer Formation, which comprises the Kuldhar and Jajiya members. In the present paper the authors illustrate retrogradational-progradational, more or less symmetrical cycles representing low- to high-energy marine environments. Despite an incomplete sedimentary record in a profile disrupted by a number of omission surfaces, it is possible to distinguish seven such sedimentary cycles in less than 24 m of sedimentary succession. The cycles, often bearing in their upper parts a thick-bedded well-cemented calcareous sandstone/pack- to rudstone, or hummocky cross-stratified beds indicative of storm events, are occasionally topped by hardgrounds. Hardgrounds provide well-defined boundaries useful for delineating correlative/bounding surfaces, identified here with sequence boundaries (3rd order cycles). Maximum flooding surfaces characterized by richly fossiliferous marly wackestones provide additional correlative horizons. Within these sequences, subordinate cycles can be tentatively distinguished, some of them may represent parasequences. The stratigraphical significance of correlative surfaces and sequences is tested by their fossil content, and these surfaces can be used for regional correlations with neighbouring basin.