Detailed study of the Permian–Triassic continental deposits of the Moscow syneclise has shown the widespread occurrence of palygorskite mineralization in the Early Triassic (Induan) in the southeastern (basin of the Vetluga River), in the northeastern (basin of the Sukhona–Yug–Severnaya Dvina rivers), and in the western parts (Gavrilov-Yam borehole, NPO Nedra, city of Yaroslavl). Palygorskite is found in almost all types of Induan sediments where, together with smectites, it is one of the main clay minerals; its highest concentrations are recorded in paleosols. The morphology of aggregates and the nature of their relationships with other sedimentary components indicate an authigenic origin of palygorskite. The presence of high-magnesian minerals (serpentine, Mg-chlorite, talc–chlorite), which compose the fragments of meta-ultrabasites, is associated with the palygorskite mineralization. The values of the Cr/Ni ratio (1.3–1.5) in the Induan rocks suggest active erosion of the ultrabasic Ural complexes at that time. In the Permian–Triassic transition, the ratio of the alkali and alkaline-earth elements to aluminum (Σbases/Al) increases and the CALMAG weathering index decreases in the continental sediments, which is consistent with the global climatic trend of warming and aridization at the Permian–Triassic boundary. The widespread occurrence of palygorskite in the Early Triassic is caused by increased delivery of chemically unstable high-magnesian detrital material of ultrabasic rocks and products of their early metamorphism from the Urals, as well as its specific treatment (low mobility and a high degree of accumulation of leached components) by soil pore waters in the continental environments with an arid climate. Since palygorskite is absent in the Upper Permian sediments of the Moscow syneclise, it can be used for stratigraphic purposes, viz., to distinguish the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic continental rocks (and the cycles they form) within the boundary interval.

The early Aptian Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE1a, or Selli Event) is widely known from many oceanic and inland sections as an interval of enhanced accumulation of sediments rich in total organic carbon (TOC), associated with the turnover in the global carbon budget and dramatic biotic variations. Our multidisciplinary study of the upper Barremian to lower upper Aptian deposits from the eastern part of Crimean Peninsula allowed us to confirm the presence of a layer that correlates to OAE1a and revealed significant reorganization in the planktonic and benthic foraminifera, nannofossils, ostracod and terrestrial plant communities at this level. The low-calcareous OAE1a deposits from the eastern Crimea lack in TOC that is not typical sedimentological response to this critical event. The OAE1a onset was associated with a nannoconid crisis, occurrence of low-abundance Hedbergella planktonic foraminifera, increased abundance of benthic foraminifera and ostracods and the bloom of Classopolis on the adjacent land. The calcareous microplankton biota was highly oppressed during OAE1a up to total elimination in the core of the event. Benthic assemblages indicate the occurrence of dysoxic conditions at the sea-floor. The absence of organic matter in the deposits of the OAE1a interval points to the low basinal biotic productivity and low input of terrestrial organic matter. We suggest that oligotrophication of the basin was related to the transgressive pulse, which led to small-scale landward moving of the coastal line barriered by coastal highland. The hot arid climatic conditions indicated by terrestrial plants, prevented the supply of nutrients and terrestrial organic matter into the basin that caused low algal and bacterial productivity and prevented accumulation of TOC-rich sediments. The termination of OAE1a coincides with the occurrence of warm humid climate and erosion of ephemeral coastal highland, more likely, built up by soft clayey sediments. The transit restoration of the normal marine biota in the early late Aptian was interrupted in the middle late Aptian by new long-lived regression led to enhanced terrestrial runoff and, possibly, fresh water input killed marine biota and caused the accumulation of low-calcareous clay.

The U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dating of detrital zircons from the Upper Cretaceous Derevyannye Gory Formation in the Novaya Sibir Island revealed that tuffites and tuffaceous sandstones contain zircons widely ranging in age from Archean to Upper Cretaceous. The weighted average age of the youngest zircon population is 88 ± 1.0 Ma, which constrains the lower age limit for sedimentation of the Derevyannye Gory Formation to the Coniacian. The clastic material was transported from the southwest and south to the north and northeast. The main source areas for the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary basin in the Novaya Sibir Island were the Upper Jurassic–Neocomian terrigenous sequences of the New Siberian–Chukotka fold area, lithotectonic complexes of the South Anyui suture, as well as the northern part of the Verkhoyansk–Kolyma fold area, and post-orogenic Aptian–Albian volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Lyakhov Islands and Svyatoi Nos Cape. Triassic terrigenous rocks of the northern Verkhoyansk region could serve as additional sources of clastics. It is also possible that the clastic material was partially supplied from the western Anjou Islands as a result of erosion of the Aptian–Lower Albian volcaniclastic–siliciclastic rocks. The Late Cretaceous zircon population is related to the Late Cretaceous explosive acid volcanism in the eastern Arctic region.

The comparative characteristics of sedimentary successions corresponding to the paleoecological event OAE 2, which are spaced over 1000 km apart within the Crimean–Caucasian region, are present. It is shown that the sediments accumulated during this time span under different sedimentary conditions are featured by the similar structures. The sedimentological, geochemical, and paleoecological analyses, indicate that (1) stable oxygen deficient conditions were not spread in the water column of the paleobasin; they occurred locally in a thin layer of bottom water owing to the oxidation of organic matter accumulated on the seafloor; (2) geochemical anomalies inherent in the TOC-rich horizon extend to the embedding layers that indicate their involving to the paleoecological event. The carbonaceous sediments of OAE 2 formed due to the enhanced nutrients influx from the land during the eustatic transgression caused the dramatic increase in the plankton productivity. The transgression was complicated by frequent sea-level fluctuations of minor magnitude associated with the Milankovitch precession cycles.

A relatively complete section of the Maikop Group (Oligocene – lower Miocene) is exposed along the Sulak River valley in Dagestan (NE Caucasus) and contains a depositional record for this part of the Eastern Paratethys. At the Sulak River outcrop, the Maikop Group is ca. 1200 m thick and can be divided into six lithologically‐defined formations: these are from the base up the Khadum Formation (Rupelian), the Miatly Formation, the Lower Clayey Formation, the Mutsidakal Formation (Chattian), the Riki Formation and the Zuramakent Formation (lower Miocene). The Khadum Formation rests on the upper Eocene Belaya Glina Formation and the boundary is marked by a sharp lithological transition from pale‐coloured, bioturbated limestones below to black organic‐rich shales above.Biostratigraphic studies of calcareous nannoplankton in samples from the Sulak River section allowed the position of the Eocene – Oligocene boundary at the base of the Maikop Group to be defined. The boundary occurs within the CP16 Zone near the division between the CP16a and CP16b subzones. This is consistent with the age of the boundary at a reference outcrop along the Kheu River in Kabardino‐Balkaria in the Central North Caucasus, some 200 km west of Dagestan. A positive oxygen stable isotope anomaly occurs at the top of the Belaya Glina Formation.Samples of the Maikop Group are characterized by variations in TOC content ranging between 0.14 and 11.06 wt. %. The highest values were measured in both carbonate‐ and clay‐rich samples from the Khadum Formation, and the lowest (less than 0.5 wt.%) in sandstones from the overlying Oligocene Miatly, Lower Clayey and Mutsidacal Formations. Samples of the lower Miocene Riki and Zuramakent Formations have moderate TOC values (on average more than 1.5 wt.%). Results of Rock‐Eval pyrolysis show that Maikop samples contain kerogen Types II and III which is distributed unevenly throughout the formations. Clay‐rich rocks in the upper part of the Khadum Formation (Solenovian Member) with Type II kerogen have the greatest oil‐generating potential, with initial hydrogen index values estimated at 400‐600 mg HC/g TOC. The Miatly Formation sandstones and siltstones contain migrated bitumen which is recognized from increased values of Rock‐Eval S1 and the high Production Index (S1/(S1+S2). Overlying Oligocene – lower Miocene rocks contain mainly Type III kerogen, although increased TOC values obtained from samples of the Riki Formation indicate that it may have minor gas source potential.Samples of Maikop Group sediments from the Sulak section were analysed for their contents of Mo, S, Fe, Mn, V, Ni and other elements. A stagnation coefficient (Mo/Mn x 100) was calculated and was interpreted as a measure of the intensity of anoxia in the Maikop palaeobasin. Anoxic conditions are interpreted to have reached a maximum in the Rupelian and Aquitanian during deposition of the Khadum and Riki Formations respectively. However, geochemical conditions were unstable and the oxygen concentration in the bottom waters varied widely over time. Thus, the Zuramakent Formation at the top of the Maikop Group was largely deposited in normally oxygenated conditions.

AbstractThe Late Jurassic – earliest Cretaceous time interval was characterized by a widespread distribution of dysoxiс–anoxiс environments in temperate- and high-latitude epicontinental seas, which could be defined as a shelf dysoxic–anoxic event (SDAE). In contrast to black shales related to oceanic anoxic events, deposits generated by the SDAE were especially common in shelf sites in the Northern Hemisphere. The onset and termination of the SDAE was strongly diachronous across different regions. The SDAE was not associated with significant disturbances of the carbon cycle. Deposition of organic-carbon-rich sediment and the existence of dysoxic–anoxic conditions during the SDAE lasted up toc.20 Ma, but this event did not cause any remarkable biotic extinction. Temperate- and high-latitude black shale occurrences across the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary have been reviewed. Two patterns of black shale deposition during the SDAE are recognized: (1) Subboreal type, with numerous thin black shale beds, bounded by sediments with very low total organic carbon (TOC) values; and (2) Boreal type, distinguished by predominantly thick black shale successions showing high TOC values and prolonged anoxic–dysoxic conditions. These types appear to be unrelated to differences in accommodation space, and can be clearly recognized irrespective of the thickness of shale-bearing units. Black shales in high-latitude areas in the Southern Hemisphere strongly resemble Boreal types of black shale by their mode of occurrence. The causes of this SDAE are linked to long-term warming and changes in oceanic circulation. Additionally, the long-term disturbance of planktonic communities may have triggered overall increased productivity in anoxia-prone environments.

The results of integrated study of the Cretaceous/Paleogene transition in the northeastern Caucasus are reported. The lithological, geochemical and micropaleontological characteristics of the sediments from two sections (Okhli and Gubden, Mountainous Dagestan) accumulated in different parts of paleobasin are displayed. An analysis of nannofossil distribution at the Cretaceous/Paleogene transition allowed to define the stratigraphic position of the stage boundary and reveal the interval of sediments (1–2 m thick transitional zone) accumulated under stress conditions. The large-scale sea-level fall occurred at the onset of the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary event is evidenced. It led to the erosion and redeposition of the Maastrichtian calcareous sediments. In Okhli section, the occurrence of palygorskite is detected in the clay mineral assemblage of the transitional zone. The local concentrations of coprolites (Decapoda?) and spherical nodules of different composition (more likely, concretions) are found in the clay layer onlapping the erosional surface at the top of Maastrichtian. There is no reliable evidence of the impact nature of these nodules. The lithological record at the Cretaceous/Paleogene transition of the studied sections is similar to those exposed in other areas of the NE Peri-Tethys (e.g., southern Turkmenistan and Mangyshlak Peninsula).

В статье изложены результаты комплексного исследования отложений, приуроченных к границе мела и палеогена на Северо-Восточном Кавказе. Изучены два разреза — Охли и Губден (Горный Дагестан), вскрывающих толщи, которые накапливались в различных зонах палеобассейна; приведена их литолого-геохимическая характеристика. Анализ распределения в пограничных отложениях наннопланктона позволил уточнить положение границы мела и палеогена и выявить интервал отложений (переходная зона 1–2.5 м), накопление которых происходило в палеоэкологически неблагоприятных для биоты стрессовых обстановках. Установлены свидетельства значительного по амплитуде падения уровня моря в начале мел/палеогенового события, что привело к локальному размыву и переотложению маастрихтских карбонатных пород. В разрезе Охли в ассоциации глинистых минералов из переходной зоны установлено присутствие палыгорскита; здесь же в глинистом слое, залегающем на эрозионной кровле маастрихтских известняков, найдены локальные скопления копролитов (Decapoda?), а также округлые включения разного состава, которые, по-видимому, являются микроконкрециями. Убедительные свидетельства их импактной природы отсутствуют. Изученные разрезы, вскрывающие отложения мел/палеогенового события, имеют сходство с другими изученными разрезами этого события на смежной территории Северо-Восточного Перитетиса — в Южном Туркменистане и на полуострове Мангышлак.

Four separate rhyolitic ash layers (from 0.3 to 2.5 m in thickness) and dispersed fine-sized pyroclastic material were found for the first time within Turonian-Coniacian volcaniclastic-siliciclastic coal-bearing Derevyannye Gory Formation. It was concluded the terrigenous sedimentation in the studied area was affected by long-term explosive volcanic activity during Turonian-Coniacian, and centres of eruptions were located closely to modern Novaya Sibir Island territory. Pyroclastics under consideration are petrochemically similar to Lower Albian volcanic rocks from Anjou archipelago (Kotelny Island). The centres of long-time Early Albian to Turonian-Coniacian subaerial volcanism were located probably in the modern territories of Zemlya Bunge and Faddeya islands, and along the northern edge of the Sannikov Strait.

On the basis of detailed, combined rock-magnetic, lithological, and micropaleontological study of the Mikhailovtsement section of the Moscow syneclise (Ryazan region), the fluctuations in Central Russian Sea level in Callovian–Early Oxfordian were reconstructed. According to the variations of rock-magnetic parameters over the section, seven rock-magnetic intervals were established which correspond to different stages of basin evolution. These stages are compared with sea level fluctuations established on the basis of changes in the lithology of rocks and the ostracod complexes. In general, the nature of sea level change in Callovian–Oxfordian, revealed by combination of the methods during the study of Mikhailovtsement section coincides with global trend.

The article is concerned with the first finds of rhyolite ashes in Upper Cretaceous sediments of Novaya Sibir Island. In the course of the field work in the area of cape Utes Derevyannykh Gor in 2016, four layers of unlithified fine-grained ashes were found in the Turonian-Coniacian coal-bearing Derevyannye Gory Formation. The article presents the results of petrographic, X-ray diffractometric and microprobe analysis of pyroclastics from ash layers. A typification of volcanogenic-terrigenous deposits is proposed. Thin section of the samples were investigated on a polarizing microscope. X-ray phase analysis of the clay fraction was carried out using a DRON-3 diffractometer. X-ray microanalysis of vitroclasts were carried out on a scanning electron microscope “Jeol JSM-6480LV” with the microprobe analyzer “Oxford Instruments INCA-Energy 350”. It was established that Derevyannye Gory Formation is composed of rhyolitic tuffites, among which fine-grained crystal-vitroclastic and vitroclastic ashes of low and normal alkaline high-potassium rhyolites with thickness up to 2.5 m. Low pyroclastics sediments are not widespread. New data on the structure and composition of the Derevyannye Gory Formation confirm the hypothesis of previous researchers, that sedimentation in the Late Cretaceous in the area of Novaya Sibir Island was accompanied by explosive acidic volcanism. The main purpose of the article is to discuss the sources of pyroclastic material for the territory of the New Siberian Islands in the Turonian-Coniacian age. The conclusion is made about the territorial proximity of the paleovolcanic eruption center to the area of sedimentation. It is assumed that the paleovolcanic centers were located within the present territory of Kotelny, Zemlya Bunge, Faddeevsky islands and, probably, were inherited from the Early Albian stage.

The Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/T) boundary interval was studied in the Okhli and Gubden sections, northeastern Caucasus. Two sediment successions represented in these sections were accumulated in different zones of the paleobasin and distinguished by their lithological and geochemical characteristics. The high-resolution study of nannofossils revealed very gradual changes in nannoplankton community at the Cretaceous/Paleogene transition. The nannofossil assemblage becomes poor from the level ca. 4 m below K/T boundary and it is very scarce in the last 2.5 m of uppermost Maastrichtian. The significant sea-level fall is evidenced in the beginning of the K/T event. It led to erosion and redeposition of Maastrichtian calcareous sediments within the thin layer of clay, covering erosional surface in the Okhli section. The clay mineral assemblage, starting from this surface contains palygorskite. The concentrations of coprolites (Decapoda?) and microspherulas (diagenetic microconcretions) with higher content of some trace elements were found within the small red lenses at the base of the clay layer overlying the Maastrichtian erosional surface. The reliable evidence of impact event are not recognized. The evolutional trends which are recorded within the Cretaceous/Paleogene transitional interval in the Okhli and Gubden sections are similar to trends recognized in studied sections of the K/T event on the adjacent territories of the North-Eastern Peri-Tethys (e.g., southern Turkmenistan and Mangyshlak Peninsula).

Based on a detailed integrated petromagnetic, lithological, and micropaleontological study of the Mikhailovtsement reference section of the Moscow syneclise (Ryazan Region), the fluctuations in the Middle Russian Sea level in the Callovian–Early Oxfordian were reconstructed. According to the variations of petromagnetic parameters through the section, seven petromagnetic intervals corresponding to different stages of the paleobasin evolution were established. These stages are correlated with sea level fluctuations established on the basis of changes in the rock lithology and the ostracod complexes. In general, the character of sea level change in the Callovian–Oxfordian that was revealed during the study of the Mikhailovtsement section is in agreement with the global trends.

Significant influence of anoxic events on faunal turnovers in marine communities is well-established. However, many studies are focused on the impact of anoxic conditions on benthic organisms, while coeval changes in pelagic cephalopod assemblages remain relatively poorly understood. In the present paper we discuss the trends in cephalopod assemblages coinciding with the onset of the early Aptian black shale deposition in European Russia coeval with OAE1 a. In few sections of the Saratov Volga area (central part of the Russian Platform), representing both offshore and more proximal nearshore lithofacies of the epicontinental Middle Russian Sea, we have recognized simultaneous changes in ammonite and belemnite successions. Belemnites, represented by the late members of the family Oxyteuthididae, are common in the interval directly preceding anoxic event, but totally disappear with the onset of the black shale deposition. For the Deshayesites ammonites shell size reduction across the mudstone black shale boundary (maximum shell diameter of adults reduces from-20 cm to 7-8 cm) can be observed. Some other ammonites become numerous (Sinzovia) within the black shale interval or show a first occurrence in it (Koeneniceras and Volgoceratoides). In our opinion diminishing of Deshayesites shell size during the early Aptian OAE could be caused by coupling of palaeoenvironmental factors such as progressive warming and regional input of brackish water. Preliminary results of carbon isotope studies of aragonite deriving from the ammonite nacreous layer are also provided. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Middle-Upper Volgian deposits of the Russian Platform were investigated in Rybinsk, Moscow and Ul’yanovsk-Syzran regions of Central Russia. The results were obtained by sedimentological and biostratigraphical examinations of well-known and newly found exposures, supplemented by new core material, yielded from drilling in Moscow City.The objective was to create lateral transect, passing through sites of stable Late Jurassic marine sedimentation, from Moscow syneclise in the north-west to Ul’yanovsk-Saratov trough in the south-east, and target it for reconstruction of depositional systems and its evolution. Three general types of depositional environment were distinguished and in the studied regions and the main evolutional trends were recognized. In the Rybynsk region the sediments were accumulated within storms- and waves-dominated shoreface, prograding basinward , and in Moscow region seems to be accumulated in more offshore environment, subjected to weakened storms and progressively approaching to fairweather wavebase. In the Ul’yanovsk-Syzran region the sequence is substantially reduced in thickness due to effects of sediment starvation and amalgamation of numerous omission surfaces. The sediments are very-fine sandy and muddy, with high proportion of autochthonous basinal components (glauconite, shells and detrirus, siliceous sponge spicules). Depositional environment is suggested to be offshore-nearshore, around the Islands or submarine elevations, providing calm hydrodynamics, low siliciclastic influx and high nutrient availability. The general trend of regression is manifested in all types of studied sequences, and shows similar stepwise dynamics, expressed in subsynchronous impulses of progradation and its delays, recorded within transition Virgatus-Nikitini Zones, Nikitini Zone, and probably in the Catenulatum-Nodiger Zones transition.

The paper reports lithological and geochemical data on the stratigraphic interval corresponding to the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) event in the Paleogene section of Eastern Crimea (Nasypnoe section). The section is located on the western continuation of the sublatitudinal profile consisting of 15 PETM sections spanning the area from Crimea to Tajikistan (over 2500 km). It is shown that PETM sediments have the negative δ 13 C and δ 18 O isotope excursions and are enriched in kaolinite, which is typical of most sections of this interval around the world. At the same time, the extremely low content of organic matter (OM) in sediments of the Nasypnoe section makes them sharply different from the highly carbonaceous rocks of the PETM interval in Central and Eastern Caucasus, and Central Asian regions. This is correlated with the low contents of many chemical elements in the studied rocks, and their extremely high contents in the highly carbonaceous rocks of the easterly sections. Thus, Eastern Crimea in the end of the Paleocene‒beginning of the Eocene was occupied by the low-bioproductive marine paleobasin, whereas the coeval paleobasin in Central Asia was characterized by extremely high bioproductivity owing to the presence of significant amount of phosphorus.

Abstract Previous studies made in different parts of the world have shown that Barremian–Aptian times imply many difficulties in deciphering the biostratigraphy, microfossil evolution and correlation of bioevents. In an attempt to improve our knowledge of this period in a particular area of the Tethyan realm, we present the first integrated study of microbiota (including planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, ostracods and palynomorphs) and magnetostratigraphy of the upper Barremian–Aptian sediments from south-eastern Crimea. The nannofossils display the classical Tethyan chain of bioevents in this interval, while the planktonic foraminifera demonstrate an incomplete succession of stratigraphically important taxa. Our study enabled the recognition of a series of biostratigraphic units by means of four groups of microfossils correlated to polarity chrons. The detailed analysis of the microfossil distribution led to a biostratigraphic characterization of the Barremian/Aptian transition and brought to light an interval, which may correspond to the OAE1a.