GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLAND BULLETIN 5 · 2004 The Jurassic of North-East Greenland

Edited by Lars Stemmerik and Svend Stouge

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLAND MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 1 29-10-2004, 11:13 Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5

Keywords Ammonites, Boreal, dinoflagellate cysts, Jurassic, North-East Greenland, palaeogeography, rifting, siliciclastic sediments, stratigraphy

Cover Eastwards-dipping Middle–Upper Jurassic sandstones (yellow) and interbedded marine mudstones (dark) at the base of the coastal cliffs along the south-east coast of Traill Ø. The Jurassic succession is described by Vosgerau et al. (this volume). It is disconformably overlain by poorly exposed Cretaceous siltstones with numerous volcanic intrusions that form ledges towards the top of the c. 1050 m high cliff. Photo: Lars Stemmerik.

Frontispiece: facing page Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sandstones exposed on the western slopes of Steensby Bjerg, Hold with Hope, viewed towards the north-east with Finsch Øer in the centre and Clavering Ø in the far distance. On Hold with Hope, a more than 500 m thick sedimentary succession of Triassic–Cretaceous age is exposed in the north-facing coastal cliffs. The Jurassic succession, which was not recognised until field work in 1996, is preserved in the downfaulted hangingwall blocks of a series of rotated half-grabens formed during the main East Greenland rifting phase in the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous. Lower Cretaceous sandstones, up to 170 m thick, unconformably overlie the rift succession. Photo: Michael Larsen.

Chief editor of this series: Peter R. Dawes Scientific editors: Lars Stemmerik and Svend Stouge, in conjunction with Jon R. Ineson Copy editors: Jon R. Ineson and Birgit Eriksen Editorial secretary: Birgit Eriksen Critical readers: D.J. Batten, G. Bloos, Walter K. Christiansen, Gregers Dam, Susanne Feist-Burkhardt, Jon Gjelberg, G.F.W. Herngreen, Jan Jansonius, Michael Larsen, J.B. Riding, D. Strogen, Finn Surlyk, A. Wierzbowski Drawing work: Jette Halskov Photographic work: Jacob Lautrup, Benny M. Schark Lay-out and graphic production: Knud Gr@phic Consult, Odense, Denmark Printers: Schultz Grafisk, Albertslund, Denmark Manuscripts submitted: 31 January 2000 – 20 March 2001 Final versions approved: 22 January 2001 – 5 November 2002 Printed: 1 November 2004

ISBN 87-7871-135-5

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin The series Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin replaces Geology of Denmark Survey Bulletin and Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin.

Citation of the name of this series It is recommended that the name of this series is cited in full, viz. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin. If abbreviation of this volume is necessary, the following form is suggested: Geol. Surv. Den. Green. Bull. 5, 112 pp.

Available from Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark Phone: +45 38 14 20 00, fax: +45 38 14 20 50, e-mail: [email protected] or Geografforlaget ApS Rugårdsvej 55, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark Phone: +45 63 44 16 83, fax: +45 63 44 16 97, e-mail: [email protected]

© Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse (GEUS), 2004

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 2 29-10-2004, 11:13 3

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 3 29-10-2004, 11:13 4

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 4 29-10-2004, 11:13 Contents

Preface ...... 6

Jurassic syn-rift sedimentation on a seawards-tilted fault block, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland Henrik Vosgerau, Peter Alsen, Ian D. Carr, Jens Therkelsen, Lars Stemmerik and Finn Surlyk ...... 9

The fluviatile Bristol Elv Formation, a new Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphic unit from Traill Ø, North-East Greenland Jens Therkelsen and Finn Surlyk ...... 19

Maximum Middle Jurassic transgression in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, Bjørnedal, Traill Ø Peter Alsen and Finn Surlyk. Appendix by John H. Callomon ...... 31

A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, North-East Greenland Henrik Vosgerau, Michael Larsen, Stefan Piasecki and Jens Therkelsen ...... 51

Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope, North-East Greenland Stefan Piasecki, Michael Larsen, Jens Therkelsen and Henrik Vosgerau ...... 73

Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts from Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland Stefan Piasecki and Lars Stemmerik ...... 89

Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Store Koldewey, North-East Greenland Stefan Piasecki, John H. Callomon and Lars Stemmerik ...... 99

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 5 29-10-2004, 11:13 Preface

The Jurassic sedimentary succession in East and North- 22°W 20°W 18°W 16°W East Greenland reflects deposition during the early stages of rifting between Greenland and Norway. Ju- Store rassic sediments are exposed over a distance of more Koldewey 76°N than 600 km, from Jameson Land in the south to Store Koldewey in the north (Fig. 1), and form one of the Greenland best-known exposed ancient rift successions. The sedi- Hochstetter ments have been intensely studied over the last 25 Forland DF years and a synthesis of the Jurassic System in Green- land was recently given in Geological Survey of Den- mark and Greenland Bulletin 1 (Surlyk 2003). This collection of papers deals with stratigraphic and 24°W depositional aspects of the Middle–Upper Jurassic sedi- 26°W ments from isolated and less well-known localities C C' outside the main outcrop areas, and thus adds to the Jurassic Wollaston tremendous amount of new data generated from the Fault Forland classical Jurassic successions of Jameson Land and the 74°N SAF Stauning Wollaston Forland area (Ineson & Surlyk 2003). Most Alper Fault

papers are based on fieldwork in 1996 and 1997, car- PDMF Post-Devonian Hold with ried out within the framework of the project ‘Resources Main Fault PDMF Hope of the sedimentary basins of North and East Green- Dombjerg DF Fault land’ supported by the Danish Research Councils (see Stemmerik et al. 1997). Papers dealing with the Juras- sic at Store Koldewey and Hochstetter Forland are based Geographical on material collected during regional mapping in 1989 Society Ø (Stemmerik & Piasecki 1990). During Middle–Late Jurassic times, rifting took place Kong Oscar Fjor Traill Ø along major N–S-trending synthetic faults that delim- ited wide westwards-tilted fault blocks (Surlyk 1977, 72°N d 2003). This resulted in the development of elongated

marine embayments with major rivers entering from SAF the north and dominantly axial sediment transport to- wards the south (Surlyk 1978, 2003; Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). The Jurassic syn-rift succession on south-east- Jameson ern Traill Ø is an exception to this general pattern A Land (Vosgerau et al. 2004a, this volume). Sedimentation took place on an eastwards-tilted fault block; the succes- Milne sion shows an eastwards proximal–distal decrease in Land Liverpool sandstone–mudstone ratio, reflecting increasing water Land depths to the east. On the adjacent fault block to the west, a new lithostratigraphic unit, the Bristol Elv For- 100 km 26°W mation, has been erected to describe a succession of 28°W 24°W 22°W fluvio-lacustrine sediments at the base of the Middle Fig. 1. Simplified geological map of East and North-East Green- Jurassic rift succession (Therkelsen & Surlyk 2004, this land showing the distribution of Jurassic sediments. Modified volume). The non-marine succession is overlain by from Surlyk (2003). shallow marine sandstones of the Pelion Formation (Upper Bajocian), succeeded in turn by 25–30 m of black silty mudstones of the Fossilbjerget Formation

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 6 29-10-2004, 11:13 (Alsen & Surlyk 2004, this volume). The presence of Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds) 2003: The Jurassic of Denmark the Fossilbjerget Formation on southern Traill Ø indi- and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- cates complete drowning of the sandy Pelion system land Bulletin 1, 948 pp. Piasecki, S. & Stemmerik, L. 2004: Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts during maximum Middle Jurassic transgression (Alsen from Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland. In: Stem- & Surlyk 2004, this volume). merik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Green- A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession was found land. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin in the hangingwalls of small fault blocks at Hold with 5, 89–97 (this volume). Hope during fieldwork in 1996 (Stemmerik et al. 1997). Piasecki, S., Larsen, M., Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 2004a: The up to 360 m thick succession and its stratigraphy Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope, are described in detail by Vosgerau et al. (2004b, this North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): volume) and Piasecki et al. (2004a, this volume). The The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 73–88 (this volume). succession resembles that seen at Wollaston Forland Piasecki, S., Callomon, J.H. & Stemmerik, L. 2004b: Jurassic dino- and Kuhn Ø. The Hold with Hope area was flooded flagellate cyst stratigraphy of Store Koldewey, North-East during late Middle Jurassic time; Lower–Middle Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic Callovian shallow marine sandstones of the Pelion of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Formation overlie Lower Triassic sediments (Vosgerau Greenland Bulletin 5, 99–112 (this volume). et al. 2004b, this volume). The overlying sandstones of Stemmerik, L. & Piasecki, S. 1990: Post-Caledonian sediments ′ the Payer Dal Formation are of Middle–Late Oxfordian in North-East Greenland between 76° and 78°30 N. Rapport age. The uppermost part of the succession belongs to Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 148, 123–126. Stemmerik, L., Clausen, O.R., Korstgård, J., Larsen, M., Piasecki, the Bernbjerg Formation. The youngest sediments are S., Seidler, L., Surlyk, F. & Therkelsen, J. 1997: Petroleum of Late Oxfordian – Early Kimmeridgian age based on geological investigations in East Greenland: project ‘Resources dinoflagellate cysts (Piasecki et al. 2004a, this volume). of the sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’. Dinoflagellate cysts have also been used to date the Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 176, 29–38. scattered outcrops of Middle–Upper Jurassic sediments Surlyk, F. 1977: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeogeography of at Hochstetter Forland and Store Koldewey further to the Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscars the north (Piasecki & Stemmerik 2004, this volume; Fjord, East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Un- dersøgelse 123, 56 pp. Piasecki et al. 2004b, this volume). The dinoflagellate Surlyk, F. 1978: Jurassic basin evolution of East Greenland. Nature cyst assemblages of these northern outliers are readily 274(5667), 130–133. correlated to assemblages described from the Middle– Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary Upper Jurassic further to the south in East Greenland, record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. and also show some resemblance to assemblages de- In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark scribed from North Greenland (Piasecki et al. 2004b, and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- this volume). land Bulletin 1, 659–722. Therkelsen, J. & Surlyk, F. 2004: The fluviatile Bristol Elv For- mation, a new Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphic unit from Lars Stemmerik Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 19–29 (this volume). References Vosgerau, H., Alsen, P., Carr, I.D., Therkelsen, J., Stemmerik, L. Alsen, P. & Surlyk, F. 2004: Maximum Middle Jurassic transgres- & Surlyk, F. 2004a: Jurassic syn-rift sedimentation on a sea- sion in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, wards-tilted fault block, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Bjørnedal, Traill Ø. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland mark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 31–49 (this volume). Bulletin 5, 9–18 (this volume). Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- Vosgerau, H., Larsen, M., Piasecki, S. & Therkelsen, J. 2004b: A mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 (this volume).

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 7 29-10-2004, 11:13 8

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 8 29-10-2004, 11:13 Jurassic syn-rift sedimentation on a seawards-tilted fault block, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland

Henrik Vosgerau, Peter Alsen, Ian D. Carr, Jens Therkelsen, Lars Stemmerik and Finn Surlyk

Middle–Late Jurassic rifting in East Greenland was marked by westwards tilting of wide fault blocks bounded by major N–S-trending east-dipping synthetic faults. The syn-rift successions thicken westwards towards the faults and shallow marine sandstones show mainly southwards axial transport directions. An exception to this general pattern is found in south-east Traill Ø, which constitutes the E-tilted Bjørnedal Block, which is bounded to the west by the westwards- dipping antithetic Vælddal Fault. The stratigraphic development of the Jurassic succession on this block shows important differences to the adjacent areas reflecting a different tectonic devel- opment. Shallow marine sand seems initially to have filled accommodation space of the immedi- ately adjacent block to the west. This block subsequently acted as a bypass area and much of the sediment was spilled eastwards onto the hangingwall of the east-dipping Bjørnedal Block. The succession on the Bjørnedal Block shows an eastwards proximal–distal decrease in sandstone– mudstone ratio, reflecting increasing water depth and progressive under-filling of the subbasin towards the east in agreement with the dip direction of the fault block. The transverse, mainly south-eastwards palaeocurrents, the eastwards increase in water depths and decrease in sand- stone–mudstone ratio on the Bjørnedal Block are at variance with the standard picture of west- tilted blocks with southwards-directed palaeocurrents and decrease in grain size. Earlier palaeogeographic reconstructions have to be modified to account for the east-dipping hanging- wall and different stratigraphic development of the area. The sea was thus open towards the east and there is no direct indication of a barrier or shoal east of Traill Ø.

Keywords: Bjørnedal Block, Jurassic, North-East Greenland, palaeocurrents, rifting, Traill Ø

H.V.*, J.T.‡ & L.S., Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Present addresses: *Roskilde Amt, Køgevej 80, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. ‡Skude & Jacobsen, Næstvedvej 1, DK-4760 Vordingborg. P.A. & F.S., Geological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected] I.D.C., Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK.

The main Mesozoic rift phase in East Greenland was major rivers entering the northern heads of the em- initiated in mid-Bajocian time, intensified during bayments located in relay zones where the border faults Bathonian–Oxfordian time, and culminated in the Kim- shifted en échelon to the east (Surlyk 1977a, 1978, 2003; meridgian–Volgian. Rifting was accommodated along Surlyk & Clemmensen 1983). Transport of sand, silt major north–south-trending and east-dipping normal and clay by marine currents was mainly axial towards faults limiting wide westwards-tilted blocks. This re- the south. Initial Late Bajocian progradation of shal- sulted in the development of elongated fault-control- low marine sands reached the southern end of the led marine embayments open to the south and with exposed basin. The sandy system (Pelion Formation)

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 9–18 © GEUS, 2004 9

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 9 29-10-2004, 11:13

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 10 29-10-2004, 11:13 South coast, Traill Ø (Section A) NW SE

m

1000 Månedal Fault zone ? 500 Vælddal Vælddal Fault Steenstrup Dal Dal Forchhammer Drømmebugten Forårsdal

0 ? Bjørnedal Block

Rold Bjerge – Mols Bjerge (Section B)

NW SE

m Bordbjerg Fault Bordbjerg Månedal Fault 1000 Mols Bjerge Fault

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Syenitic plutons Upper Jurassic Upper Permian

Basaltic sills Middle Jurassic Carboniferous Fault, arrows indicate Cretaceous Triassic direction of movement 5 km Fig. 2. NW–SE-oriented cross-sections showing the geological structure of eastern Traill Ø. Note the west-dipping Vælddal Fault, which forms the western limit of the Bjørnedal Block. Virtually all other Mesozoic faults in East Greenland dip towards the east and delimit westwards-tilted blocks. The positions of the sections are indicated on Fig. 1. Based on Koch & Haller (1971).

progressively backstepped during the Bathonian and probably continues southwards into northern Jame- was eventually drowned in the Late Callovian due to son Land where poorly exposed east-dipping correla- increased rates of extension and a long-term eustatic tive strata occur on the south side of Kong Oscar Fjord rise in sea level (Engkilde & Surlyk 2003; Surlyk 2003). (Fig. 1). An exception to this simple pattern is found in south- The aim of this study is to compare and contrast the eastern Traill Ø, where an east-dipping fault block, syn-rift Middle–Late Jurassic stratigraphic syn-rift de- more than 30 km wide, was formed during early rifting velopment on the eastwards-dipping Bjørnedal Block (Figs 1, 2; Carr 1998). It was limited to the west by the on south-east Traill Ø with the rest of the Jurassic ba- west-dipping Vælddal Fault (Donovan 1953; Carr 1998). sin of East Greenland, which is characterised by west- The block, which is here termed the Bjørnedal Block, wards-tilted blocks.

Facing page: Fig. 1. Map of Traill Ø area showing the main faults and out- crops of the Jurassic succession. Positions of the structural cross sections (A, B) on Fig. 2 are indicated. Inset map (B) shows location of measured sedimentological sections (1–5).

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 11 29-10-2004, 11:14 The oldest strata are exposed to the west immedi- The south coast of Traill Ø ately east of the Vælddal Fault where Jurassic strata Upper Palaeozoic – Triassic deposits are exposed along rest directly on Triassic redbeds of the Fleming Fjord the western part of the south coast of Traill Ø, whereas Formation (Stauber 1942). The base of the Middle Ju- Jurassic and younger sediments are restricted to the rassic sandstones is not exposed further east, but flu- eastern part (Fig. 1). The Jurassic succession is bounded vial to marginal marine sandstones and mudstones of to the west by the Månedal Fault and is cut by the the Bristol Elv Formation (Price & Whitham 1997; Stem- Vælddal Fault situated 15 km further to the east (Figs merik et al. 1997; Therkelsen & Surlyk 2004, this vol- 1, 2). The peninsula east of the Vælddal Fault is made ume) occur below marine Upper Bajocian sandstones up mainly by the Palaeogene Kap Simpson syenite of the Pelion Formation in two sections. Three of the complex which extends for about 30 km in a NW–SE measured sections (Fig. 3, sections 1–3) reach up into direction parallel to the coast (Fig. 1). The coastal cliffs black mudstones of the Upper Oxfordian – Kimmerid- are high and steep, and numerous Palaeogene sills gian Bernbjerg Formation. and dykes intrude the Jurassic succession. It has ac- cordingly received very little attention. It was assigned to the Yellow and Black Series by Donovan (1953) and this was followed in the geological map of Koch & Stratigraphic development Haller (1971). The Yellow Series was very loosely de- The basal part of the Jurassic succession consists of fined and covered Middle and lower Upper Jurassic channelised, trough cross-bedded pebbly sandstones sandstone-dominated successions. On Traill Ø, it in- interbedded with dark grey laminated shales occasion- cludes the Pelion and Olympen Formations of current ally with thin sandstone ripples. Crude fining-upwards usage. The Black Series includes Upper Jurassic dark trends can be recognised, and rootlet beds are com- grey mudstones and black shales corresponding in part mon. Palaeocurrents are mainly towards the south-west to the Bernbjerg Formation (Surlyk 1977b). Successively (Fig. 3). The interbedded shales contain abundant younger Jurassic strata are exposed from west to east leaves and scattered tree trunks. Both facies contain along the coast east of the Vælddal Fault (Fig. 2). The scattered trace fossils of marine affinity. succession includes Lower Bajocian sandstones and The sandstones are interpreted as having been de- mudstones of the Bristol Elv Formation, Upper Bajo- posited in coastal rivers and the shales were formed cian – Lower Callovian sandstones of the Pelion For- by drowning of the fluvial system either due to delta mation, Callovian mudstones of the Fossilbjerget For- switching and abandonment or to base-level rise. The mation, intercalated with sandstones of the Parnas Mem- trace fossils suggest some marine influence and depo- ber (top member of the Pelion Formation), overlain sition of the shales probably took place under estua- by Lower–Middle Oxfordian mudstones and sandstones rine conditions or in interdistributary bays. A succes- of the Olympen Formation, and Upper Oxfordian – sion of fluvial deposits at the base of the Jurassic suc- Kimmeridgian dark grey and black mudstones of the cession of Traill Ø was recognised independently by Bernbjerg Formation (Fig. 3). The exposures along the coastal cliffs vary in quality. From a stratigraphic point of view they are generally good, whereas sedimentary Facing page: structures commonly are obliterated by the effects of Fig. 3. NW–SE-oriented dip-parallel correlation panel of the Bjørnedal Block, based on five measured sections along the the Palaeogene sills and dykes. south coast of Traill Ø (for location, see Fig. 1B). Note the For this study, five sedimentological sections were eastwards, down-dip decrease in sandstone–mudstone ratio measured along the coast allowing construction of a and increase in the thickness of mudstone packages. The key W–E dip section (Fig. 3). The sections are correlated motif is a coarsening-upwards parasequence composed of by lateral tracing of major sedimentary packages and offshore mudstones, overlain by offshore transition zone drowning surfaces in the field and on a high-quality heteroliths followed by shoreface sandstones. The parase- photo-mosaic, and by ammonite dating of a number quences stack into parasequence sets, numbered PS1–8 from of levels. The succession dips about 13° to the east below. The succession belongs from below to the dominantly fluvial Bristol Elv Formation, the marine sandstone-dominated except in the easternmost section where it dips 9° to- Pelion Formation, the mudstone-dominated Fossilbjerget wards the north, but in this area dip-directions reflect Formation, the Olympen Formation of interbedded marine disturbances by the immediately adjacent syenite com- sandstones and mudstones, and the dark, deeper marine plex (Fig. 1). mudstone-dominated Bernbjerg Formation. P., Pelion.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 12 29-10-2004, 11:14 A. cranocephaloide A. ishmae A. ? Sand FMC Mud Palaeocurrent direction Palaeocurrent Belemnite Ammonite Bivalve Roots Plant fragments Coalified wood Parasequence set boundaryLithostratigraphic Parasequence set boundary (Section 5) Forårsdal PS1–8 Fossils and symbols Fossils C. pompeckji C. Diplocraterion habichiDiplocraterion Curvolithos multiplex Ophiomorpha nodosa of bioturbation Degree Single trough cross-beds Single trough Planar cross-bedding Hummocky cross- stratification cross-bedding Trough Sand FMC Trace fossils Trace Mud (Section 4) E. Steenstrup Dal E. Mudstone Siltstone Sandstone Pebbles Concretions Massive bedding Wavy Plane bedding Plane lamination Lithology Structures A. cymodoce A. ? Sand FMC Mud (Section 3) E. Steenstrup Dal E. PS8 PS7 PS6 PS5 PS4 PS3 PS2 PS1 C. pompeckji C. A. serratum A. apertum C. apertum C. Sand Sand FMC FMC Mud Mud Vælddal (Section 2) 100 m C. nordenskjoeldi C. apertum C. pompeckji C. 8 km 10 km 2 km 19 km Sand FMC Mud

(Section 1) Bjørnedal

Olympen Fm Bernbjerg Fm Bernbjerg Fm Olympen Fm Pelion Fm Elv Bristol Fm Mb Parnas (P. Fm) (P. Fossilbj. Fossilbj.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 13 29-10-2004, 11:14 WNW ESE

Syenite

Cretaceous

Bernbjerg Section 3 Olym- pen PS8 PS7 F/P PS6

PS5

Pelion PS4

PS3 Section 4 100 m

Section 4

Fig. 4. The coastal section of the Bjørnedal Block, immediately east of Steenstrup Dal, showing yellow sandstones of the Pelion Formation below, overlain at a pronounced drowning surface by dark grey mudstones of the Fossilbjerget Formation followed by alternating sandstones and mudstones of the Olympen Formation, and finally by dark grey mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation. The height of the cliff is approximately 1000 m. PS3–8, parasequence sets; stippled lines, major flooding surfaces; F/P, Fossilbjer- get and Pelion (Parnas Mb) Formations.

Price & Whitham (1997) and Stemmerik et al. (1997) by offshore mudstones of the next unit, occasionally and is placed in the new Bristol Elv Formation by with an intervening pebble lag composed of subround- Therkelsen & Surlyk (2004, this volume), who refer it ed to rounded quartzite pebbles up to 3 cm long. Me- tentatively to the Early Bajocian. The deposits described tre-long U-burrows of Diplocraterion habichi extend here from the south coast of Traill Ø are also referred downwards from the drowning surface. to the Bristol Elv Formation on the basis of the domi- The coarsening-upwards units were formed by pro- nant pebbly sandstone lithology and the fluvial style gradation of shoreface sands across offshore transition of deposition. The boundary between the Bristol Elv zone heteroliths and offshore mudstones and are Formation and the overlying marine sandstones of the bounded by drowning surfaces. In some cases these Pelion Formation is not exposed. surfaces have been modified by transgressive shore- The Bristol Elv Formation is overlain by marine sand- face erosion and may conceal subtle sequence bounda- stones and thin mudstones of the Pelion, Fossilbjerget ries. The thickest and coarsest pebble lag, which oc- and Olympen Formations, which are composed of curs in the most distal section, suggests bypass of the coarsening-upwards units a few to several tens of me- beach during sea-level fall and subsequent transgres- tres thick. These units start with dark grey laminated sive shoreface winnowing and erosion. The units thus to bioturbated offshore mudstones with thin subordi- represent parasequences or simple sequences, but in nate beds of silty fine-grained sandstone or medium- this context they are for simplicity termed parasequen- grained sandstone, overlain by heterolithic deposits, ces throughout. In some of the parasequences, the sand- which give way to medium- to coarse-grained trough stone part has a sharp base formed by shoreface ero- and planar cross-bedded sandstones. The boundary sion during progradation under sea-level fall and in- between the mudstones and the sandstones is usually terpreted as a forced regressive surface of erosion. The gradational but is sharp and erosional in a few cases. parasequences stack in parasequence sets, which are The transitional interval shows hummocky cross-strati- numbered PS1–8 (Fig. 3). fication in some sections. The top of the coarsening- A total of six parasequence sets are recognised in upwards units is a sharp drowning surface, overlain the Pelion Formation. Parasequence set 6 is much finer

14

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 14 29-10-2004, 11:14 grained than the lower parasequence sets and litho- sets 3 and 5 are well dated palaeontologically and seem stratigraphically it represents interfingering between to represent regional flooding events (Figs 3, 4). Crano- mudstones of the Fossilbjerget Formation and the Lower cephalites pompeckji thus characterises one such event, Callovian Parnas Member of the Pelion Formation which can be traced from southern Jameson Land to (Alsen & Surlyk 2004, this volume). The Pelion–Fossil- Traill Ø and possibly as far north as Hold with Hope bjerget parasequence sets thus constitute a composite (Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume). The C. pompeckji aggradational to retrogradational package (Figs 3, 4). Chronozone is Upper Bajocian, possibly reaching up Sandstones and mudstones of the Olympen Forma- into the lowermost Bathonian (Callomon 1993). Cado- tion overlie the interfingering Pelion–Fossilbjerget coup- ceras apertum, which marks the base of the Callovian let. This unit has not yielded any ammonites in the (i.e. = C. apertum Chronozone of Callomon 1993, p. studied sections, but is elsewhere of Early–Middle 103) is found 200 m above C. pompeckji. It seems like- Oxfordian age (Surlyk 1978; Price & Whitham 1997) wise to represent a major regional flooding event and this age assignment is corroborated by the brack- (Piasecki & Larsen 1998; Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). eting Callovian age of the top of the Fossilbjerget For- mation and Late Oxfordian base of the overlying Bernbjerg Formation. The Olympen Formation is com- posed of about five stacked coarsening-upwards units, Palaeocurrents which are thinner and finer grained than those of the Fluvial and marine palaeocurrents in the Middle Juras- Pelion Formation. They are interpreted as parasequen- sic deposits of East Greenland are mainly axial towards ces and form two parasequence sets, PS7–8, the lower the south with a subordinate northwards tidal compo- of which includes the uppermost mudstones of the nent. The Bjørnedal Block represents a significant ex- Fossilbjerget Formation (Fig. 3). This development is ception to this pattern. The fluvial Bristol Elv Forma- similar to the type area in central Jameson Land, where tion shows palaeocurrents towards the south-west in the formation also comprises two thick sandstone units the western part of the dip transect (Figs 3, 5). The and an intervening mudstone unit (Larsen & Surlyk palaeocurrents of the overlying marine sandstones of 2003). The Olympen Formation is overlain by black the Pelion and Olympen Formations are, however, offshore mudstones with a few thin sandstones of the mainly towards the south-east and north-east (Figs 3, Upper Oxfordian – Kimmeridgian Bernbjerg Forma- 5), and marine currents thus essentially moved down tion, reflecting final drowning of the sandy deposi- the hangingwall slope in an offshore direction. A sub- tional systems. ordinate SW–NE-oriented tidal system is recorded in The marine Middle and Upper Jurassic succession the easternmost section (Figs 3, 5). of south-east Traill Ø thus shows a stepwise backstep- ping trend. It commences with the lower aggradational to retrogradational parasequence sets of the Pelion Formation dominated by rather coarse-grained sand- Down-dip facies development on the stones topped by the intertonguing Fossilbjerget For- Bjørnedal Block mation mudstones and finer grained sandstones of the A marked change in facies is recorded down the hang- Parnas Member (Pelion Formation). Then follows the ingwall of the Bjørnedal Block (Fig. 3). The up-dip overall finer grained Olympen Formation, which is western sections are more sand-rich, and mudstone overlain by the Bernbjerg Formation mudstones. The units are relatively thin. Down-dip, the mudstone units main backstepping events can be roughly dated to the become thicker and the whole succession expands in Callovian–Oxfordian and Middle–Late Oxfordian thickness. The interval from the Upper Bajocian Cado- boundaries. ceras pompeckji Chronozone to the Lower Callovian C. apertum Chronozone is thus about 200 m thick to- wards the west and increases to at least 250 m at the eastern down-dip end of the section. The thicknesses Major drowning surfaces are measured between the correlative drowning sur- The drowning surfaces separating the thicker parase- faces, and the down-dip thickness increase thus quence sets can be traced between the sections. It is amounts to 50 m over 20 km. The western up-dip area difficult to evaluate their significance and regional ex- is thus slightly condensed compared to the down-dip tent but the drowning surfaces topping parasequence area, and was bypassed by much of the finer-grained

15

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 15 29-10-2004, 11:14 Bristol Elv Fm sediment, which was deposited on the lower parts of Vælddal and E. Steenstrup Dal Forårsdal the hangingwall slope where creation of accommoda- tion space was greater.

Comparison of stratigraphy on W- and E-dipping blocks The eastwards-dipping Bjørnedal Block contains thick mudstone units at the base of the parasequence sets. This contrasts markedly with the Pelion Formation N = 5 Circle = 60% N = 10 Circle = 30% parasequences on the wide westwards-dipping blocks elsewhere in East Greenland, which consist almost exclusively of sandstones (Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). Pelion Fm The marine palaeocurrents are mainly towards the south-east on the Bjørnedal Block, whereas they are Vælddal and E. Steenstrup Dal Forårsdal towards the south or SSW on the westwards-dipping blocks. The succession similarly shales out towards the south-east on the Bjørnedal Block and towards the S–SSW on the latter blocks. The most important differ- ence is that sediment influx to the Bjørnedal Block was derived from bypass and overspill of the adjacent block to the west, as also noted by Carr (1998), whereas sediment influx to the west-dipping blocks was directly from rivers at the heads of the structurally controlled embayments. N = 40 Circle = 15% N = 12 Circle = 15%

Olympen Fm Stratigraphic implications

Vælddal, E. Steenstrup Dal and Forårsdal The marine Middle Jurassic deposits in adjacent parts of East Greenland, notably in Jameson Land are placed in the proximal sandy Pelion Formation and the distal mudstone-dominated Fossilbjerget Formation. There is little interfingering between the two formations except for the upper part where the uppermost tongue of the Pelion Formation (Parnas Member) is intercalated within the top Fossilbjerget Formation (Heinberg & Birkelund 1984; Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). The stratigraphic development of the Bjørnedal N = 39 Circle = 15% Block differs in its regular alternation between mud- Fig. 5. Palaeocurrent roses for the Bristol Elv, Pelion and Olym- stones and sandstones, which form a composite aggra- pen Formations. Measurements of cross-bed foreset dip azi- dational to retrogradational stack of parasequence sets muths. Note the dominance of E–SE down-dip directions which culminating in the black mudstones of the Bernbjerg contrasts markedly with the dominant S–SSW directions of the Formation. A pragmatic solution to this stratigraphic Pelion and Olympen Formations elsewhere in East Greenland. problem is to place the lower sandstone-dominated yellow sandstone package of parasequence sets 1–5 in the Pelion Formation. The overlying dark grey mud- stone (lower part of parasequence set 6) is placed in the Fossilbjerget Formation and the overlying sand- stone of parasequence set 6 in the Parnas Member of

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 16 29-10-2004, 11:14 the Pelion Formation. The mudstone–sandstone bound- 28°W 24°W 20°W ary in parasequence set 6 is characteristically sharp 73°N and is well suited as a lithostratigraphic boundary. The Geographical mudstone of the lower part of parasequence set 7 forms Society Ø the top tongue of the Fossilbjerget Formation (Alsen & Surlyk 2004, this volume). The Olympen Formation Traill Ø comprises the sandstone-dominated upper part of para- sequence set 7 and parasequence set 8 (Fig. 3). The ages of the three formations, as here defined, 72°N fit well with other areas in East Greenland. The base of the Pelion Formation is not exposed or has not yielded any fossils but is thought to belong to the Upper Bajocian Cadoceras borealis Chronozone, in agreement with evidence from nearby areas in central Traill Ø. Jameson Parasequence sets 4 and 5 from the upper part of the Land formation belong to the C. pompeckji and C. apertum

Chronozones, and the top of the formation (Parnas 71°N Member) falls in the basal part of the C. nordenskjoeldi Chronozone (Fig. 3). The lower wedge of the Fossil- bjerget Formation is only 25 m thick and belongs to 50 km the C. apertum Chronozone. The age of the top wedge of the Fossilbjerget Formation (base of parasequence set 7) is poorly constrained but is probably still Callovian. This development is similar to that found in Land Inferred coastline nearby Bjørnedal (Alsen & Surlyk 2004, this volume) Sandstone with Hypothetical and in central Jameson Land (Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). conglomerate coastline

Sandstone Main direction of sediment transport Sandstone and Palaeogeographic implications sandy mudstone Vælddal Fault

The south-eastwards down-dip palaeocurrent directions Silty mudstone and proximal to distal facies changes of the Jurassic succession on the Bjørnedal Block indicate that the Fig. 6. Generalised Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) palaeogeogra- sea was open and deepest towards the east (Fig. 6). phy and facies distribution in the Geographical Society Ø, Traill Ø and Jameson Land region. The sea was open towards east in This contrasts with the adjacent parts of the Middle the area comprising south-eastern Traill Ø and north-eastern Jurassic basin of East Greenland which are character- Jameson Land due to the east-dipping nature of the more than ised by N–S-oriented marine embayments limited to 30 km wide Bjørnedal Block, which was formed during early the east by elongated peninsulas, islands or subma- rifting. This contrasts with the remaining parts of the Jurassic rine shoals formed by uplifted crests of westwards- basin of East Greenland where N–S-oriented marine embayments tilted blocks. These embayments were open and deep- were limited to the east by elongated peninsulas, islands or est towards the south as shown by overall southwards- submarine shoals formed by uplifted crests of westwards-tilted directed palaeocurrents and decrease in grain size blocks. Based on Surlyk (1977b). (Surlyk 1977b, 1978, 2003; Surlyk & Clemmensen 1983). Late Jurassic west-dipping blocks characterising the rest of the Jurassic basin of East Greenland. The Middle – lower Upper Jurassic succession in East Greenland Conclusions shows mainly axial, southwards-directed palaeocurrents The Bjørnedal Block was formed during rifting initi- and sediment entered the basins at the head of fault- ated in Late Bajocian time (Carr 1998). The block is controlled embayments. The succession on the bounded to the west by the west-dipping Vælddal Fault Bjørnedal Block differs in showing east- and south- and is tilted towards the east in contrast to the Middle– east-directed palaeocurrents and associated proximal

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 17 29-10-2004, 11:14 to distal facies changes, transverse to the axis of the Larsen, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shelf-edge delta and slope depo- rift basin. The Middle Jurassic sediments bypassed the sition in the Upper Callovian – Middle Oxfordian Olympen block west of the Vælddal Fault (Carr 1998) and spilled Formation, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey over onto the eastwards-dipping hangingwall of the of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 931–948. Bjørnedal Block. Existing palaeogeographic reconstruc- Piasecki, S. & Larsen, M. 1998: Biofacies and sequence strati- tions have thus been modified to account for the east- graphy in an intracratonic seaway, Middle to Upper Jurassic, wards dip of the Bjørnedal Block. In this area the sea East Greenland. Abstracts (CD-ROM), American Association was open and deepened towards the east and there is of Petroleum Geologists 1998 annual meeting, Salt Lake City no indication of a barrier or shoal to the east. (Utah), 2 pp. Price, S.P. & Whitham, A.G. 1997: Exhumed hydrocarbon traps in East Greenland: analogs for the Lower–Middle Jurassic play of Northwest Europe. American Association of Petro- Acknowledgements leum Geologists Bulletin 81, 196–221. Stauber, H. 1942: Die Triasablagerungen von Ostgrönland. Med- This paper is a contribution to the project ‘Resources delelser om Grønland 132(1), 325 pp. of the sedimentary basins of North Greenland and East Stemmerik, L., Clausen, O.R., Korstgård, J., Larsen, M., Piasecki, Greenland’ that is supported by the Danish Research S., Seidler, L., Surlyk, F. & Therkelsen, J. 1997: Petroleum Councils. We are grateful to Gregers Dam and Michael geological investigations in East Greenland: project ‘Resources Larsen for constructive reviews. of the sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 176, 29–38. Surlyk, F. 1977a: Mesozoic faulting in East Greenland. In: Frost, R.T.C. & Dikkers, A.J. (eds): Fault tectonics in N.W. Europe. Geologie en Mijnbouw 56, 311–327. References Surlyk, F. 1977b: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeogeography Alsen, P. & Surlyk, F. 2004: Maximum Middle Jurassic transgres- of the Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscars sion in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, Fjord, East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Un- Bjørnedal, Traill Ø. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The dersøgelse 123, 56 pp. Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- Surlyk, F. 1978: Jurassic basin evolution of East Greenland. Nature mark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 31–49 (this volume). 274(5667), 130–133. Callomon, J.H. 1993: The ammonite succession in Middle Juras- Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary sic of East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geological Society of record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. Denmark 40, 83–113. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark Carr, I.D. 1998: Facies analysis and reservoir characterisation of and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- Jurassic sandstones from Bjørnedal, central East Greenland, land Bulletin 1, 659–722. 245 pp. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Institute for Sedimentol- Surlyk, F. & Clemmensen, L.B. 1983: Rift propagation and eustacy ogy, University of Reading, UK. as controlling factors during Jurassic inshore and shelf sedi- Donovan, D.T. 1953: The Jurassic and Cretaceous stratigraphy mentation in northern East Greenland. Sedimentary Geol- and palaeontology of Traill Ø, East Greenland. Meddelelser ogy 34, 119–143. om Grønland 111(4), 150 pp. Therkelsen, J. & Surlyk, F. 2004: The fluviatile Bristol Elv For- Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- mation, a new Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphic unit from mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 19–29 (this mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. volume). Heinberg, C. & Birkelund, T. 1984: Trace-fossil assemblages and Vosgerau, H., Larsen, M., Piasecki, S. & Therkelsen, J. 2004: A basin evolution of the Vardekløft Formation (Middle Juras- new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, sic, central East Greenland). Journal of Paleontology 58(2), North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): 362–397. The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Koch, L. & Haller, J. 1971: Geological map of East Greenland Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 (this volume). 72º–76ºN. Lat. (1:250 000). Meddelelser om Grønland 183, 26 pp., 13 maps.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 18 29-10-2004, 11:14 The fluviatile Bristol Elv Formation, a new Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphic unit from Traill Ø, North-East Greenland

Jens Therkelsen and Finn Surlyk

A new lithostratigraphic unit, the Bristol Elv Formation, is erected in this paper. It is only known from Traill Ø, East Greenland, where it unconformably overlies Triassic redbeds of the Fleming Fjord Formation and is overlain by lithologically similar shallow marine Upper Bajocian sand- stones of the Pelion Formation. The age of the formation is not well constrained but is probably Early Bajocian. The Bristol Elv Formation is at least 155 m thick and consists of conglomerates, coarse-grained pebbly sandstones and subordinate mudstones, deposited in braided rivers. A finer-grained lacustrine/floodplain unit, c. 37 m thick, is interbedded with the fluvial sandstones at one locality. Deposition of the fluvio-lacustrine Bristol Elv Formation marks a major change in basin configuration and drainage patterns, reflecting the onset of the important, protracted Mid- dle–Late Jurassic rift event in East Greenland.

Keywords: fluvial, lacustrine, Middle Jurassic sediments, new formation, North-East Greenland

J.T., Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Present address: Skude & Jacobsen, Næstvedvej 1, DK-4760 Vordingborg, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected] F.S., Geological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.

The first detailed description of the Jurassic sandstones sic sandstones of Traill Ø and Geographical Society Ø on the islands of Traill Ø and Geographical Society Ø were placed in the Pelion Member of the Vardekløft (Fig. 1) was presented by Donovan (1953, 1955, 1957) Formation. This scheme has recently been revised in who grouped the deposits in the Yellow Series of Maync the light of much new work in the region resulting in (1947). Donovan’s work was focused on the sediments rank changes and establishment of new formations and exposed in the Bjørnedal area in south-eastern Traill members (see Surlyk 2003, fig. 5). Ø while the sandstones exposed at Mols Bjerge and Fieldwork in the Traill Ø area has revealed that sand- Svinhufvud Bjerge received less attention. Donovan stones formerly referred exclusively to the shallow (1953, p. 64) suggested that black shales interbedded marine Pelion Formation (Pelion Member in: Surlyk with sandstones and occasional conglomerates, which 1977) actually consist of a lower fluvial unit overlain he termed the Plant Beds, were deposited in a marine by marine sandstones (Price & Whitham 1997; Stem- embayment, or possibly on the subaerial part of a de- merik et al. 1997). The fluviatile deposits are placed in bris fan. Higher in the sandstone unit, he found evi- a new lithostratigraphic unit, the Bristol Elv Forma- dence for periodic marine incursions as indicated by tion, which is erected here as the basal unit of the occasional ammonite-bearing levels. Middle Jurassic Vardekløft Group on Traill Ø (Fig. 2). A lithostratigraphic scheme covering the Jurassic of The new formation consists dominantly of conglomer- Jameson Land in East Greenland was erected by Surlyk ates, coarse-grained pebbly sandstones and subordi- et al. (1973) and was extended to the areas north of nate mudstones and was deposited in a braided river Kong Oscar Fjord by Surlyk (1977). The Middle Juras- environment, probably in Middle Jurassic, Early Bajo-

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 19–29 © GEUS, 2004 19

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 19 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 1. Map showing the distribution of 24ºW 22ºW 23ºW the Bristol Elv Formation in the Traill Ø

73º00'N ■ area, the position of localities and

palaeocurrent directions. The map is ■ ■

Geographical Society Ø ■ modified from Stemmerik et al. (1997). ■

■

■

■

■

■

■ ■

72º45'N ■ ■

Månedal

■

■

■ ■

■

■ Traill Ø72 ★ n=23 ■ 3

Mols Bjerge ■ ■ n=16

72º30'N ■

■ n=31 ■ ★ ★ 4

■ 2 Svinhufvud Bjerge ★1

■ Kong Oscarn=22 Fjord Jameson Land Vælddal 72º15'N

★1 Localities

■ Faults 72 00′ Palaeocurrent direction

Greenland (n=22: Number of measurements) N Distribution of the Bristol Elv Formation 10 km

cian time. In one section, fine-grained sandstones, Bristol Elv Formation mudstones, medium- to coarse-grained sandstone beds and thin coal seams occur intercalated with the fluvial new formation sandstones, and are interpreted as lacustrine or flood- plain deposits. History. The strata assigned here to the new Bristol Elv Formation were included in the Yellow Series (Maync 1947) by Donovan (1953) and were referred to the Pelion Member of the Vardekløft Formation by Surlyk (1977). The fluvial nature of the lower part of the succession was recognised independently by Price & Whitham (1997) and Stemmerik et al. (1997), and labelled PM1 by the former authors.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 20 29-10-2004, 11:14 Name. After the river Bristol Elv in the southern part System Stage Group Formation of Mols Bjerge, Traill Ø (Fig. 1). Kimme- ridgian Type section. Southern part of Svinhufvud Bjerge (Fig. Hall Bredning Bernbjerg U 1, Locality 1) on the south coast of Traill Ø (Figs 1, 3). Oxfordian M

Reference sections. North-eastern Svinhufvud Bjerge L Olympen (Fig. 1, Locality 2), northern and southern Mols Bjerge (Locations 3, 4) and Vælddal, all on Traill Ø (Figs 1, 4). U

Callovian M Thickness. The formation is at least 155 m thick in the Parnas Mb L southern part of Svinhufvud Bjerge, whereas thick- Jurassic Vardekløft Fossilbjerget

nesses in excess of 80 m are recorded in northern Mols U Bjerge and at Bristol Elv in the southern part of Mols Bjerge. Thicknesses of 280 m and 520 m in the south- MiddleBathonian M Upper Pelion ern and northern Svinhufvud Bjerge areas, respectively, L and 310 m in northern Mols Bjerge were stated by Price & Whitham (1997), but these large values have U Bajocian not been corroborated by our study (Surlyk & Noe- L Bristol Elv Nygaard 2001).

Hiatus Lithology. The Bristol Elv Formation consists mainly of conglomerates, pebbly sandstones and sandstones in the Mols Bjerge area, whereas more fine-grained Scoresby Land Fleming Fjord deposits are intercalated in the Svinhufvud Bjerge area. Triassic The bulk of the formation consists of yellowish to whitish, poorly sorted, coarse-grained sandstones, peb- Fig. 2. Lithostratigraphic scheme of the Jurassic succession in bly sandstones and fine pebble conglomerates with the Traill Ø area. The age of the Bristol Elv Formation is poorly subrounded to well-rounded quartzite pebbles and constrained, but an Early Bajocian age is the most likely. Based on Clemmensen (1980) and D. Strogen (personal communica- mudstone intraclasts. Black to dark grey mudstones tion 2000); see also Surlyk (2003). with centimetre-thick autochthonous coal beds occur intercalated with the sandstones and conglomerates at several levels. The coarse-grained deposits show large- scale trough cross-bedding, but the structures are mostly to faint lamination, which is commonly disturbed by poorly defined. The cross-bedded sets are 0.15–2.0 m rooting. A few centimetre-thick layers of medium- thick, and form cosets up to 7 m thick. Also observed grained sandstone occur in the upper part of the mud- are large-scale scour-and-fill structures (Fig. 5), planar stone units at the same level as the rootlets. cross-bedding, planar lamination, rare water escape The orientation of cross-bed trough axes and foreset structures and imprints of tree trunks, which may be azimuths of planar cross-beds in the sandstones at Mols found in accumulations. The sediments commonly form Bjerge generally indicates westerly palaeocurrent di- fining-upwards units, up to 16 m thick. On the south rections, whereas the directions in the Svinhufvud coast of Traill Ø, a sandstone unit, c. 19 m thick, shows Bjerge area are generally towards the south-east. evidence of gently dipping bedforms (Fig. 6, corre- Stylolites are common in the coarse-grained sandstones sponding to the 134–153 m interval in Fig. 3). At Svin- and fine-grained conglomerates at Mols Bjerge but have hufvud Bjerge, the coarse-grained units are separated not been observed at Svinhufvud Bjerge. by mudstone units up to 6 m thick, while the coarse- A succession of mainly black to dark grey mudstones grained units at Mols Bjerge are amalgamated without and fine-grained sandstones, c. 37 m thick, with inter- any fine-grained interbeds. calated coal beds and coarse-grained sandstones oc- The mudstones in the Svinhufvud Bjerge area are curs in the type section at Svinhufvud Bjerge (Fig. 3, very uniform in grain size and overlie the sandstones 170–207 m in log). The sandstones are trough cross- with a sharp boundary. They show a well-developed bedded, structureless, cross-laminated or lenticular

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 21 29-10-2004, 11:14 c. 19 m poorly exposed Lithology m 220 Mudstone Slump

Sandstone Hummocky and swaley cross-stratification Pebbly sandstone Palaeocurrent direction 210 Conglomerate Degree of bioturbation

Coal Belemnite 200 Mudstone clasts Rootlets

Concretion Stems/logs 190 Structures Plant fragments Stylolites Structureless sand 180 Coalified logs Structureless conglomerate Diplocraterion habichi Parallel lamination Ophiomorpha nodosa 170 Wavy bedding Sub-vertical burrows Cross-lamination

Tabular cross-bedding Coarsening-upwards 160 Trough cross-bedding Fining-upwards

Lenticular bedding 150 Bristol Elv Formation

m 320 140

310 130

300 120

290 110 Pelion Formation Pelion c. 30 m Basaltic sill 280

c. 40 m poorly exposed

? 30 270

20 260 Triassic 10 250 Fleming Fjord Formation Fleming Fjord 0 240 Mud Sand Pebble Mud Sand Pebble

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 22 29-10-2004, 11:14 bedded, and display both sheet-like and lenticular (Clemmensen 1980; D. Strogen, personal communica- geometries. Some of the sandstones show poorly de- tion 2000). The upper boundary is placed at an ero- veloped wavy surfaces, are weakly bioturbated and sional surface draped by a pebble lag overlain by ma- contain rare mudstone flasers. The mudstones are rine sandstones of the Pelion Formation, which is domi- mainly laminated or weakly laminated and contain nated by medium- to coarse-grained, planar cross-bed- conspicuous root horizons, in situ tree stumps, fern ded and structureless sandstones with ammonites, leaves and early diagenetic sideritic concretions. Sand- belemnites, bivalves and marine trace fossils. stone beds up to 10 cm thick with wave ripple cross- stratification, similar to micro-hummocky cross-stratifi- Distribution. The formation is known only from Svin- cation, occur in the mudstones. The ripples have wave- hufvud Bjerge, Mols Bjerge and Vælddal in eastern lengths up to 30 cm and heights up to 5 cm. Immedi- Traill Ø (Fig. 1). The lacustrine/backswamp unit de- ately above one of these sandstone beds, rounded scribed from the type section is probably correlative pebbles up to 4 cm in diameter are present. A sand- to the Plant Beds of Donovan (1953, 1957), which oc- stone bed, c. 1 m thick, showing swaley cross-stratifi- cur in Vælddal (Henrik Vosgerau, personal communi- cation occurs intercalated in the mudstones (Fig. 3, cation 1998). 172–173 m in log, Fig. 7b). The wave-rippled and swaley cross-stratified beds Geological age. No macrofaunas were found within form part of two small coarsening-upwards units, 7 m the Bristol Elv Formation. A few relatively well pre- and 5 m thick, in the lowest part of the succession served but as yet unidentified fern leaves were retrieved (Fig. 3, 170–182 m in log, Fig. 7a). The lower part of from a single bed in the lacustrine/floodplain unit in the units consists of laminated and faintly laminated the southern part of Svinhufvud Bjerge. Harris (1946) mudstones, which in the lowest unit are intercalated reported a stem identified as Equisetites sp. A. of in- with wave-rippled and swaley cross-stratified sandstone ferred Early Jurassic age from Kap Palander in the north- beds. The units grade upwards into very fine-grained ernmost Mols Bjerge. Harris (1946) pointed out, how- sandstones, showing poorly developed wavy surfaces, ever, that this specimen also resembles species of Late cross-lamination, lenticular bedding and rare mudstone Triassic or Middle Jurassic ages, and that it does not flasers. Unidentified trace fossils occur in both units give any precise age indication. and the top beds in the upper coarsening-upwards Preliminary palynological analysis of samples from unit are penetrated by rootlets. Above these two units, the lacustrine/backswamp deposits suggests a broad coal beds up to 0.45 m thick and thin mudstone beds Late Toarcian – Bathonian age (Karen Dybkjær, per- occur together with 0.2–2.5 m thick beds of trough sonal communication 1998). Age diagnostic palyno- cross-bedded, medium-grained sandstone to fine peb- morphs include Callialasporites dampieri (late Early ble conglomerate with sharp basal surfaces, showing Toarcian or younger), Callialasporites turbatus (Late palaeocurrents towards the east-south-east (Fig. 3, 182– Toarcian or younger), Callialasporites segmentatus (late 207 m in log). Locally, these beds are overlain by fine- Early Toarcian or younger) and Foraminisporis juras- to very fine-grained sandstones, forming poorly de- sicus (Middle Rhaetian – Bajocian) (Batten & Koppelhus fined fining-upwards successions. 1996). The Upper Bajocian Cranocephalites borealis Pyrite is not present in the coals, but occasionally Zone is represented in the immediately overlying Pelion replaces organic detritus in the sandstones. The coals Formation sandstones (Donovan 1953, 1957; Callomon consist almost entirely of non-detrital vitrinite, which 1993; Alsen 1998). This is the lowest Middle Jurassic together with the presence of root horizons beneath ammonite zone recognised in East Greenland. In the coal beds show that they are autochthonous. Jameson Land, the Pelion Formation contains a rela- tively thick marine sandstone unit without ammonites Boundaries. The formation unconformably overlies below the lowest occurrence of Cranocephalites bore- the Upper Triassic Fleming Fjord Formation at Svin- alis. This unit overlies dark mudstones of the Sortehat hufvud Bjerge and Mols Bjerge as well as in Vælddal Formation the top of which is of Early Bajocian age (Underhill & Partington 1993; Koppelhus & Hansen 2003). The unit is thought to be a distal marine cor- Facing page: relative of the Bristol Elv Formation. This is supported Fig. 3. Type section (Locality 1) of the Bristol Elv Formation. by the stratigraphic position of both units, underlying South Svinhufvud Bjerge, Traill Ø. Position shown in Fig. 1. marine Pelion sandstones of the C. borealis Chronozone

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 23 29-10-2004, 11:14 Locality 2 Locality 3 Locality 4 North-eastern Northern Southern Svinhufvud Bjerge m Mols Bjerge Mols Bjerge m

m

70 70

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30 30

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 24 29-10-2004, 11:14 N S

Fig. 5. Coarse-grained sandstone and fine-grained conglomerate with large-scale scour-and-fill structures (indicated by dashed lines below encircled person). Bristol Elv Formation; north-eastern Svinhufvud Bjerge.

and by the marked lithological similarity of the Pelion trend, possibly representing lateral channel migration and Bristol Elv Formations. Lower Jurassic rocks have (Allen 1964, 1965). The depth of the channel corre- never been documented outside Jameson Land and all sponds to at least the thickness of the macroform available data thus point towards an Early Bajocian (Leeder 1973). If the interpretation of the macroforms age for the Bristol Elv Formation. is correct, the channel depths were in the 10–13 m range. Fluvial styles and models were categorised in terms of channel sinuosity/braiding, sediment type and char- Depositional environment acteristic architectural elements by Miall (1985, 1996). The coarse-grain size, the presence of fining-upwards The depositional features of the Bristol Elv Formation, units and trough cross-bedding, the unidirectional especially concerning the within-channel element and palaeocurrents towards the west (in Mols Bjerge) and the relatively large channel depths suggest deposition south-east (in Svinhufvud Bjerge) and the abundance in the ‘perennial deep braided river’ type of Miall (1996). of mudstone intraclasts, the absence of dinoflagellate Reliable interpretation of a fluvial system cannot, how- cysts and marine body and trace fossils indicate that ever, be based on vertical sections alone (Miall 1996). the main part of the Bristol Elv Formation was depos- Analysis of bounding surfaces, and extent, shape and ited in a high-energy fluvial environment. Studied sam- facies relations of the architectural elements has, how- ples all show very low total sulphur (TS) contents (max. ever, not been possible in the present case due to the 0.43%) and high C/S values (> 10). These data support nature of the outcrop. the interpretation of a terrestrial environment of depo- The interbedded mudstones may, due to the sharp sition (Berner & Raiswell 1984). boundary to the underlying coarse sandstones and In the Svinhufvud Bjerge area, one sandstone unit, conglomerates, represent relatively abrupt channel approximately 20 m thick, shows macroforms inter- abandonment and subsequent passive in-filling of chan- preted as downstream or lateral accretion structures nels and thus cover a confined area, or they may be such as epsilon cross-bedding (Allen 1963; Fig. 6). The more extensive bodies covering the entire floodplain lower c. 13 m of this unit displays a fining-upwards area. The studied exposures do not allow conclusions on the lateral extent of the mudstone units. The fine- grained homogeneous nature of the mudstones, how- ever, suggests that the distance to the nearest active Facing page: fluvial channel must have been relatively large leading Fig. 4. Composite detailed reference section from north- eastern Svinhufvud Bjerge (Locality 2) and reference sections to deposition of only the finest grain sizes. The sud- from northern and southern Mols Bjerge (Localities 3, 4). den change from very coarse sandstone to homogene- Positions shown in Fig. 1. For legend, see Fig. 3. ous mudstone also indicates a very abrupt abandon-

25

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 25 29-10-2004, 11:14 W E

20 m

Fig. 6. Fluvial, floodplain and lacustrine deposits on the south coast of Traill Ø (Locality 1). Note the 20 m thick sandstone body in the centre (see Fig. 3, 134–153 m in log) showing down-stream or lateral accretion structures (dashed lines) with bedforms dipping gently to the right (east). The sandstone body overlies dark floodplain mudstones. Type section of the Bristol Elv Formation.

ment of the active channels, which in a relatively short the type section in Svinhufvud Bjerge is interpreted to time shifted to a position farther away. have been deposited in a lacustrine/backswamp envi- Floodplains in braided river systems are not com- ronment. Fine-grained sandstones intercalated with monly described in the literature, but studies by black and dark grey mudstone in the lower part of this Reinfelds & Nanson (1993) of the Waimakariri River, lacustrine/backswamp unit show swaley cross-stratifi- New Zealand, show that braided rivers, contrary to the cation and wave ripple cross-lamination associated with common conception, may include large areas of fine- a pebble lag (Figs 3, 7). Swaley cross-stratification is grained floodplains. During avulsion events, extensive interpreted as the result of storm-wave deposition above wetland areas were established and contributed greatly fairweather wave base and has been described from to trapping and deposition of large volumes of fine- very shallow depths in the large Lake Superior (Green- grained material (e.g. Smith et al. 1989). A similar situ- wood & Sherman 1986; Sherman & Greenwood 1989). ation may have occurred at least twice during the life- The wave ripple cross-lamination shows that some vig- time of the Bristol Elv Formation river system, as shown orous agitation must have occurred, probably during by the occurrence of 3–6 m thick floodplain mudrocks storm events (e.g. Allen 1982). The structures and the in the section on the south coast of Traill Ø (Figs 1, 6). associated pebble lag are probably the result of shore- The presence of root horizons and thin coal beds shows face erosion during storms, and subsequent transport that the floodplain was densely vegetated and devel- into deeper waters by storm-induced currents (cf. Dam oped into peat swamps, before the river channel mi- & Surlyk 1992, 1993). In the uppermost part of the grated back over the area and peat formation ceased. lacustrine succession, the occurrence of a unit that Fine-grained sediment present in the middle part of shows coarsening-upwards from mudstone to very fine-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 26 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 7. Lacustrine deposits from the Bristol Elv Formation, south coast of Traill Ø A (Locality 1). Length of knife is 21 cm. A: Thin micro-hummocky cross-stratified / wave ripple cross-laminated sandstone intercalated with laminated mudstone. B: Sandstone bed showing swaley cross- stratification.

B

grained sandstone (Fig. 3, 177–182 m) possibly records nels, which were possibly situated north-west of the in-filling of the lake, resulting in lake shoreline pro- area. The lack of pyrite in the coal is a good indication gradation and gradual shallowing. The presence of of deposition in a freshwater environment (Cohen et rootlets shows that the lake was sufficiently shallow to al. 1984; Brown & Cohen 1995; Phillips & Bustin 1996). allow colonisation of vegetation. Higher in the succes- The Plant Beds of Donovan (1953, 1957) in Vælddal sion (Fig. 3, 182–207 m), abundant conspicuous root are interbedded with coarse-grained sandstones and horizons show that vegetation spread across the shores conglomerates dominated by large-scale trough cross- of the lake, which eventually turned into a backswamp bedding, while hummocky and/or swaley cross-strati- environment. The repeated development of autoch- fication, small-scale cross-lamination, root horizons and thonous coal beds in the middle and upper part of the fossilised leaves occur in the finer grained sediments unit suggests that the backswamps were densely veg- (Henrik Vosgerau, personal communication 1998). If etated. The 0.2–2.5 m thick trough cross-bedded sand- the Plant Beds of Donovan (1953, 1957) are correlatives stone beds associated with the coal beds, probably of the mudstone-dominated part of the Bristol Elv For- represent splays into the backswamp from active chan- mation type section in Svinhufvud Bjerge, a system with

27

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 27 29-10-2004, 11:14 scattered lakes may have existed in the area. The lat- Brown, K.E. & Cohen, A.D. 1995: Stratigraphic and micropetro- eral extent of this system must have been at least 20 km. graphic occurrences of pyrite in sediments at the confluence Gradual in-filling of the lake resulted in develop- of carbonate and peat-forming depositional systems, south- ern Florida, U.S.A. Organic Geochemistry 22, 105–126. ment of a wetland area with peat swamps, which was Callomon, J.H. 1993: The ammonite succession in the Middle periodically covered by sheet-sands and cut by con- Jurassic of East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geological Soci- fined channels where sand was deposited. Thin coars- ety of Denmark 40, 83–113. ening-upwards units, which probably represent cre- Clemmensen, L.B. 1980: Triassic lithostratigraphy of East Green- vasse splays or deltas, show that active fluvial chan- land between Scoresby Sund and Kejser Franz Josephs Fjord. nels were present in the adjacent area, and the lake Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 139, 56 pp. system was eventually replaced by a fluvial braided Cohen, A.D., Spackman, W. & Dolsen, P. 1984: Occurrence and channel system, represented by trough cross-bedded distribution of sulfur in peat-forming environments of south- ern Florida. International Journal of Coal Geology 4, 73–96. coarse-grained pebbly sandstones. This environment Dam, G. & Surlyk, F. 1992: Forced regressions in a large wave- persisted until the area was transgressed by the sea and storm-dominated anoxic lake, Rhaetian–Sinemurian Kap and the shallow marine sandstones of the Pelion For- Stewart Formation, East Greenland. Geology 20, 749–752. mation were deposited. Dam, G. & Surlyk, F. 1993: Cyclic sedimentation in a large wave- and storm-dominated anoxic lake; Kap Stewart Formation (Rhaetian–Sinemurian), Jameson Land, East Greenland. In: Posamentier, H.W. et al. (eds): Sequence stratigraphy and Acknowledgements facies associations. International Association of Sedimentolo- gists Special Publication 18, 419–448. This study was undertaken under the auspices of the Donovan, D.T. 1953: The Jurassic and Cretaceous stratigraphy project ‘Resources of the sedimentary basins of North and palaeontology of Traill Ø, East Greenland. Meddelelser and East Greenland’, supported by the Danish Research om Grønland 111(4), 150 pp. Council. We thank Karen Dybkjær and Stefan Piasecki Donovan, D.T. 1955: The stratigraphy of the Jurassic and Creta- for palynological contributions, Jan Andsbjerg, Gregers ceous rocks of Geographical Society Ø, East Greenland. Dam, and Jon R. Ineson for critical reading of an early Meddelelser om Grønland 103(9), 60 pp. manuscript version and reviewers D. Strogen and Donovan, D.T. 1957: The Jurassic and Cretaceous systems in East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 155(4), 214 pp. Michael Larsen for constructive reviews. Greenwood, B. & Sherman, D.J. 1986: Hummocky cross-strati- fication in the surf zone: flow parameters and bedding gen- esis. Sedimentology 33, 33–46. Harris, T.M. 1946: Liassic and Rhaetic Plants collected in 1936– References 38 from East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 114(9), Allen, J.R.L. 1963: The classification of cross-stratified units, with 39 pp. notes on their origin. Sedimentology 2, 93–114. Koppelhus, E.B. & Hansen, C.F. 2003: Palynostratigraphy and Allen, J.R.L. 1964: Studies in fluviatile sedimentation: six palaeoenvironment of the Middle Jurassic Sortehat Forma- cyclothems from the Lower Old Red Sandstone, Anglo-Welsh tion (Neill Klinter Group), Jameson Land, East Greenland. basin. Sedimentology 3, 163–198. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark Allen, J.R.L. 1965: A review of the origin and characteristics of and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- recent alluvial sediments. Sedimentology 5, 89–191. land Bulletin 1, 777–811. Allen, J.R.L. 1982: Sedimentary structures; their character and Leeder, M.R. 1973: Fluviatile fining-upwards cycles and the physical basis. Developments in sedimentology 30A/B, 1266 magnitude of palaeochannels. Geological Magazine 110(3), pp. Amsterdam: Elsevier. 265–276. Alsen, P. 1998: Middle Jurassic ammonite biostratigraphy in the Maync, W. 1947: Stratigraphie der Jurabildungen Ostgrönlands Traill Ø region, central East Greenland. Abstract. 23rd Nor- zwischen Hochstetterbugten (75°N) und dem Kejser Franz dic Geological Winter Meeting, Aarhus, Denmark (13–16 Janu- Joseph Fjord (73°N). Meddelelser om Grønland 132(2), 223 ary), 17 only. pp. Batten, D.J. & Koppelhus, E.B. 1996: Biostratigraphic signifi- Miall, A.D. 1985: Architectural-element analysis: a new method cance of uppermost Triassic and Jurassic miospores in North- of facies analysis applied to fluvial deposits. Earth-Science west Europe. In: Jansonius, J. & McGregor, D.C. (eds): Reviews 22(4), 261–308. Palynology: principles and applications. American Associa- Miall, A.D. 1996: The geology of fluvial deposits: sedimentary tion of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation 2, 795–806. facies, basin analysis and petroleum geology, 582 pp. Ber- Berner, R.A. & Raiswell, R. 1984: C/S method for distinguishing lin: Springer-Verlag. freshwater from marine sedimentary rocks. Geology 12, 365– Phillips, S. & Bustin, R.M. 1996: Sulfur in the Changuinola peat 368. deposit, Panama, as an indicator of the environments of

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 28 29-10-2004, 11:14 deposition of peat and coal. Journal of Sedimentary Research Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary 66(1), 184–196. record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. Price, S.P. & Whitham, A.G. 1997: Exhumed hydrocarbon traps In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark in East Greenland: analogs for the Lower–Middle Jurassic and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- play of Northwest Europe. American Association of Petro- land Bulletin 1, 659–722. leum Geologists Bulletin 81(2), 196–221. Surlyk, F. & Noe-Nygaard, N. 2001: Cretaceous faulting and as- Reinfelds, I. & Nanson, G. 1993: Formation of braided river sociated coarse-grained marine gravity flow sedimentation, floodplains, Waimakariri River, New Zealand. Sedimentol- Traill Ø, East Greenland. In: Martinsen, O.J. & Dreyer, T. ogy 40, 1113–1127. (eds): Sedimentary environments offshore Norway – Palaeo- Sherman, D.J. & Greenwood, B. 1989: Hummocky cross-strati- zoic to Recent. Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Special fication and post-vortex ripples: length scales and hydraulic Publication 10, 293–319. analysis. Sedimentology 36, 981–986. Surlyk, F., Callomon, J.H., Bromley, R.G. & Birkelund, T. 1973: Smith, N.D., Cross, T.A., Dufficy, J.P. & Clough, S.R. 1989: Stratigraphy of the Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous sediments of Anatomy of an avulsion. Sedimentology 36, 1–24. Jameson Land and Scoresby Land, East Greenland. Bulletin Stemmerik, L., Clausen, O.R., Korstgård, J., Larsen, M., Piasecki, Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 105, 76 pp. S., Seidler, L., Surlyk, F. & Therkelsen, J. 1997: Petroleum Underhill, J. & Partington, M.A. 1993: Use of genetic sequence geological investigations in East Greenland: project ‘Resources stratigraphy in defining and determining a regional tectonic of the sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’. control on the ‘Mid-Cimmerian Unconformity’ – implications Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 176, 29–38. for North Sea basin development and the global sea-level Surlyk, F. 1977: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeogeography of chart. In: Weimer, P. & Posamentier, H.W. (eds): Siliciclastic the Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscars sequence stratigraphy: recent developments and applications. Fjord, East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Un- American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 58, dersøgelse 123, 56 pp. 449–484.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 29 29-10-2004, 11:14 30

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 30 29-10-2004, 11:14 Maximum Middle Jurassic transgression in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, Bjørnedal, Traill Ø

Peter Alsen and Finn Surlyk

With an appendix by John H. Callomon: Description of a new species of ammonite, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp., from the Middle Jurassic, Lower Callovian of East Greenland

A Middle – lower Upper Jurassic sandstone-dominated succession, more than 550 m thick, with mudstone intercalations in the middle part is exposed in Bjørnedal on Traill Ø, North-East Green- land. A number of ammonite assemblages have been found, mainly in the mudstones. They indicate the presence of the Lower Callovian Cadoceras apertum and C. nordenskjoeldi Chrono- zones. The mudstones represent northern wedges of the Fossilbjerget Formation hitherto known only from Jameson Land to the south. In Bjørnedal they interfinger with sandstones of the Pelion and Olympen Formations. The presence of the Fossilbjerget Formation in this region indicates complete drowning of the Middle Jurassic sandstone-dominated Pelion Formation during maxi- mum Middle Jurassic transgression. A new species, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus, is described in the appendix by J.H. Callomon. The holotype and paratype are from Jameson Land, East Greenland, but the species is also found in Bjørnedal, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland.

Keywords: ammonites, Fossilbjerget Formation, Middle Jurassic, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus Callomon, Pelion Formation

Geological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected]

The Mesozoic deposits of the Traill Ø area in North- ammonites was carried out during fieldwork in the East Greenland were studied by Donovan (1953) dur- Traill Ø area in 1996 (Alsen 1998). New finds of am- ing Lauge Koch’s East Greenland expeditions (Fig. 1). monites indicate an Early Callovian age (Cadoceras Middle Jurassic exposures are few and scattered and apertum Chronozone) of the mudstones (Fig. 3), which fossils are scarce, allowing only a few tie-points to the are referred to the Fossilbjerget Formation, previously biostratigraphically well-dated succession in Jameson known only from Jameson Land (Surlyk et al. 1973). Land to the south (Callomon 1993). A succession of This paper presents the new finds of ammonites in the dark micaceous, silty mudstones in an otherwise sand- Bjørnedal area and the implications of these for the stone-dominated succession in the Bjørnedal valley, sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the basin. south-east Traill Ø was described by Donovan (1953; The Traill Ø area forms the northwards continua- Fig. 2). Only a few poorly preserved and unidentifi- tion of the Jurassic Jameson Land Basin within the East able ammonite fragments were recovered. Hence the Greenland rift basin. Huge amounts of sand-dominated exact stratigraphic position and age of the mudstones sediments were introduced into the basin mainly from were unknown and have remained as such until re- the north in Middle Jurassic times and were transported examination of the locality and intensive search for southwards by marine currents along the basin axis. A

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 31–49 © GEUS, 2004 31

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 31 29-10-2004, 11:14 24°W ■ 22°W Palaeogene Fig. 1. Simplified geological map of the 23°W

■ intrusives

Traill Ø area. Location of study area 73°00′N

(Fig. 2) is indicated.

■ Palaeogene

Geographical Society Ø ■ ■

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Cretaceous

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72°30′N

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Bjørnedal

Devonian

■ Mountnorris Fjord

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thick succession of Middle Jurassic marine sediments, rent directions seen elsewhere. The sandstone/mud- mainly sandstones, was deposited in northern Jame- stone ratio also decreases and the succession shows son Land and progressively thins distally towards the proximal to distal facies changes in the same direction south. The proximal areas in Traill Ø acted as a bypass (Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume). area for much of late Middle Jurassic time and the suc- cession is generally thinner compared with the more distal areas in Jameson Land (Surlyk 2003). The south-easternmost part of Traill Ø constituted Stratigraphy an eastwards-tilted fault block, in contrast to other Ju- The lithostratigraphical scheme for the Jurassic of East rassic fault blocks in East Greenland which are tilted Greenland was erected by Surlyk et al. (1973), Surlyk westwards (Donovan 1953; Carr 1998; Surlyk 2003). A (1977, 1978) and Birkelund et al. (1984). The scheme detailed analysis of the Middle Jurassic succession in is under revision and many units have been raised in the Vælddal area close to the crest of the eastwards- rank (see Surlyk 2003, fig. 5). In the Traill Ø area, the tilted block was recently undertaken by Carr (1998; Middle – lower Upper Jurassic succession now includes Fig. 1). He demonstrated that as a result of synsedi- the Bristol Elv, Pelion, Fossilbjerget and Olympen For- mentary movements of the Vælddal Fault during Mid- mations in ascending order (Fig. 4). The Bristol Elv dle Jurassic time the sedimentary evolution of the Formation is probably not exposed in Bjørnedal. It is Bjørnedal area differed somewhat from that of other of pre-Late Bajocian but probably still Middle Jurassic parts of the region. The Middle Jurassic succession in age and includes fluvial pebbly sandstones and thin this block shows palaeocurrent directions to the east coaly shales (Therkelsen & Surlyk 2004, this volume). in contrast to the axial, southwards-oriented palaeocur- The Pelion Formation consists of shallow-marine sand-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 32 29-10-2004, 11:14 nite assemblages were recovered; two ammonite spe- N Mountnorris cies have been identified, one of them previously Fjord known from Jameson Land but hitherto undescribed. The description of the Middle Jurassic succession in Bjørnedal is based mainly on Donovan (1953), since 834 fieldwork was focused solely on the mudstones in its Lycett Bjerg middle part. The succession is subdivided into five lithological units, A–E in ascending order (Figs 4, 5). Unit A belongs to the Pelion Formation and consists of 2 about 200 m of sandstones containing Cranocephal- 3 Bjørnedal ites, which suggests correlation with the Upper Bajo- 1 cian C. pompeckji Chronozone (Fig. 3) and indetermi- Brede Gletscher NW European/ Subboreal Boreal Province Province

Calloviense Barrikade 1013 Gletscher Steenstrup Koenigi Bjerg 2 km

Ice-covered River *Nordenskjoeldi (Parnas Mb, wedge Lower Callovian Lower Herveyi of upper Pelion Fm) Land Sea *Apertum (Fossilbjerget Fm) Discus Fig. 2. Map of the Bjørnedal area, Traill Ø showing locations of Calyx sections and ammonite localities. 1, Locality 1 with section JTH- Orbis 15/96; 2, Locality 2 with section JTH-14/96; 3, Locality 3. Alti- Variabile tude of mountains in metres. Hodsoni Cranocephaloide Morrisi Subcontractus

Bathonian Ishmae Progracilis Tenuiplicatus stones with bivalves, belemnites, ammonites and plant Greenlandicus

fragments. The formation rests on Triassic strata or on Jurassic Middle Zigzag Arcticus the Bristol Elv Formation. It is overlain by, or interfin- gers at the top with, offshore, dark, micaceous, silty Parkinsoni mudstones of the Fossilbjerget Formation. A regres- *Pompeckji (Pelion Formation) sive wedge in the top part of the Pelion Formation Garantiana interrupts the overall backstepping Pelion–Fossilbjer- Subfurcatum Indistinctus get couplet, and belongs to the Parnas Member of the Zones Pelion Formation (Surlyk 2003). The Fossilbjerget For- Bajocian Borealis mation is overlain by the lower Upper Jurassic Olym- pen Formation, which also consists of shallow marine Humphriesianum sandstones themselves quite similar to the sandstones of the Pelion Formation below, making recognition of the Olympen Formation difficult. * Zones identified in the Bjørnedal area The Middle Jurassic succession in the Bjørnedal area is poorly exposed. The area described here corresponds Fig. 3. Scheme of standard ammonite zones in the Upper Bajo- cian – Lower Callovian, Middle Jurassic. Due to faunal provin- to the ‘northern part of Bjørnedal’ of Donovan (1953). cialism close correlation between zones in East Greenland (right An intensive search for ammonites was made in dark, column) and the NW European/Subboreal Province (left col- silty, micaceous mudstones exposed in small sections umn) is not possible. The East Greenland ammonite zonation along the Bjørnedal river, Locality 1, and in a small represents a secondary standard chronostratigraphical scheme section in a gully at Locality 2 (Figs 2, 5). Three ammo- for the Boreal Province. Modified from Callomon (2003).

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 33 29-10-2004, 11:14 Parnas Member, representing the last regressive tongue

Fm of the overall backstepping Pelion Formation. Unit D A. serratum Chronozone consists of about 40–50 m of black, silty mudstones (Upper Oxfordian) with intercalated sandstones and indeterminable am- monites. It belongs to the upper part of the Fossilbjer- get Formation. A 50 m core (GGU 303124) drilled at Locality 2 (Fig. 2) through most of this unit records a E development from offshore black mudstones with oc- casional storm sandstone beds, 5–10 cm thick, into offshore transition zone mudstones with an upwards increasing content of fine-grained sandstone (Fig. 6). At the top, a syenite sill, c. 3 m thick, occurs between

D the mudstones and the base of the sandstones of the overlying lower Upper Jurassic Olympen Formation C. nordenskjoeldi Chronozone (Unit E). This formation consists of about 220 m of C (Lower Callovian) apparently massive sandstones interbedded with irregu- C. apertum Chronozone B (Lower Callovian) lar beds of dark micaceous mudstones with traces of plants (Donovan 1953). It is overlain by Upper Juras- Parnas Mb (Pelion Fm) Parnas Mb (Pelion sic black mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation con- taining Late Oxfordian ammonites (Amoeboceras serratum Sowerby 1813; Price & Whitham 1997).

Fossilbjerget FmFossilbjerget Fm Fossilbjerget C. pompeckji Bernbjerg Chronozone A (Upper Bajocian)

Pelion FormationPelion 100 m Formation Olympen Discussion The sequence stratigraphical development of the Mid- dle Jurassic succession of Jameson Land was interpreted by Surlyk (1990, 1991), Surlyk et al. (1993) and in more Black Silty shales mudstones detail by Engkilde & Surlyk (2003). It is difficult to trace or correlate key surfaces from Jameson Land Unexposed, mainly sandstones Sandstones across Kong Oscar Fjord to the Traill Ø area, in part Fig. 4. Schematic section of the Middle Jurassic succession in because of the rather limited and generally poor out- Bjørnedal, based on Donovan (1953) and new data. crops on Traill Ø. In Jameson Land, the base of the Pelion Formation appears to be almost isochronous everywhere and of early Late Bajocian age (Cadoceras nate plant remains (Donovan 1953). The unit is ex- borealis Chron; Fig. 3). The formation is overlain by posed north-west of the mouth of the valley on the the Fossilbjerget Formation, with a strongly diachronous north-eastern slope of mount Lycett Bjerg facing boundary younging sourcewards towards the north. Mountnorris Fjord (Fig. 2). The strata dip towards the This reflects the overall backstepping of the sandy south-east and disappear beneath the succession ex- Pelion system caused by a combination of increasing posed in Bjørnedal. The base of the unit is not ex- rifting and eustatic sea-level rise. During maximum posed. Unit B belongs to the Fossilbjerget Formation transgression in the Early–Middle Callovian, deposi- and consists of 25–30 m of soft, black, micaceous, silty tion of offshore Fossilbjerget mudstones reached its mudstones with pyritic concretions and indeterminate northernmost extent. The presence of the Fossilbjer- plant impressions. The species of Kepplerites found get Formation in Bjørnedal, Traill Ø, extends the known indicates an Early Callovian age (Cardioceras apertum distributional area of the formation northwards by about Chron; Fig. 3). Unit C is a mainly scree-covered inter- 100 km. This reflects drowning of the marine sand- val, about 60 m thick, probably consisting mostly of dominated depositional systems of the Pelion Forma- sandstones. Finds of Cadoceras sp. in loose blocks in tion during the Middle Jurassic at maximum transgres- the scree indicate an Early Callovian age (Cardoceras sion. A sandstone wedge of the Parnas Member (Pelion nordenskjoeldi Chron; Fig. 3). The unit belongs to the Formation) is intercalated in the Fossilbjerget Forma-

34

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 34 29-10-2004, 11:14 SW NE Lycett Bjerg Bernbjerg Formation

Olympen Formation

2 Fossilbjerget Formation

Parnas Member 3

1 Fossilbjerget Formation

Fig. 5. View of Bjørnedal towards the north-west. The succession exposed on the southern flank of Lycett Bjerg is subdivided into lithostratigraphical units. 1–3, indicate localities (Fig. 2). The Fossilbjerget Formation section in the centre of the photograph is 40– 50 m thick. (Photo: S. Piasecki).

tion and represents the last, Early Callovian, regressive of an adult specimen with an estimated maximum dia- tongue of the overall backstepping Pelion Formation. meter of 130 mm. Its umbilical seam is uncoiling and The Fossilbjerget Formation is overlain by the prograd- the ribs near the aperture are strongly projected for- ing sandstones of the Olympen Formation. ward. Primary ribs are coarse and strongly curved. Each primary rib gives rise to four secondary ribs, which persist to the venter. Secondary ribbing is very fine and dense. Secondary ribs are almost straight but seem Systematic palaeontology to curve slightly backwards near the venter giving an Specimens with MGUH numbers are stored at the Geo- overall sinuous appearance of the primary and sec- logical Museum, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. ondary ribs.

Comparison. The species is consistently more densely, Superfamily Stephanocerataceae Neumayr 1875 finely ribbed than any other species of Kepplerites from Family Kosmoceratidae Haug 1887 East Greenland, with little, if any, modification of the primary ribbing in the adult stage. Genus Kepplerites Neumayr & Uhlig 1892 Age and distribution. K. tenuifasciculatus occurs in Kepplerites cf. tenuifasciculatus Callomon 2004 central Jameson Land and on Traill Ø. In central Jame- Plate 1, fig. 1 son Land it is found at a level above K. traillensis (fau- nas 24–26 of Callomon 1993). K. traillensis is thought Material. One fragmented specimen (MGUH 25762 to correlate closely with the horizon of K. keppleri in from GGU 429773). Europe, which defines the base of the Callovian. K. tenuifasciculatus is thus of Early Callovian age (C. Horizon. The specimen was found loose in unit B at apertum Chron; Fig. 3). Locality 1 (Figs 2, 4, 5).

Description. Only two-fifths of the last whorl is pre- served, as an imprint in silty mudstone. The fragment, a macroconch, comprises most of the body chamber

35

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 35 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 6. Sedimentological log of core GGU m 303124, measured by J. Therkelsen and 50 P. Alsen. For location, see Figs 2, 5. Olympen Formation

Ch Te 40 Ch

Te Rh ? Te Ch

Ch Te 30 Te

Sandstone Te Siltstone Cross-lamination

20 Wavy lamination Pa Th ? Parallel lamination Fossilbjerget Formation Fossilbjerget

- Degrees of bioturbation

Te Terebellina isp. Ph Phycosiphon isp. Th Thalassinoides isp. Ph 10 Pa Palaeophycus isp. Ch Chondrites isp. Te Rh Rhizocorallium isp.

Te

0 cl si f m c gr sand

Family Cardioceratidae von Siemiradzky 1891 Bjørnedal, Traill Ø. The succession was not measured, but belongs to unit B (Fig. 4). Genus Cadoceras Fischer 1882 Description. The fragments seem to be those of Cadoceras sp. macroconchs. They are densely ribbed with relatively Plate 1, figs 2A–C, 3 coarse, strong primaries and secondaries. Size cannot be estimated. The microconchs are small and evolute Material. Several fragments preserved as imprints in with dense, very fine ribbing. Ribbing becomes some- black shale (MGUH 25763–766 from GGU 429771; GGU what coarser near the final peristome. The maximum 429772). The assemblage includes well-preserved small diameter is on average about 16 mm. specimens of microconchs, some of which are almost complete (Plate 1, figs 2A–C). Age. The specimens are early Cadoceras (J.H. Callo- mon, personal communication 1997) probably from Horizon. The assemblage was collected at a small the C. apertum or C. nordenskjoeldi Chronozones (Fig. exposure in the streambed of the Bjørnedal River in 3; faunas 27–30 of Callomon 1993). The assemblage thus indicates an Early Callovian age.

36

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 36 29-10-2004, 11:14 Cadoceras cf. nordenskjoeldi Callomon & Birke- evolute, and comprises most of a whorl of the body- lund 1985 chamber. Ribbing is dense and relatively strong up to Plate 1, fig. 4A–C the aperture. Primaries divide into secondaries on the middle of the flank. The specimen shows no adult 1904 Olcostephanus Neumayr (?Simbirskites Pavlow modification and could be a juvenile. Maximum diam- & Lamplugh) nov. sp. – Madsen, p. 195, plate eter measures 61.5 mm. The other specimen, probably 10, fig. 2. a microconch, is small and relatively evolute. Ribbing cf. 1985 Cadoceras nordenskjoeldi n. sp. Callomon & is dense and sharp with primaries and secondaries. Birkelund, p. 84, pl. 1, fig. 4; pl. 4, figs 1–6. Maximum diameter is 30 mm.

Material. Several fragments (MGUH 25767–769 from Age. The assemblage is too poorly preserved for de- GGU 429768). The fragments are small and crushed termination to specific level. The specimens are possi- macroconchs and are poorly preserved in hard, red- bly early Cadoceras of Early Callovian age (J.H. Callo- dish sandstone. Complete specimens and microconchs mon, personal communication 1997; Fig. 3). have not been identified.

Horizon. The assemblage was found loose in unit C at Locality 3 between the mudstones exposed at Lo- Acknowledgements calities 1 and 2 (Figs 2, 4, 5). We acknowledge generous support by the Danish Re- search Councils (Project: ‘Resources of the sedimen- Description. The inner whorls are finely and densely tary basins of North and East Greenland’) and thank ribbed and seem to be evolute. The outer whorls are Jette Halskov for drafting, Jens Therkelsen, who pro- evolute, with very coarse and blunt primary and sec- vided the measured sections, John H. Callomon and ondary ribbing. The whole assemblage seems to con- Lars Stemmerik for reading the manuscript critically, sist of fairly slim variants. and Walter K. Christiansen and G. Bloos for useful re- views. Comparisons. The specimens are referred to as C. cf. nordenskjoeldi, which has the above-mentioned char- acteristic style of ribbing. This is supported by their stratigraphical position above K. tenuifasciculatus. References Including references cited in Appendix Age and distribution. This is the first find of the spe- cies outside the Fossilbjerget and Olympen areas in cen- Alsen, P. 1998: Middle Jurassic ammonite biostratigraphy in the tral Jameson Land. C. cf. nordenskjoeldi indicates an Traill Ø region, central East Greenland. Abstracts – 23rd Early Callovian age (C. nordenskjoeldi Chron; Fig. 3). Nordiske Geologiske Vintermøde Århus, Denmark, 1998, 17 only. Birkelund, T., Callomon, J.H. & Fürsich, F.T. 1984: The stratigra- Cadoceras sp. indet. phy of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments of Milne Land, central East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Plate 1, fig. 5 Geologiske Undersøgelse 147, 56 pp. Buckman, S.S. 1922: Type Ammonites 4, 67 pp., pls 267–422. Material. Two specimens and fragments (MGUH 25770 London: Wheldon & Wesley. from GGU 429767; GGU 429769–770). One specimen Callomon, J.H. 1993: The ammonite succession in the Middle is a poorly preserved macroconch (Plate 1, fig. 5); the Jurassic of East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geological Soci- other is a poorly preserved microconch. Both are im- ety of Denmark 40, 83–113. prints in mudstones. Callomon, J.H. 2003: The Middle Jurassic of western and north- ern Europe: its subdivisions, geochronology and correlations. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark Horizon. The ammonites were collected at Locality 2 and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- from level 29–30.6 m in section JT-14 (Fig. 2) in mud- land Bulletin 1, 61–73. stones of unit D (Figs 2, 4, 5). Callomon, J.H. 2004: Description of a new species of ammo- nite, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp., from the Middle Description. The macroconch is medium-sized and Jurassic, Lower Callovian of East Greenland. Appendix in:

37

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 37 29-10-2004, 11:14 Alsen, P. & Surlyk, F.: Maximum Middle Jurassic transgres- Quenstedt, F.A. 1886–1887: Die Ammoniten des Schwäbischen sion in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, Jura. II. Atlas, 55–90. Stuttgart: Schweizerbart. Bjørnedal, Traill Ø. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Sokolov, D.N. & Bodylevsky, V.I. 1931: Jura- und Kreidefaunen Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- von Spitsbergen. Skrifter om Svalbard og Ishavet 35, 151 pp. mark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 31–49 (this volume). Sowerby, J. 1813–1821: The mineral conchology of Great Brit- Callomon, J.H. & Birkelund, T. 1985: Description of three new ain 1–6, 1236 pp. London: J. de C. Sowerby. species. In: Callomon, J.H.: The evolution of the Jurassic Spath, L.F. 1932: The invertebrate faunas of the Bathonian– ammonite family Cardioceratidae. Special Papers in Palae- Callovian deposits of Jameson Land (East Greenland). Med- ontology 33, 78–86 (appendix). London: Palaeontological delelser om Grønland 87(7), 158 pp. Association. Surlyk, F. 1977: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeogeography of Carr, I.D. 1998: Facies analysis and reservoir characterisation of the Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscars Jurassic sandstones from Bjørnedal, Central East Greenland, Fjord, East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Un- 247 pp. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Institute for Sedimentol- dersøgelse 123, 56 pp. ogy, University of Reading, UK. Surlyk, F. 1978: Submarine fan sedimentation along fault scarps Dietl, G. & Callomon, J.H. 1988: The Orbis Oolite in the Upper on tilted fault blocks (Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, East Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of Sengenthal/Opf., Franconian Greenland). Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Alb, and its significance for the correlation and subdivision 128, 108 pp. of the Orbis Zone. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde B Surlyk, F. 1990: A Jurassic sea-level curve for East Greenland. 142, 31 pp. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 78, 71– Donovan, D.T. 1953: The Jurassic and Cretaceous stratigraphy 85. and palaeontology of Traill Ø, East Greenland. Meddelelser Surlyk, F. 1991: Sequence stratigraphy of the Jurassic – Lowermost om Grønland 111(4), 150 pp. Cretaceous of East Greenland. American Association of Pe- Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- troleum Geologists Bulletin 75, 1468–1488. mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- Fischer, P. 1880–1887: Manuel de conchyliologie et de paléon- land Bulletin 1, 659–722. tologie, 1369 pp. Paris: F. Savy. Surlyk, F., Callomon, J.H., Bromley, R.G. & Birkelund, T. 1973: Haug, E. 1887: Über die ‘Polymorphidae’, eine neue Ammoniten- Stratigraphy of the Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous sediments of familie aus dem Lias. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geo- Jameson Land and Scoresby Land, East Greenland. Bulletin logie und Paläontologie 2, 89–163. Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 105, 76 pp. Larsen, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shelf-edge delta and slope depo- Surlyk, F., Noe-Nygaard. N. & Dam, G. 1993: High and low sition in the Upper Callovian – Middle Oxfordian Olympen resolution sequence stratigraphy in lithological prediction – Formation, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): examples from the Mesozoic around the northern North At- The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey lantic. In: Parker, J.R. (ed.): Petroleum geology of Northwest of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 931–948. Europe: proceedings of the 4th conference, 199–214. Lon- Madsen, V. 1904: On Jurassic fossils from East Greenland. Med- don: Geological Society. delelser om Grønland 29, 157–211. Therkelsen, J. & Surlyk, F. 2004: The fluviatile Bristol Elv For- Neumayr, M. 1875: Die Ammoniten der Kreide und die Syste- mation, a new Middle Jurassic lithostratigraphic unit from matik der Ammonitiden. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologi- Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, schen Gesellschaft 27, 854–892. S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Neumayr, M. & Uhlig, V. 1892: Über die von K. Abich im Kau- Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 19–29 (this kasus gesammelten Jurafossilien. Denkschrift der Akademie volume). der Wissenschaften in Wien, Mathematisch-Naturwissen- von Siemiradzky, J. 1891: Fauna kopalna warstw oksfordzkich i schaftliche Klasse 59, 1–122. Kimerydzkich w okregu krakowskim i przyleglych czésciach Oppel, A. 1862: Über jurassische Cephalopoden. Palaeontolo- Królestwa Polskiego. Czesc I: Glowonigi. Parnietnik Akademii gische Mitteilungen aus dem Museum des Koeniglich-Bayer- umietjosci w Krakowie, wydzial matematycznoprzyrodniczy, ischen Staates Berlin 1(1–2), 1–125. tomu oseimnastego Zeszyt I 18, 92 pp. Page, K.N. 1989: A stratigraphical revision for the English Lower Vosgerau, H., Alsen, P., Carr, I.D., Therkelsen, J., Stemmerik, L. Callovian. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association (Lon- & Surlyk, F. 2004: Jurassic syn-rift sedimentation on a sea- don) 100, 363–382. wards-tilted fault block, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Price, S.P. & Whitham, A.G. 1997: Exhumed hydrocarbon traps Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East in East Greenland: analogs for the Lower–Middle Jurassic Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland play of Northwest Europe. American Association of Petro- Bulletin 5, 9–18 (this volume). leum Geologists Bulletin 81, 196–221.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 38 29-10-2004, 11:14 Plate 1

39

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 39 29-10-2004, 11:14 Plate 1

All specimens are figured natural size.

Fig. 1. Kepplerites cf. tenuifasciculatus Callomon. Adult macroconch. MGUH 25762 from GGU 429773.

Fig. 2. Cadoceras sp. A: MGUH 25763 from GGU 429772b. B: MGUH 25764 from GGU 429772a. C: MGUH 25765 from GGU 429772c.

Fig. 3. Cadoceras sp. MGUH 25766 from GGU 429772e.

Fig. 4. Cadoceras cf. nordenskjoeldi Callomon & Birkelund A: MGUH 25767 from GGU 429768a. B: MGUH 25768 from GGU 429768c. C: MGUH 25769 from GGU 429768b.

Fig. 5. Cadoceras sp. indet. MGUH 25770 from GGU 429767.

40

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 40 29-10-2004, 11:14 1 2

A

B

C

3

4

A 5 C

B

41

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 41 29-10-2004, 11:14 Appendix Plate 1

Description of a new species of ammonite, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp., from the Middle Jurassic, Lower Callovian of East Greenland

John H. Callomon

A new species of ammonite, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp., is described. Its type locality is at Fossilbjerget in central Jameson Land, East Greenland and its type horizon lies in the Apertum Zone, the lowest zone in the Lower Callovian Stage of the Middle Jurassic. It has a narrow stratigraphical range and hence makes a good guide-fossil for stratigraphical time correlation.

Keywords: ammonite, East Greenland, Fossilbjerget, Jameson Land, Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp., Middle Jurassic

Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

The revision of the biostratigraphy and biochronology 1993 Kepplerites sp. nov. J [tenuifasciculatus MS] of the ammonite faunas of the Middle Jurassic of East Callomon, p. 103. Greenland has revealed a number of hitherto unknown species that characterize very narrow chronostrati- Holotype. Plate 1, fig. 1, MGUH 25310 from GGU graphic intervals and hence make excellent guide-fos- 185614a (T. Birkelund and C. Heinberg collection 1974) sils for time correlations (Callomon 1993). One of these Jameson Land, Fossilbjerget, section 43, bed 14, hori- is now described. It represents a transient – chrono- zon J27 (Figs 1, 2). species of some authors – in the evolution of one of the two evolutionary lineages, the Kosmoceratidae, Other material. Paratypes I, II, MGUH 25311–312 from whose members inhabited East Greenland during the GGU 185614b, c; paratype III, MGUH 25313 from JHC Late Bathonian and Callovian, the other being the much 4475 (Plate 1, fig. 2; T. Birkelund and J.H. Callomon longer-ranging Cardioceratidae. collection 1971), same locality and bed; JHC 4469–4471, section 42, bed 18 (see Fig. 2); GGU 144191–192 from south slopes of mount Mikael Bjerg, section 31 (Birke- Superfamily Stephanocerataceae Neumayr 1875 lund coll. 1971; Fig. 1). Numerous other specimens Family Kosmoceratidae Haug 1887 seen in situ were too poorly preserved to be worth collecting. Genus Kepplerites Neumayr & Uhlig 1892 Stratigraphical horizon. The southern slopes of Fos- Type species. Amm. keppleri Oppel 1862. silbjerget are marked by three ridges, running south- wards, on which sections have been recorded, num- Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp. bered 41–43 from east to west (Callomon 1993, fig. 1). Plate 1, figs 1–2

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 42 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 1. Sketch-map of the Jameson Land 25 24ºW 23ºW Kong Oscar 22ºWFjord area with place names mentioned in the text. Scoresby Land d

n a l n e e r Fleming Fjord G

Pelion Carlsberg Fjord Olympen

l a

D t r e h c u Jameson Fossilbjerget h c S Land Mikael Bjerg

71ºN Ugleelv Sortehat Katedralen

S

co Hurry Inlet Hurry r Neill Klinter es by Su nd 0 50 km

The sections span the shaly Fossilbjerget Formation is with only few exceptions as close to complete as underlain by the sandy Pelion Formation and capped present knowledge allows (Callomon 1993, fig. 4). The by the sandstones and shales of the Olympen Forma- only horizon in the interval under discussion not so tion (Surlyk et al. 1973; Larsen & Surlyk 2003). The far recognized in the Fossilbjerget–Olympen area is three sections differ only in detail. Section 43 is shown J23, that of Kepplerites vardekloeftensis. It may have in weathering-profile in Figure 2. It was previously been lost in a hiatus, marked by a sharp lithological shown in outline by Surlyk et al. (1973, fig. 23). Litho- break, under the glauconitic ironstones of beds 9–13 logically, the sediments consist predominantly of shaly (Fig. 2, Section 43). The type-horizon of Kepplerites siltstones or very fine-grained sandstones, barely con- tenuifasciculatus, J27, is bed 14, an indurated, shaly, solidated except in concretionary layers that punctu- non-glauconitic, light brown fine-grained sandstone, ate the succession as markers or in scattered calcitic or 0.2 m thick, lying with sharp contact on the hard, fer- phosphatic concretions. Some of the beds are highly ruginous and highly glauconitic sandstone marker of glauconitic, indicating condensed, sediment-starved bed 13 below (Fig. 2, Section 43). The contact prob- intervals and comparison with adjacent areas, e.g. at ably marks another hiatus that would account for the the mountains Olympen and Mikael Bjerg (Fig. 1), considerable break, both in composition and shows that the succession incorporates numerous hia- morphologies, between the faunas of beds 13 and 14. tuses of variable durations. The age-diagnostic ammo- The fauna of bed 13 consists predominantly of Cado- nites can be recovered only from the hard beds. Their ceras (apertum), with only minor Kepplerites (cf. trail- biostratigraphy in terms of faunal horizons, however, lensis). That of bed 14 is dominated by monospecific

43

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 43 29-10-2004, 11:14 Section 433 km Section 42

Gp Fm m Bed m Bed 26 J30 25

faunal horizons m

24 J29 Olympen Nordenskjoeldi 20

100 33 22 J28

20 Callovian Lower Apertum 15 18 J27 31 J34–35 17 J26 15 J25 13 J24

11 29 Vardekløft Calyx 10 9 J22 50 27 8 Fossilbjerget

7 J21 24 J31?

22 J20 6 20 J30 5 18 J29 Upper Bathonian J27 14 5 J19b 9 J24–6 7 J22 3 J19a

5 J21 2 Cranocephal. J18 1 J18 1 00 Ishmae Variabile Pelion

Ammonites Pectinid bivalves Terebratulid brachiopods Other bivalves Belemnoteuthid cephalopods Thalassinoides burrows Fig. 2. Diagrammatic sections in weathering profile through the Fossilbjerget Formation at its type locality on the southern slopes of Fossilbjerget, central Jameson Land; section 43 is located 3 km west of section 42. Note that the beds in the two sections are numbered independently – discussion of bed numbers in the text refers to those in Section 43. Lithostratigraphy at left, standard chronostratigraphy – substages and zones – at right. Diagonal hatching: glauconitic. Numbers J18–J35: the ammonite faunal hori- zons recognized in Jameson Land (see Callomon 1993). The horizon of Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus is J27. Cranocephal., Cranocephaloide.

44

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 44 29-10-2004, 11:14 Table 1. Measurement of dimensions continuously orthogenetic: characters could ‘progress’ Holotype Paratype III and ‘regress’ with time largely independently, leading Maximum diameter 137 mm 140 mm to frequent partial homoeomorphies. In descending order: Septate to c. 100 mm c. 90 mm

Length of bodychamber, whorl 0.70 0.75 1. Kepplerites traillensis Donovan 1953 (plate 17, figs 1a, b, holotype; plate 18, figs 1a, b), faunal hori- Fractional umbilical width 0.23 0.22 zons 24–26, is similar in size, coiling and style of at last septum ribbing but significantly less densely ribbed, with Fractional umbilical width c. 0.34 c. 0.33 only c. 31 primaries per whorl (before the onset of at aperture the modifications on the final stage of the adult Primary ribs per whorl bodychamber found in all the Kosmoceratidae). The – at diameter 125–130 mm 51 57 type material came from mount Morris Bjerg on – at diameter 85–95 mm 40 46 Traill Ø, about 5 km north-east of the coast of Kong Ratio of secondaries:primaries 3.8 3.4 Oscar Fjord to the south-west. It was found in iso- around last septum lation, both stratigraphically and faunistically, so the position of its faunal horizon in the general succes- sion has to be deduced by correlation with the more continuous successions in Jameson Land. The clos- Kepplerites (tenuifasciculatus) with only occasional est resemblance is to the forms found also on the crushed, indeterminate Cadoceras. southern slopes of Fossilbjerget, sections 42 and 43, horizons 24–26, as minor components in fau- Description. All the available material consists of nas dominated by Cadoceras apertum (Callomon crushed internal moulds and measurements of dimen- & Birkelund 1985). sions (Table 1) are of limited value. The figured speci- K. traillensis is also, among all the known fau- mens are typical; both are complete adult macroconchs nas of Greenland, the one closest to the type-spe- with strongly uncoiling seams on the last whorl. The cies K. keppleri (Oppel): cf. Buckman (1922, plate microconchs remain unknown. The ribbing is charac- 289A, B, lectotype, evolute inflated variant with teristically dense and fine, the primaries rising retro- slightly tabulate venter); Quenstedt (1886, plate 77, radially on the umbilical wall, then swinging in a figs 1–5, S. Germany); Page (1989, fig. 5.1a, b, Eng- strongly forwards-directed curve on the umbilical shoul- land). The resemblance is close but may not be der into accentuated prorsiradiate ribbing on the exact, so that both specific names are retained for whorlside, dividing into fasciculate sheaves (tenuifasci- the time being. It indicates, however, a close time culate) of secondaries at about a third flank-height, correlation and provides the basis for the assign- rising uncurved to the venter, persisting with little or ment of the Apertum Zone already to the Lower no loss of strength to the simple, somewhat sinuous Callovian. peristome. There is no evidence of the lateral accen- tuation of the primaries into tubercles seen in other 2. Kepplerites vardekloeftensis Callomon 1993 (p. 102), species of Kepplerites, especially in the younger ones faunal horizon 23. The holotype (Spath 1932, plate and subsequently in the descendant, Kosmoceras. In- 25, figs 2a, b, complete adult) and paratype (Spath ner whorls are not seen, so whether the earliest stages 1932, plate 25, figs 1a, b, complete adult phragmo- already have tabulate venters is not known. cone) came from the calyx limestone, a prominent concretionary marker-bed in the Fossilbjerget For- Comparisons. The evolution of major morphological mation along the length of the outcrops above Neill characters in the genus Kepplerites, leading to Kos- Klinter, the line of cliffs on the west side of Hurry moceras in the Middle Callovian, was very gradual. Inlet and traceable inland as far as Katedralen on Differentiation of successive transients relies on rela- Ugleelv (Fig. 1); level 560 m in sections of Rosen- tively minor variations of size and ribbing, often per- krantz reproduced by Spath (1932, p. 126, fig. 10). ceptible only by the trained eye in assemblages of more The species resembles K. tenuifasciculatus in coil- than a single specimen in which the range of intraspe- ing, size and density of primary ribbing but the cific variability can be assessed. Changes were not secondary ribbing is coarser and fades on the

45

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 45 29-10-2004, 11:14 bodychamber. The two species are closely homoe- evolving generic clade rises above the monospe- omorphic but stratigraphically separated by the tran- cific. The faunal horizon can be followed from sients described above, which differ appreciably. southern Hurry Inlet (types of K. peramplus) as far as the mountains Mikael Bjerg and Fossilbjerget, 3. Kepplerites svalbardensis Sokolov & Bodylevsky sections 42 and 43 (see above; Fig. 1). (1931, p. 79, plate 5, figs 1, 2) resembles K. tenui- Upwards, the record of Kepplerites in Greenland fasciculatus in coiling and finesse of ribbing, but is becomes tenuous. Occasional specimens have been smaller: adult size 105 mm, septate to 70 mm. The found in the Nordenskjoeldi Zone, horizons 28–29, ribbing (45 primaries per whorl) differs, however, but the preservation is too poor to be able to say on the whorl-side in that, after the initial forwards much of interest other than that they are still of the twist at the umbilical margin, it curves backwards general appearance and size of K. traillensis or K. again, the secondaries reaching the venter rectira- tenuifasciculatus. The next horizon to yield kep- dially. pleritids is horizon 32. The forms at this horizon The species occurs in Greenland as a minor com- are, however, quite distinct: small, evolute and ponent in fauna 22, the dominant element of which round-whorled, typical of the chronosubgenus Gow- is K. peramplus Spath. The latter is so distinctive, ericeras that makes an abrupt appearance in much characterised by its great size (adult diameters 200 of northern Europe and thereby characterizes the mm or more), involute and compressed inner whorls Koenigi Zone. (see also Dietl & Callomon 1988, figs 4, 5), that there seems little doubt about the separate biospe- Age and distribution. Lower Callovian, Apertum Zone, cific identities of the two taxa. They are not linked faunal horizon 27. Central Jameson Land, southern by intermediates and represent one of the rare cases slopes of Fossilbjerget, sections 42–43, and around in which the specific diversity at one horizon of an Mikael Bjerg (Fig. 1), sections 31, 33.

46

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 46 29-10-2004, 11:14 Plate 1

47

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 47 29-10-2004, 11:14 Plate 1

Complete adults, natural size; arrows mark the position of the last septum at the onset of the adult bodychamber.

Fig. 1. Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp. Holotype, MGUH 25310 from GGU 185614a. Fossilbjerget, section 43, bed 14, faunal horizon J27. Lower Callovian, Apertum Zone.

Fig. 2. Kepplerites tenuifasciculatus n. sp. Paratype III, MGUH 25313 from JHC 4475. Section, bed and faunal horizon as above.

48

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 48 29-10-2004, 11:14 2 1

49

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 49 29-10-2004, 11:14 50

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 50 29-10-2004, 11:14 A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, North-East Greenland

Henrik Vosgerau, Michael Larsen, Stefan Piasecki and Jens Therkelsen

A succession of marine, Jurassic sediments was recently discovered on Hold with Hope, North- East Greenland. The discovery shows that the area was covered by the sea during Middle–Late Jurassic transgressive events and thus adds to the understanding of the palaeogeography of the area. The Jurassic succession on northern Hold with Hope is exposed in the hangingwalls of small fault blocks formed by rifting in Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous times. It unconformably overlies Lower Triassic siltstones and sandstones and is overlain by Lower Cretaceous coarse- grained sandstones with an angular unconformity. The succession is up to 360 m thick and includes sandstones of the Lower–Upper Callovian Pelion and Middle–Upper Oxfordian Payer Dal Formations (Vardekløft Group) and heteroliths and mudstones of the Upper Oxfordian – Lower Kimmeridgian Bernbjerg Formation (Hall Bredning Group). The Pelion Formation in- cludes the new Spath Plateau Member (defined herein). The palaeogeographic setting was a narrow rift-controlled embayment along the western margin of the rifted Jurassic seaway between Greenland and Norway. It was open to marine circulation to the south as indicated by the distribution and lateral facies variations and a domi- nant south-westwards marine palaeocurrent direction. The Pelion and Payer Dal Formations represent upper shoreface and tidally influenced delta deposits formed by the migration of dunes in distributary channels and mouthbars over the delta front. The boundary between the two formations is unconformable and represents a Late Callovian – Middle Oxfordian hiatus. It is interpreted to have formed by subaerial erosion related to a sea-level fall combined with minor tilting of fault blocks and erosion of uplifted block crests. In Late Jurassic time, the sand-rich depositional systems of the Pelion and Payer Dal Forma- tions drowned and offshore transition – lower shoreface heteroliths and offshore mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation accumulated. The fault block crest forming the eastern basin margin was inundated by a rise in relative sea level. Major fault activity probably occurred in latest Jurassic – Early Cretaceous times when the major fault block originally defining the Hold with Hope basin was split into smaller blocks.

Keywords: Hall Bredning Group, Hold with Hope, lithostratigraphy, North-East Greenland, palaeogeography, sedimentology, shallow marine, Spath Plateau Member, Vardekløft Group

H.V.*, M.L., S.P. & J.T.‡, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected] Present addresses: *Roskilde Amt, Køgevej 80, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. ‡Skude & Jacobsen, Næstvedvej 1, DK-4760 Vordingborg, Denmark.

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 © GEUS, 2004 51

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 51 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 1. Map of East Greenland showing 28 24ºW 20ºW 16ºW the distribution of Jurassic sediments Store and major faults. Rectangle marks the Koldewey investigated area on northern Hold with 76ºN 76 Hope, shown in more detail in Figure 2. Greenland Modified from Koch & Haller (1971) and Surlyk et al. (1973).

75

Kuhn Ø

Wollaston DCF Forland

Clavering Ø 74ºN Fig. 2 PDMF Hold with Hope

Geographical Society Ø

Traill Ø

72ºN

Jurassic Jameson Fault Land DCF Dombjerg–Clavering Fault PDMF Post-Devonian Main Fault Milne Land 100 km

A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession, up to 360 m taceous age, although W. Maync noted the resemblance thick, was found recently on northern Hold with Hope, to the Middle Jurassic succession on Wollaston Forland. North-East Greenland (Fig. 1; Stemmerik et al. 1997; The apparent absence of Jurassic sediments in the Kelly et al. 1998; Larsen et al. 1998). It spans the Early Hold with Hope area was explained differently by Callovian – Early Kimmeridgian time interval as indi- Maync (1947), Donovan (1957), Surlyk (1977) and Stem- cated by dinoflagellate cysts and ammonites, and con- merik et al. (1993). Maync (1947) and Surlyk (1977) sists of coarse-grained sandstones overlain by hetero- suggested that during the Jurassic the area formed a liths and mudstones. The sandstone-dominated lower landmass between the Wollaston Forland Basin to the part of the succession assigned here to the Pelion For- north and the Jameson Land Basin to the south, imply- mation was originally studied by Koch (1932) and ing that the lack of sediments was primarily due to Maync (1949) and was tentatively given an Early Cre- non-deposition. Donovan (1957) in contrary found it

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 52 29-10-2004, 11:14 21º15'W

Ice ■■ Normal fault ■

Undifferentiated ■ Inferred fault superficial deposits Dolerite sill 3 Locality

74º00'N Plateau basalt Cross-section (log panel)

v Paleocene el lå B Lower Cretaceous

■

■ ■

Middle and Upper Jurassic ■

■ ■

■ ■

Lower Triassic ■

■ 1 ■

■ Permian

■

■

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■

■

Crystalline basement ■

■

■ ■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■ ■

■ Stensiö ■

Plateau 21º00'W ■ Hold ■

■■■ with ■ ■ Hope

lv ■ le ■ u

G ■

■ Gael Hamke Bugt

■ ■

8

■

■ ■

■ ■

■ ■

■

■

■

■ ■

■ ■ 5 ■ 6 7 ■

■■

■ ■

■

■ ■ ■

4 ■■ ■ ■ ■

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■

■

■ ■

■

■ ■

■

■ ■ ■■ ■

3A ■

■

■ ■

73º55'N ■

■

3B Steensby ■

■■ ■■

■ ■

■ ■

9 ■

■■

3C Bjerg ■ ■

■ ■ ■

■

■

■

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3D ■

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■

■ n

■ ■ e

■ ■ 2 ■ l

■ a lv d

Sorte s ■ ■ o

F

Diener Bjerg ■

Spath Plateau ■

■ ■ 2 km

Fig. 2. Geological map of part of northern Hold with Hope including position of localities mentioned in text. The composite section from Gulelv (Fig. 5) was compiled from five part-sections (A–E). The solid lines show schematically the orientation of the NE–SW and NW–SE log panels in Figures 7 and 8, respectively.

most likely that the absence was secondary owing to The Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope is sub- pre-Aptian erosion of the Jurassic rocks. Based on com- divided into shallow marine sandstones of the Pelion parison with nearby Clavering Ø, Stemmerik et al. and Payer Dal Formations (Vardekløft Group) and lower (1993) suggested that Middle–Upper Jurassic sediments shoreface – offshore transition heteroliths and offshore were present in the subsurface east of the continua- mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation (Hall Bredning tion of the Dombjerg–Clavering Fault on Hold with Group). The Pelion Formation includes the new Spath Hope (Fig. 1, DCF). Plateau Member, which contains abundant sandy hete- The present investigations confirm that Hold with roliths in contrast to the dominant clean sandstone li- Hope formed a landmass between the Wollaston For- thology of the Pelion Formation. The sedimentary facies land and Jameson Land Basins during much of the of the units are described and the depositional envi- Middle Jurassic time interval. The discovery on Hold ronments interpreted. The Jurassic succession is placed with Hope of a marine succession of Early Callovian – within a regional framework including the Wollaston Kimmeridgian age, however, shows that the land mass Forland and Jameson Land Basins to the north and was flooded in late Middle Jurassic time and contin- south, respectively. ued to be sea-covered for most of the remaining Juras- sic period.

53

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 53 29-10-2004, 11:14 on the hangingwall of small fault blocks that dip mainly EW Pb towards the west and south-west (Fig. 2). Bedding planes within the Triassic and Jurassic successions seem to be parallel whereas the boundary to the overlying Cre- taceous succession is an angular unconformity (Fig. 3). The Jurassic succession shows marked lateral thick- LC ness variations depending on its position on the hang- ingwall. The thickness increases down-dip whereas it Tr is missing up-dip due to Early Cretaceous erosion on MJ some of the block crests. Faults locally cut the Triassic and Jurassic successions, but not the overlying Creta- Tr ceous succession showing that fault activity took place in post-Kimmeridgian, but pre-Barremian time (Fig. 3). Most faults in the area, however, were reactivated dur- Fig. 3. Triassic–Paleocene succession exposed at Steensby Bjerg, ing Cretaceous and Cenozoic times. northern Hold with Hope, viewed towards the south. The Triassic (Tr) and Middle Jurassic (MJ) sediments dip towards the south- west and are unconformably overlain by Lower Cretaceous (LC) sediments. A post-Kimmeridgian – pre-Barremian normal fault Stratigraphy and sedimentology striking north–south offsets the Triassic and Jurassic sediments by at least 30 m. View towards the south. From Larsen et al. The Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope is subdi- (1998). The exposure shown is c. 200 m high and capped by vided into lithostratigraphic units known from Wolla- Paleocene basalts (Pb). ston Forland and Kuhn Ø (Fig. 4). Stratigraphic ages of the Jurassic succession are based on ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). The oldest Jurassic ammonite found on northern Hold Geological setting with Hope is Cranocephalites sp. indicating the Upper The Late Palaeozoic – Mesozoic extensional basin com- Bajocian C. pompeckji Chronozone (J.H. Callomon and plex in East Greenland is about 700 km long in a north– P. Alsen, personal communications 1997). The ammo- south direction. This complex is situated over structur- nite was, however, not found in situ but in the basal ally controlled en echelon troughs and forms a wedge- Cretaceous conglomerate at Locality 4 and c. 150 m east shaped embayment with the narrowest onshore part of Locality 8 (Fig. 2). to the north. Jurassic sediments are present in the The Jurassic outcrops occur between Stensiö Pla- Wollaston Forland and Jameson Land Basins situated teau in the west and Diener Bjerg in the east (Fig. 2). on the western margin of the rift complex. In both Towards the south, the Jurassic sediments are exposed basins, sediment transport in Middle Jurassic time was along the eastern side of the Gulelv river and on the mainly longitudinal from north to south along a low southern side of the Sortelv river. A composite section, gradient basin floor, which was not differentiated into 360 m thick, was measured in a north–south direction a shelf, slope and deep-water basin (Surlyk 1977, 1990, along Gulelv on the hangingwall of a fault block dip- 1991; Surlyk et al. 1981; Surlyk & Clemmensen 1983). ping c. 15º towards the SSW and comprises segments In the Wollaston Forland Basin, rifting was initiated 3A–E (Figs 5, 6). Lateral facies variations are illustrated in Middle Jurassic time, and marine Bajocian–Bathonian by cross-sections oriented parallel (NE–SW) and per- sandstones onlap weathered Caledonian basement pendicular (NW–SE) to the overall palaeocurrent di- rocks or Upper Permian carbonates. Deposition took rection (Figs 2, 7, 8). place on the hangingwall of wide W–SW-tilted fault blocks. Jurassic rifting culminated in the Volgian with strong rotational block faulting associated with con- glomeratic submarine fan sedimentation (Surlyk 1978). Pelion Formation During this tectonic episode, the wide fault blocks origi- The Pelion Formation in the Jameson Land and Wolla- nally defining the Wollaston Forland Basin were split ston Forland Basins consists of shallow marine, me- into smaller blocks (Vischer 1943; Surlyk 1978). dium- to coarse-grained sandstones of Late Bajocian – The Jurassic sediments on Hold with Hope occur Late Callovian age (Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). On Hold

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 54 29-10-2004, 11:14 Traill Ø and Hold with Wollaston Forland Ammonite Zonation Geographical Hope and Kuhn Ø Subboreal–Boreal

Ma System Stage Society Ø SN A. autissiodorensis WE A. eudoxus A. mutabilis R. cymodoce WE P. baylei

A. rosenkrantzi Bernbjerg Bernbjerg R. pseudocordata A. regulare Bernbjerg U A. serratum Bernbjerg P. bifurcatus A. glosense G. transversarium C. tenuiserratum M P. plicatilis C. densiplicatum Payer Dal Payer

C. cordatum Dal Payer L

Q. mariae Jakobsstigen

159.4Q. 154.1 lamberti Olympen U P. athleta

E. coronatum M K. jason S. calloviense Callovian Oxfordian Kimmeridgian Pelion Jurassic

P. koenigi Pelion Fossilbj L

C. nordenskjoeldi

M. herveyi PP

C. apertum Fb

164.4 C. discus C. calyx g

O. orbis er j U

C. variabile eb P. hodsoni A. cranocephaloide g M. morrisi A. ishmae

T. subcontractus Muslin M P. progracilis A. greenlandicus A. tenuiplicatus Pelion

L Z. zigzag A. arcticus Bastians Dal 169.2 P. parkinsoni C. pompeckji G. garantiana Legend U C. indistinctus N. subfurcatum Mudstone Conglomerate C. borealis 173 Bajocian Bathonian Siltstone Coal L Bristol Elv Sandstone Ammonite Heterolithic sandstone Fig. 4. Jurassic litho- and biostratigraphy (Lower Jurassic and Volgian not included) of the Traill Ø – Geographical Society Ø region, Hold with Hope and Wollaston Forland. Based on Surlyk (1977, 1978, 1990, 1991), Price & Whitham (1997), Alsgaard et al. (2003), Alsen & Surlyk (2004, this volume), Vosgerau et al. (2004, this volume) and own observations in the Traill Ø and northern Hold with Hope areas. Fossilbj/Fb, Fossilbjerget; PP, Pelion (Parnas Mb).

55

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 55 29-10-2004, 11:14 250

120

240

110 Ugpik Ravine Mb Ugpik Ravine Bernbjerg Fm

230 ? No exposure

100

220

90

210

80 Payer Dal Fm Payer

200

70

190

60

180 m

50

170 360 Cretaceous

40

160 350

30

150 340 Pelion Fm Pelion

20 Spath Plateau Mb

140 Bernbjerg Fm 330

No exposure 10 Lower sandstone unitLower Spath Plateau Mb

130 260

0 No exposure

FCM FCM FCM Triassic Pelion Fm Pelion Triassic Mud Sand Gr Mud Sand Gr Mud Sand Gr

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 56 29-10-2004, 11:14 Sedimentary structures Facies associations Fig. 5. Composite sedimentary section of the Middle–Upper Jurassic succes- Structureless sion at Gulelv (Locality 3). The section was compiled from five part-sections Trough cross-bedding Upper shoreface located in a north–south direction along Gulelv (Figs 2, 6). Modified from Planar and trough cross-bedding Larsen et al. (1998).

Structureless

Planar and trough cross-bedding

Faint ripple form sets Lower–middle shoreface

Cross-lamination

Wave ripple cross-lamination

Faint ripple form sets

Wave ripple cross-lamination Offshore – lower shoreface

Hummocky cross-stratification

Parallel lamination Offshore

Pebbles

Mudstone drapes and clasts Trace fossils

Bioturbation weak Biota Bioturbation moderate Plant fragments Bioturbation strong Log Diplocraterion Bivalve Monocraterion Ammonite Ophiomorpha Belemnite Planolites

Miscellaneous features Curvolithos

Palaeocurrent direction Helminthopsis?

Orientation of wave ripple crest Chondrites

with Hope, a Lower–Middle Callovian sandy succes- mation by containing abundant sandy heteroliths inter- sion, c. 190 m thick, overlying the Lower Triassic Wordie bedded with cross-bedded sandstones and is included Creek Formation is referred to the Pelion Formation in the Spath Plateau Member (Fig. 5). The lower sand- (Fig. 5). The succession is divided into two units. The stone unit and the Spath Plateau Member are described lower unit is 30–40 m thick and consists of medium- to and interpreted separately below; the latter member is coarse-grained sandstones topped by silty, fine-grained defined formally as a new member of the Pelion For- sandstones. The upper unit is up to 155 m thick and mation. differs from the clean sandstones that typify the for-

57

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 57 29-10-2004, 11:14 cemented and contains abundant vertical trace fossils Lower sandstone unit of Diplocraterion habichi. Other trace fossils include The lower sandstone unit overlies siltstones and fine- Monocraterion tentaculatum and locally Ophiomorpha grained sandstones of the Lower Triassic Wordie Creek nodosa. Belemnites, bivalves and silicified wood are Formation with a sharp erosional boundary. The up- common. The unit is slightly finer grained in places per boundary is placed where coarse-grained sand- and medium-grained sandstones occur at Locality 1, stones are overlain by silty, very fine-grained sand- Stensiö Plateau (Fig. 8). They contain low-relief scour stones of the Spath Plateau Member (Figs 5, 9). surfaces draped by organic-rich mudstone and are The ammonite Cadoceras cf. breve indicating the strongly bioturbated with both horizontal and vertical Lower Callovian C. apertum Chronozone (J.H. Callo- burrows. The lower sandstone unit increases in thick- mon and P. Alsen, personal communications 1997) was ness from c. 30 to 40 m from the SW towards the NE found 10 m above the Triassic–Jurassic boundary at (Fig. 7). Stensiö Plateau (Fig. 2, Locality 1). The basal part of Deposition took place in a marine environment as the unit seems to be younger east of Stensiö Plateau reflected by marine macrofossils and trace fossils. The (Fig. 2, Localities 4–9) where dinoflagellate cysts indi- coarse-grained and pebbly sandstones and the domi- cate the Lower Callovian P. koenigi Chronozone. The nance of vertical burrows suggest shallow-water depo- age of the upper boundary is constrained by an ammo- sition under high-energy conditions. The scour-fills are nite and by dinoflagellate cysts found in the basal part interpreted to have been formed by strong currents of the overlying Spath Plateau Member indicating the related to storm surges (e.g. Clifton et al. 1971; Hunter Lower Callovian P. koenigi Chronozone (see below). et al. 1979). The trough cross-bedded sandstones prob- The lower sandstone unit consists of pebbly, me- ably reflect 3-D dunes migrating seawards to the south- dium- to coarse-grained quartz sandstones, which are west in rip channels and partly longshore in runnels trough cross-bedded with sets up to 0.5 m thick or towards the north-west. Erosionally-based pebbly sand- locally appear structureless. Small scour-fills with peb- stones with marine macrofossils form the uppermost bles, up to 3 cm in diameter, are common. Dip-direc- beds of some of the coarsening-upwards units and are tions of foresets show a dominance towards the SW, interpreted as marine lag deposits, formed by wave but directions towards the NW also occur (Fig. 10). winnowing of underlying upper shoreface and fore- The sandstones commonly form coarsening-upwards shore deposits. The coarsening-upwards units are in- units, 6–8 m thick, which locally are overlain by an terpreted to have formed mainly by shallow marine erosionally based pebbly sandstone lag. The top part shoreface progradation. The probable source of the of the coarsening-upwards units is commonly calcite calcite cement in the top part of the coarsening-up-

N S

3A 3B 3C 3D 3E

SPM LU Lower Triassic 100 m

100 m Pelion Fm Payer Dal Fm Bernbjerg Fm ?

Lower Triassic Bernbjerg Fm Unconformity Pelion and Payer Dal Fms Lower Cretaceous

Fig. 6. Sketch of Triassic–Cretaceous succession exposed in a fault block on the eastern side of the Gulelv river (Fig. 2). The location of the part-sections that make up the composite section in Figure 5 are shown. The Triassic and Jurassic sediments dip c. 15° towards SSW and are unconformably overlain by Cretaceous sediments, which dip c. 10° towards the south. An angular unconform- ity between the Pelion and Payer Dal Formations is observed on the north-facing valleyside at 3C (see Fig. 11). LU, Lower sandstone unit; SPM, Spath Plateau Member.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 58 29-10-2004, 11:14 wards units is biogenic carbonate derived from calcar- lower sandstone unit of the Pelion Formation to silty, eous shells accumulated on the marine omission sur- fine-grained sandstone. The upper boundary is sharp faces (Alsgaard et al. 2003; Engkilde & Surlyk 2003). and erosional and is overlain by pebbly sandstone and The strong bioturbation and the thin mudstone lay- sandy heteroliths of the Payer Dal Formation. ers in the medium-grained sandstones at Stensiö Pla- teau suggest deposition under lower energy conditions. Distribution. The member occurs on northern Hold The mudstone drapes on the scour-surfaces formed with Hope. by suspension fall-out during fair-weather conditions following erosional storm events. The sandstones were Age. Early–Late Callovian based on an ammonite found probably deposited in a slightly deeper, middle shore- at the base of the member and dinoflagellate cysts (Fig. face environment, than the medium- to coarse-grained 7, Locality 6). The ammonite is a microconch and re- sandstones that dominate the lower sandstone unit east sembles Cadoceras septentrionale indicating the lower- of Stensiö Plateau. most part of the Lower Callovian P. koenigi Chronozone The decrease in thickness of the sandstone unit from (P. Alsen, personal communication 1998). Dinoflagel- NE to SW combined with the dominant south-west- late cysts from the base of the member also indicate wards palaeocurrent directions may reflect a NE–SW the C. apertum – P. koenigi Chronozones (Piasecki et proximal–distal trend. In the proximal areas, a large al. 2004, this volume). Dinoflagellate cysts in the up- sediment supply may have delayed the overall drown- per part of the member indicate the Upper Callovian ing recorded by the boundary to the overlying Spath P.athletaChronozone(Piaseckietal.2004,thisvolume). Plateau Member. The increase in thickness towards the NE may, however, also reflect the relief of the palaeo- Facies description. The basal part of the member con- shoreface. sists of dark brown, silty sandstones forming a 6 m thick marker bed, situated 30–40 m above the base of the Jurassic succession (Figs 5, 7, 9). The basal 0.5 m of the bed locally contain scattered fine pebbles up to Spath Plateau Member 6 mm in diameter, but otherwise the unit coarsens new member upwards from silty, very fine-grained sandstone into silty fine-grained sandstone. The sandstones are hori- General. The member comprises mainly cross-bed- zontally laminated, structureless or show subtle wave ded sandstones and sandy heteroliths forming the up- or current cross-lamination with thin organic-rich per part of the Pelion Formation on northern Hold mudstone drapes, but primary structures are to a large with Hope. extent obscured due to weathering or strong bioturba- tion. In a few places, laminae of silty sandstone are Name. After the ice-covered basalt plateau south-west deflected around small, elongate carbonate-cemented of Gulelv, northern Hold with Hope. concretions. Coalified wood fragments up to 30 cm long and belemnites are abundant in the basal part of Type locality. East side of Gulelv (Figs 2, 6, Locality 3) the bed, and a few bivalves and gastropods were found where the composite type section (Fig. 5) is defined immediately above the lower boundary at Locality 6 from sub-sections A–C. (Fig. 7) together with the ammonite Cadoceras septentrionale. The organic content (TOC) is low, about Thickness. 155 m. 1 wt%. The fine-grained marker bed forms the base of the Lithology. The Spath Plateau Member consists of Spath Plateau Member and sharply overlies trough quartzitic sandstones and sandy heteroliths. A silty, very cross-bedded sandstones or conglomerates of the lower fine-grained sandstone bed occurs in the basal part of sandstone unit of the Pelion Formation. However, at the member. Belemnites, bivalves, silicified and Locality 9 (Fig. 8), the basal unit of the member con- coalified wood and impressions of leaf fragments are sists of a ripple cross-laminated sandy heterolith unit, common. c. 0.4 m thick, followed by medium- to coarse-grained, planar cross-bedded sandstones. The upper boundary Boundaries. The lower boundary is marked by an to the overlying ripple cross-laminated sandy hetero- abrupt change from coarse-grained sandstone of the liths is gradational.

59

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 59 29-10-2004, 11:14 SW (Distal)

m 80 m

200 70

190 60

180 50

170 40 m 80

Payer Dal Fm 160 30 70 150 20 m 100 140 60 10 90 130 50 0 Sand ? 120 80 40

110 70 30

100 60 20 90 50 10 80

40 70 0

Sand 30 Pelion Fm 60

50 20

40 10

30 0

Sand 20

10 Lower unit Spath Plateau Mb

0

Sand ~ 2450 m ~ 1050 m ~ 130 m ~ 650 m 23 4 5

60

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 60 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 7. Log panel giving a broadly NE (proximal) to SW (distal) cross-section. For legend, see Fig. 5; for localities, see Fig. 2.

NE (Proximal) Base of distributary channel fill deposits

m Cretaceous

70 m

60 60

50 50 m Spath Plateau Mb

40 40 40 Jurassic

30 30 30

20 20 20

10 10 10

0 0 0

Sand Sand Sand ~ 200 m ~ 1325 m 678Triassic

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 61 29-10-2004, 11:14 NW SE

m

80 Cretaceous m

70 70

60 60

50 50 Spath Plateau Mb

40 40 urassic J Pelion Fm m 30 30

20 20 20 Lower unit 10 10 10

Fig. 8. Log panel giving a NW–SE strike 0 0 0 section through the Jurassic succession. For legend, see Fig. 5; for localities, see Sand ~ 8 kmSand ~ 5 km Sand 18 9Triassic Fig. 2.

The bulk of the member is made up of heteroliths of planar or trough cross-bedded, fine- to coarse- forming units up to 10 m thick of cross-laminated, fine- grained sandstones occasionally with pebbles. Foresets to medium-grained sandstones with thin organic-rich are generally tangential and commonly separated by mudstone drapes. Both symmetrical and asymmetrical single and in places double, organic-rich mudstone ripples, 1–5 cm high and with wavelengths up to 10 drapes. Backflow ripples and reactivation surfaces oc- cm, occur. The heteroliths locally form cross-strata, up cur locally. The sets are 0.5–5 m thick and form cosets to 1.5 m thick, with very low-angle foresets and set up to 25 m thick. Set-boundaries are defined by or- boundaries marked by indistinct toesets of dark, sandy ganic-rich silty sandstone beds 1–10 cm thick, repre- mudstones, a few centimetres thick. Scour surfaces with senting distal toesets. In one place, however, the toesets a relief of up to 20 cm are common in the heteroliths. form a lenticular body of organic-rich shale, 40 m long Locally, structureless sandstones overlie the surfaces. and 0.5 m thick, with gently inclined laminae (to SW). The degree of bioturbation varies from moderate to The cross-bedded, coarse-grained sandstones com- high (up to 100%) and the trace fossil assemblage in- monly overlie ripple cross-laminated sandy heteroliths cludes Planolites beverleyensis, Curvolithos multiplex, with a sharp erosional boundary, and contain belem- Monocraterion tentaculatum, Diplocraterion habichi nites, bivalve shells and coalified wood. The degree of and possibly Helminthopsis magna. Silicified and bioturbation is low and the trace fossils include verti- coalified wood fragments up to 1 m long, together cal burrows of Monocraterion tentaculatum, Diplocra- with impressions of leaf fragments, are abundant and terion habichi and Arenicolites isp. The first type of belemnites occur locally. cross-bedded sandstones form a c. 40 m thick succes- Two types of cross-bedded sandstones occur closely sion in the lower part of the Spath Plateau Member at associated with the heteroliths in the Spath Plateau Locality 9, Diener Bjerg, whereas heteroliths are abun- Member. They both show foresets mainly dipping to- dant in the lower part at the other localities (Figs 7, 8). wards the south-west (Fig. 10). The first type consists The second type of cross-bedded sandstones is fine-

62

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 62 29-10-2004, 11:14 SPM

LU

Triassic

Pelion Fm 5 m

Fig. 9. Triassic siltstones and sandstones overlain by concretionary sandstones of the lower sandstone unit (LU) of the Pelion Formation. A marine drowning surface (dashed line) separates the lower sandstone unit from an overlying dark brown silty sandstone bed which form the basal part of the Spath Plateau Member (SPM), Pelion Formation. Fig. 2, Locality 6.

to medium-grained and consists of up to 5 m thick sets to 5 m thick, the most complete of which have a lower of low-angle master beds separated by thinner cross- part consisting of well-sorted, fine- to medium-grained bedded or ripple cross-laminated sets. The latter com- sandstone with indistinct ripple cross-lamination, trough monly show climbing ripple cross-lamination or lo- cross-bedding and shallow scour fills. The scour fills cally bi-directional cross-laminae. The surfaces of the are 10–30 cm thick and are marked by thin, organic- low-angle master beds may be wave or current rip- rich mudstone layers above the lower erosional bounda- pled and separated by thin mudstone drapes. Set thick- ries followed by laminated or structureless sandstones. ness is 1–5 m. The lower boundary to ripple laminated The upper part of the coarsening-upwards units con- sandy heteroliths is generally gradational. The sand- sists of trough cross-bedded, medium- to coarse-grained stones contain belemnites, bivalve shells and coalified sandstones. Foresets dip mainly towards the south, but wood. The degree of bioturbation is moderate to high. dip-directions towards the west and east also occur Trace fossils include vertical burrows of Monocraterion (Fig. 10). The upper part is commonly calcite cemented tentaculatum, Diplocraterion habichi and Arenicolites and capped by a sharp surface from which abundant isp., forms that are also common in the first type of Diplocraterion habichi descend; other trace fossils in sandstones, together with horizontal burrows of the upper levels include Monocraterion tentaculatum Planolites beverleyensis and possibly Helminthopsis and occasional Ophiomorpha nodosa. Horizontal bur- magna in the intervening mud drapes. rows of Planolites beverleyensis are limited to the lower Trough cross-bedded sandstones similar to those in part of the coarsening-upwards units. Belemnites, bi- the lower sandstone unit of the Pelion Formation oc- valves and silicified wood are common. cur locally in the Spath Plateau Member (Fig. 7). They commonly form coarsening-upwards successions, up Facies interpretation. The laminated silty sandstone

63

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 63 29-10-2004, 11:14 Pelion Fm Pelion Fm (lower sandstone unit) (Spath Plateau Member)

N=11 N=47 N=11 V=243° V=220° V=175°

25 20 15 10 5 % 25 20 15 10 5 % 15 10 5 %

Trough cross-bedding Trough and planar cross- Trough cross-bedding bedding, and low-angle master bedding

Payer Dal Fm Bernbjerg Fm

N=9 N=8 N=14 V=221° V=231° V=338°

50 40 30 20 10 5 % 50 40 30 20 10 5 % 2520 15 10 5 %

Trough and planar cross-bedding Trough cross-bedding Wave ripple crest orientation

Fig. 10. Palaeocurrent and wave-ripple data from the Pelion, Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations. Rose diagrams are shown as true area plots. V, vector mean; N, number of measurements.

bed of the basal Spath Plateau Member (except at Lo- upper shoreface sandstones of the lower sandstone cality 9), was deposited in a marine environment as unit represents a drowning surface. At Locality 9, Die- reflected by the marine dinoflagellate cysts and abun- ner Bjerg, this surface is overlain by a sandy heterolith dant belemnites. The horizontal lamination was formed unit, c. 0.4 m thick, interpreted as having been depos- by deposition from suspension fall-out whereas the ited in the lower to middle shoreface zone. This lateral subtle cross-lamination was probably formed by wave- facies variation suggests that the palaeo-water depth induced currents in the offshore transition to lower decreased from west to east. shoreface zone. The sharp boundary to the underlying The alternation of ripple cross-laminated sandstones

64

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 64 29-10-2004, 11:14 and mudstone drapes reflects varying energy condi- sets on the low-angle master bedding reflect suspen- tions and may be related to the alternation of fair- sion fall-out into deeper water and were possibly de- weather and storm-wave processes and perhaps tidal posited in mouthbars (Elliott 1974; Gjelberg & Steel currents. The strongly bioturbated heteroliths reflect 1995). periods of slow sedimentation and little physical re- The trough cross-bedded sandstones are similar to working whereas the scour surfaces and the overlying those in the lower sandstone unit of the Pelion Forma- structureless sandstones which form part of the facies tion and are similarly interpreted as having formed by are interpreted as having formed by strong currents migration of 3-D dunes in a high energy, shallow ma- related to storm surges (Clifton et al. 1971; Hunter et rine environment. The coarse grain size of the trough al. 1979; Nemec & Steel 1984). The abundant plant cross-beds from the upper part of the coarsening-up- debris suggests a significant sediment supply from land. wards units suggests sediment supply from nearby The two types of cross-bedded sandstones are in- distributary channels. The dominant southwards palaeo- terpreted to represent SSW-migrating sandwaves. They current direction indicates that land was situated to- were modified by waves and opposing tidal currents wards the north, but the large variation in the palaeo- as seen by the presence of wave-ripples, mud drapes, current measurements and the limited dataset preclude reactivation surfaces and bimodal cross-lamination detailed interpretation of the palaeo-shoreline orienta- (Visser 1980; Boersma & Terwindt 1981; Wood & tion. The coarsening-upwards units are interpreted to Hopkins 1989). The first type of cross-bedded sand- reflect progradation in the middle to upper shoreface. stones was formed in shallow water, possibly the up- per shoreface, as seen by the coarse grain-size and low degree of bioturbation. The sharp erosional lower boundaries to lower–middle shoreface heteroliths sug- Payer Dal Formation gest that the migration of sandwaves took place in In the type area on Kuhn Ø, the Payer Dal Formation distributary channels. The marked lateral facies varia- consists of fine- to coarse-grained quartz sandstones tion seen between Locality 9 and the other localities locally with pebbly sandstone lags rich in marine bi- suggests that the thick cross-bedded succession at Lo- valves and belemnites (Alsgaard et al. 2003). The for- cality 9 may represent a major distributary channel fill. mation is subdivided into a lower and an upper unit The second type of cross-bedded sandstones was that have an Early–Middle Oxfordian and early Late formed in deeper water than the first type, as reflected Oxfordian age, respectively (Fig. 4). On Hold with by the generally finer grain-size, stronger bioturbation Hope, a succession of cross-bedded, medium- to and the gradational boundary to underlying lower– coarse-grained quartz sandstones, pebbly sandstone middle shoreface heteroliths. The compound cross-bed- lags and sandy heteroliths overlying the Pelion Forma- ded sandstones with climbing ripple cross-laminated tion is referred to the Payer Dal Formation.

EW

Lower Cretaceous Payer Dal Fm Pelion Fm (Spath Plateau Mb)

Fig. 11. The Spath Plateau Member (Pelion Formation), Payer Dal Formation and overlying Cretaceous sandstones. Note the slight angular discordance at the unconformity between the Pelion and Payer Dal Formations (dashed line). Fig. 2, Locality 3C; view towards 15 m south.

65

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 65 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 12. Structureless and horizontally laminated dark mudstones of the Cretaceous Bernbjerg Formation erosionally overlain by Cretaceous sandstone (Fig. 6, Locality 3E; 340–360 m in Fig. 5). Person (encircled) for scale.

Bernbjerg Fm

The age of the Payer Dal Formation on Hold with trough cross-bedded, coarse-grained sandstones simi- Hope is Middle–Late Oxfordian. Dinoflagellate cysts lar to the first type of cross-bedded sandstones of the from the lower part of the Formation indicate the Mid- Spath Plateau Member. The foresets dip towards the dle–Upper Oxfordian C. tenuiserratum – A. glosense south-west (Fig. 10). The upper boundary to the Chronozones, similar to the upper unit of the Payer Bernbjerg Formation is covered by scree, but is prob- Dal Formation on Kuhn Ø. This suggests that the ably situated somewhere between 223 m and 234 m in boundary between the Pelion and Payer Dal Forma- the composite section at Locality 3 (Fig. 5). tions on Hold with Hope represents a Late Callovian – The basal pebbly sandstone at Locality 3 is inter- Middle Oxfordian hiatus (Fig. 4). preted as a marine lag deposit due to the coarse grain The formation is exposed at Localities 2 and 3 (Figs size, the presence of marine macrofossils and the ero- 2, 5, 7). The lower boundary is only exposed at Local- sional base. The overlying cross-bedded sandstone ity 3, where it is represented by an erosional surface succession was deposited in a high energy, shallow forming a minor angular unconformity between the marine environment as testified by the coarse grain Pelion and Payer Dal Formations (Fig. 11). The sur- size, the pebbly sandstone lags and the marine face is overlain by a pebbly sandstone lag, up to 0.5 m macrofossils. The cross-bedded sandstones are inter- thick, of quartz pebbles 3–5 mm in diameter, belem- preted to reflect the seawards migration of dunes in nites, bivalves and small logs, up to 0.4 m long. The the upper shoreface. The coarse grain size of the sand- lag is overlain by a coarse- to very coarse-grained sand- stone succession and the occurrence of logs and stone succession, c. 15 m thick, which fines slightly rounded clay clasts suggest sediment supply from upwards. The succession is dominated by trough cross- nearby distributary channels. The sandstone succes- bedding but small sets of planar cross-beds and peb- sion is topped by a drowning surface. bly sandstone lags also occur. Dip directions of foresets A slightly different depositional environment is re- are mainly towards the SW (Fig. 10). Pavements of corded by the succession at Locality 2 where planar bivalves are common, whereas belemnites, logs and and trough cross-bedded distributary channel-fill sand- rounded mudstone clasts, up to 5 cm in diameter, oc- stones alternate with lower–middle shoreface hetero- cur locally. The sandstone succession is capped by a liths. These facies are very similar to the facies of the sharp surface overlain by an overall coarsening-up- underlying Spath Plateau Member and are similarly wards unit (c. 25 m thick) of ripple cross-laminated interpreted to reflect migration of dunes in distributary sandy heteroliths, similar to those in the underlying channels and mouth bars associated with tidally influ- Spath Plateau Member. At Locality 2, the formation is enced deltas (see above). at least 70 m thick and consists of alternating ripple The considerable thickness variation of the Payer cross-laminated sandy heteroliths and sets of planar or Dal Formation between Localities 2 and 3, together

66

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 66 29-10-2004, 11:14 with the presence of a minor angular unconformity at fair-weather conditions. Storm-wave currents most likely the base of the formation, might reflect differential deposited the interbedded wave-rippled, medium to subsidence due to the onset of fault-block tilting. coarse-grained sandstones. The orientations of the wave ripples suggest a NW–SE-trending coastline. The facies are interpreted to have been deposited in the offshore transition to lower shoreface zone. The overlying dark Bernbjerg Formation mudstones are interpreted to have been deposited off- The Upper Oxfordian – Lower Volgian Bernbjerg For- shore from suspension fall-out based on the fine grain mation in Wollaston Forland is dominated by dark- size and dominant horizontal lamination. grey to black mudstones and strongly bioturbated hete- roliths (Surlyk 1977; Surlyk & Clemmensen 1983). On Hold with Hope, the formation is poorly exposed along the Gulelv river (Figs 2, 6) where it is estimated to be Palaeoenvironments and basin c. 130 m thick based mainly on simple geometrical configuration calculations. It has not been possible to study lateral The Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope shows a facies variations within the Bernbjerg Formation. stepwise, but overall fining-upwards trend (Fig. 5) re- The basal part of the Bernbjerg Formation on Hold flecting long-term transgression. The transgression was with Hope has a Late Oxfordian, A. glosense Chron interrupted by a major relative sea-level fall within the age based on the presence of the ammonite Amoebo- Late Callovian – Middle Oxfordian time interval, rep- ceras ilovaiskii (J.H. Callomon and P. Alsen, personal resented by the unconformity separating the Pelion communications 1997) and dinoflagellate cysts (Piasecki and Payer Dal Formations. et al. 2004, this volume). In the upper part of the for- The basal Jurassic sediments seem to get younger mation, dinoflagellate cysts indicate a Late Oxfordian from west to east as suggested by dinoflagellate cysts – Early Kimmeridgian, A. serratum – P. baylei Chron age indicating the Lower Callovian C. apertum Chronozone (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). at Stensiö Plateau and the Lower Callovian P. koenigi The basal part of the Bernbjerg Formation on Hold Chronozone at Steensby Bjerg and Diener Bjerg (Fig. with Hope is dominated by organic-rich, silty, fine- 2). The age difference may reflect onset of rifting and grained sandstones, which are horizontally laminated associated onlap. Alternatively, the Stensiö Plateau or locally cross-laminated. Wave-rippled, medium- to formed a separate fault block, which was transgressed coarse-grained sandstone beds, locally with pebbles first. The N–S-trending fault situated at Blåelv, west of up to 1 cm in diameter, are common. The wave rip- Stensiö Plateau, forms the western boundary of Juras- ples have NW–SE ripple crest orientations (Fig. 10; 234– sic sediments today (Fig. 2). The Jurassic sea, how- 248 m in Fig. 5). The silty fine-grained sandstones con- ever, may have extended as far west as to the Post- tain scattered Chondrites isp. Belemnites occur locally Devonian Main Fault, which formed the western basin whereas ammonites are abundant. This lower coarser- boundary during the Late Permian and Triassic (Vischer grained unit of the Bernbjerg Formation is referred to 1943; Birkelund & Perch-Nielsen 1976; Stemmerik et the Ugpik Ravine Member (Surlyk 2003, fig. 5). al. 1993). This would imply that older Jurassic sedi- The succession above the basal part of the Bernbjerg ments from the western part of the basin were eroded Formation consists of structureless or horizontally lami- in post-Kimmeridgian time. Transport of eroded mate- nated dark mudstones (Fig. 12). No macrofossils were rial towards the east may explain the occurrence of found in the mudstones. Total organic carbon (TOC) Cranocephalites sp., indicating the Upper Bajocian C. content is about 2 wt% based on two samples. The pompeckji Chronozone, in the Cretaceous basal con- lower boundary of the Bernbjerg Formation is not ex- glomerate at Steensby Bjerg. The sediment source area posed, and the formation is erosionally overlain by may, however, also have been Clavering Ø, west of Lower Cretaceous coarse-grained sandstones. The the Dombjerg–Clavering Fault, which is believed to Bernbjerg Formation probably continues into the sub- have formed a palaeo-high in Jurassic times (Vischer surface along Gulelv. 1943; Stemmerik et al. 1993). The horizontally laminated and locally cross-lami- Lateral facies variations within the Spath Plateau nated silty fine-grained sandstones from the basal part Member (Pelion Formation) indicate that palaeo-water of the Bernbjerg Formation reflect deposition from depths decreased from west to east. This suggests a suspension fall-out and weak bottom currents during similar setting to that envisaged for the Wollaston For-

67

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 67 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 13. Early–Middle Callovian palaeo- 28ºW 24ºW 20ºW 16ºW geography and facies distribution in East Early–Middle Callovian Greenland. Based on Surlyk (1977), Engkilde & Surlyk (2003), Vosgerau et

76ºN Upper shoreface al. (2004, this volume), and new data from Hold with Hope. Lower shoreface

Offshore

Inferred coastline

Main direction of sediment transport

100 km Wollaston Forland Basin

74ºN

Hold with Hope

Traill Ø

72ºN

Jameson Land Basin

land Basin where deposition took place on the W– The Hold with Hope area is thus interpreted to have SW-tilted hangingwalls of major fault blocks and the formed a narrow embayment which was open for elevated fault block crests formed elongated islands or marine circulation towards the south and, during peri- peninsulas to the east (Vischer 1943; Maync 1947; ods of high sea level, eastwards across the elevated Donovan 1957; Surlyk 1977; Surlyk et al. 1981; Surlyk fault block crest. Farther towards the east, the fault & Clemmensen 1983). The presence of the marine block was most likely limited by the continuation of Pelion and Payer Dal Formations in the vicinity of the the Dombjerg–Clavering Fault, which was active dur- block crest excludes the occurrence of a major land ing the Jurassic (Maync 1947; Surlyk 1977; Stemmerik area during Callovian and Middle Oxfordian time when et al. 1993). The narrow head of the rift-basin occurs the crest probably only formed elongated islands or in an intermediate position between the Wollaston submarine shoals. Forland and Jameson Land Basins that are situated to

68

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 68 29-10-2004, 11:14 the north-east and south-west, respectively (Fig. 13). to the Pelion, Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations of The Hold with Hope region seems to have formed a Early Callovian – Early Kimmeridgian age. It overlies land area during the Late Callovian – Middle Oxfordian Lower Triassic siltstones and sandstones with a sharp time interval whereas it was covered by sea during boundary and is overlain by Cretaceous coarse-grained maximum flooding in Late Bajocian, Early–Middle sandstones with an angular unconformity. The succes- Callovian and Late Oxfordian – Kimmeridgian times. sion was deposited in a shoreface–offshore marine A close comparison of the Jurassic successions in environment and reflects an overall transgression. the Wollaston Forland, Hold with Hope and Jameson The Pelion Formation is c. 190 m thick and consists Land basins is hindered by limited biostratigraphic of a lower sandstone unit, 30–40 m thick, overlain by control at some levels due to the scarcity of ammo- a drowning surface and sandy heteroliths and sand- nites and dinoflagellate cysts in the coarse sandstone stones of the new Spath Plateau Member, c. 155 m facies. It is evident, however, that the Late Callovian – thick. The lower sandstone unit spans the Lower Middle Oxfordian hiatus in the Hold with Hope basin Callovian C. apertum – P. koenigi Chronozones. It con- has not been demonstrated in the other two basins sists of medium to coarse-grained sandstones, which where sediments of Early–Middle Oxfordian age are are trough cross-bedded or structureless and contain well documented (Fig. 4). small pebbly scour-fills. The sandstones commonly form The minor angular unconformity between the Pelion coarsening-upwards units, 6–8 m thick, the upper part and Payer Dal Formations suggests that the hiatus was of which are calcite cemented and contain abundant formed by minor tilting of fault blocks and erosion of Diplocraterion habichi. The sandstones are interpreted uplifted block crests perhaps combined with eustatic to have been deposited in the middle to upper shore- sea-level falls. Sea-level falls, possibly eustatic, have face zone. The Spath Plateau Member is of late Early – been suggested to take place in Late Callovian time, at Middle Callovian, P. koenigi – P. athleta Chron age the Early–Middle Oxfordian boundary and in early Late based on ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts. It is domi- Oxfordian time (Sahagian et al. 1996) and seem to cor- nated by lower–middle shoreface ripple cross-laminated respond to changes in regional sea level documented sandy heteroliths and cross-bedded sandstones reflect- in Jameson Land (Larsen & Surlyk 2003). ing migration of 2-D and 3-D dunes in distributary The dark mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation channels and mouth bars associated with tidally influ- reflect deposition in a quiet offshore environment in- enced deltas. dicating that the influence of basin topography was The Payer Dal Formation is more than 70 m thick overprinted by rise in relative sea level. Fault block and of Middle–Late Oxfordian, C. tenuiserratum – A. crests to the east were finally inundated during the glosense Chron age. It consists of cross-bedded sand- Kimmeridgian. stones and sandy heteroliths showing considerable lat- Strong fault activity occurred at the boundary be- eral thickness variations and reflects progradation of tween the post-Kimmeridgian and pre-Barremian suc- tidally influenced dunes and mouth bars. It is sepa- cessions and the fault blocks originally defining the rated from the underlying Pelion Formation by an an- Hold with Hope basin were split into smaller blocks, a gular unconformity representing a Late Callovian – similar tectonic development to that seen in the Wolla- Middle Oxfordian hiatus, formed by subaerial erosion ston Forland Basin. Comparison with the Wollaston related to an eustatic sea-level fall, combined with minor Forland Basin suggests that this tectonic episode took tilting of fault blocks and erosion of uplifted block crests. place in Volgian–Valanginian time. The Bernbjerg Formation is at least 130 m thick and spans the Upper Oxfordian – Lower Kimmeridgian (A. glosense – P. baylei Chronozones). The basal part con- sists of horizontally laminated and locally cross-lami- Summary and conclusions nated silty fine-grained sandstones interbedded with A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession is described thin wave-rippled medium- to coarse-grained sand- from northern Hold with Hope. The Jurassic sediments stones and is referred to the Ugpik Ravine Member. occur on the hangingwall of small fault blocks dipping Deposition took place in the offshore transition to lower towards the WSW. The sediments are locally eroded shoreface zone. The upper part of the formation con- away on the uplifted block crests, whereas they in- sists of structureless or horizontally laminated dark crease in thickness down-dip on the hangingwalls. The mudstones reflecting offshore deposition in an outer Jurassic succession is up to 360 m thick and is referred shelf environment.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 69 29-10-2004, 11:14 Deposition of the Jurassic succession on Hold with Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, Hope took place in a narrow rift-controlled embayment 865–892. as indicated by the distribution of the sediments and Birkelund, T. & Perch-Nielsen, K. 1976: Late Palaeozoic – Mesozoic evolution of central East Greenland. In: Escher, A. dominating south-westwards palaeocurrent directions & Watt, W.S. (eds): Geology of Greenland, 304–339. Copen- in the Pelion and Payer Dal Formations. Lateral facies hagen: Geological Survey of Greenland. variations in the Spath Plateau Member indicate a de- Boersma, J.R. & Terwindt, J.H.J. 1981: Neap-spring tide sequences crease in palaeowater depth from west to east. The of intertidal shoal deposits in a mesotidal estuary. Sedimen- embayment was open to marine circulation to the south tology 28, 151–170. and probably partly to the east, where the crestal mar- Clifton, H.E., Hunter, R.E. & Phillips, R.L. 1971: Depositional gin of a slightly westwards to south-westwards tilted structures and processes in the non-barred high-energy near- block formed elongated narrow islands or submarine shore. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 41, 651–670. Donovan, D.T. 1957: The Jurassic and Cretaceous systems in shoals. During the deposition of the Bernbjerg Forma- East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 155(4), 214 pp. tion, the influence of basin topography was overprinted Elliott, T. 1974: Interdistributary bay sequences and their gen- by a rise in relative sea level and the fault block crest esis. Sedimentology 21, 611–622. to the east was inundated. Towards the west, the Stensiö Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- Plateau may have formed a separate block that was mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, transgressed first, as indicated by the fact that the Pelion East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- Formation is older at this locality than at Steensby Bjerg sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- and Diener Bjerg. mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. Gjelberg, J. & Steel, R.J. 1995: Helvetiafjellet Formation (Bar- The presence of an angular unconformity between remian–Aptian), Spitsbergen: characteristics of a transgres- the Jurassic and Cretaceous succession shows that block sive succession. In: Steel, R.J., Felt, V., Johannessen, E.P. & rotation took place in post-Kimmeridgian – pre-Bar- Mathieu, C. (eds): Sequence stratigraphy on the Northwest remian time. During this tectonic episode, the fault European Margin. Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Spe- block originally defining the Hold with Hope basin cial Publication 5, 571–593. Amsterdam: Elsevier. was split into narrower blocks. This might have taken Hunter, R.E., Clifton, H.E. & Phillips, R.L. 1979: Depositional place in the Volgian–Valanginian as suggested by com- processes, sedimentary structures and predicted vertical se- quences in barred nearshore systems, southern Oregon coast. parison with the Wollaston Forland Basin where a simi- Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 49, 711–726. lar tectonic event took place during this time interval. Kelly, S.R.A., Whitham, A.G., Koraini, A.M. & Price, S.P. 1998: Lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous (Barremian–Santonian) Hold with Hope Group, NE Greenland. Journal of the Geo- logical Society of London 155, 993–1008. Acknowledgements Koch, L. 1932: Carboniferous and Triassic stratigraphy of East The present study received support from Saga Petro- Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 83(2), 100 pp. leum asa, and is a contribution to the project ‘Resources Koch, L. & Haller, J. 1971: Geological map of East Greenland 72°–76°N. Lat. (1:250 000). Meddelelser om Grønland 183, of the sedimentary basins of North and East Green- 26 pp., 13 maps. land’ supported by the Danish Research Councils. We Larsen, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shelf-edge delta and slope depo- are grateful to Lars Stemmerik and the referees Jon sition in the Upper Callovian – Middle Oxfordian Olympen Gjelberg and Finn Surlyk for very useful and construc- Formation, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): tive comments. Peter Alsen and John H. Callomon are The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey thanked for providing biostratigraphic information. of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 931–948. Larsen, M., Piasecki, S., Preuss, T., Seidler, L., Stemmerik, L., Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 1998: Petroleum geological activities in East Greenland in 1997. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 180, 35–42. References Maync, W. 1947: Stratigraphie der Jurabildungen Ostgrönlands Alsen, P. & Surlyk, F. 2004: Maximum Middle Jurassic transgres- zwischen Hochstetterbugten (75°N) und dem Kejser Frantz sion in East Greenland: evidence from new ammonite finds, Joseph Fjord (73°N). Meddelelser om Grønland 132(2), 223 Bjørnedal, Traill Ø. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The pp. Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- Maync, W. 1949: The Cretaceous beds between Kuhn Island mark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 31–49 (this volume). and Cape Franklin (Gauss Peninsula), northern East Green- Alsgaard, P.C., Felt, V.L., Vosgerau, H. & Surlyk, F. 2003: The land. Meddelelser om Grønland 133(3), 291 pp. Jurassic of Kuhn Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Nemec, W. & Steel, R.J. 1984: Alluvial and coastal conglomer- Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. ates: their significant features and some comments on grav-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 70 29-10-2004, 11:14 elly mass-flow deposits. In: Koster, E.H. & Steel, R.J. (eds): sponsible for Britain’s oil and gas reserves. Geological Soci- Sedimentology of gravels and conglomerates. Canadian So- ety Special Publication (London) 55, 107–125. ciety of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 10, 1–31. Surlyk, F. 1991: Sequence stratigraphy of the Jurassic – lowermost Piasecki, S., Larsen, M., Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 2004: Cretaceous of East Greenland. American Association of Pe- Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope, troleum Geologists Bulletin 75, 1468–1488. North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 73–88 (this volume). In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark Price, S.P. & Whitham, A.G. 1997: Exhumed hydrocarbon traps and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- in East Greenland: analogs for the Lower–Middle Jurassic land Bulletin 1, 659–722. play of Northwest Europe. American Association of Petro- Surlyk, F. & Clemmensen, L.B. 1983: Rift propagation and eustacy leum Geologists Bulletin 81, 196–221. as controlling factors during Jurassic inshore and shelf sedi- Sahagian, D., Pinous, O., Olferiev, A. & Zakharov, V. 1996: mentation in northern East Greenland. Sedimentary Geol- Eustatic curve for the Middle Jurassic – Cretaceous based on ogy 34, 119–143. Russian platform and Siberian stratigraphy: zonal resolution. Surlyk, F., Callomon, J.H., Bromley, R.G. & Birkelund, T. 1973: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 80, Stratigraphy of the Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous sediments of 1433–1458. Jameson Land and Scoresby Land, East Greenland. Bulletin Stemmerik, L., Christiansen, F.G., Piasecki, S., Jordt, B., Marcus- Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 105, 76 pp. sen, C. & Nøhr-Hansen, H. 1993: Depositional history and Surlyk, F., Clemmensen, L.B. & Larsen, H.C. 1981: Post-Paleozoic petroleum geology of the Carboniferous to Cretaceous sedi- evolution of the East Greenland continental margin. In: Kerr, ments in the northern part of East Greenland. In: Vorren, J.W. & Fergusson, A.J. (eds): Geology of the North Atlantic T.O., Bergsager, E., Dahl-Stamnes, Ø.A., Holter, E., Johansen, borderlands. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists B., Lie, E. & Lund, T.B. (eds): Arctic geology and petroleum Memoir 7, 611–645. potential. Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Special Pub- Vischer, A. 1943: Die postdevonische Tektonik von Ostgrönland lication 5, 67–68. Amsterdam: Elsevier. zwischen 74° und 75°N Br. Kuhn Ø, Wollaston Forland, Stemmerik, L., Clausen, O.R., Korstgård, J., Larsen, M., Piasecki, Clavering Ø und angrenzende Gebiete. Meddelelser om S., Seidler, L., Surlyk, F. & Therkelsen, J. 1997: Petroleum Grønland 133(1), 195 pp. geological investigations in East Greenland: project ‘Resources Visser, M.J. 1980: Neap-spring cycles reflected in Holocene of the sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’. subtidal large-scale bedform deposits: a preliminary note. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 176, 29–38. Geology 8, 543–546. Surlyk, F. 1977: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeography of the Vosgerau, H., Alsen, P., Carr, I.D., Therkelsen, J., Stemmerik, L. Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscar Fjord, & Surlyk, F. 2004: Jurassic syn-rift sedimentation on a sea- East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgel- wards-tilted fault block, Traill Ø, North-East Greenland. In: se 123, 56 pp. Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Surlyk, F. 1978: Submarine fan sedimentation along fault scarps Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland on tilted fault blocks (Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, East Bulletin 5, 9–18 (this volume). Greenland). Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Wood, J.M. & Hopkins, J.C. 1989: Reservoir sandstone bodies in 128, 108 pp. estuarine valley fill: Lower Cretaceous Glauconitic Member, Surlyk, F. 1990: Timing, style and sedimentary evolution of Late Little Bow Field, Alberta, Canada. American Association of Palaeozoic – Mesozoic extensional basins of East Greenland. Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 73, 1361–1382. In: Hardman R.F.P. & Brooks, J. (eds): Tectonic events re-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 72 29-10-2004, 11:14 Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope, North-East Greenland

Stefan Piasecki, Michael Larsen, Jens Therkelsen and Henrik Vosgerau

Dinoflagellate cysts of the Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on northern Hold with Hope have been studied in order to establish a biostratigraphic framework and to date the succession. The Pelion Formation is characterised by abundant Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina and Sentusidinium spp., with some Ctenidodinium thulium and Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata in the lower part. Mendicodinium groenlandicum appears higher in the formation followed by Trichodinium scarburghense in the upper part. The succeeding Payer Dal Formation contains Scriniodinium crystallinum, Rigaudella aemula and Leptodinium subtile in the lower part and Dingodinium jurassicum and Prolixosphaeridium granulosum in the uppermost part. The Bernbjerg Forma- tion contains abundant Sirmiodinium grossii and Gonyaulacysta jurassica. Adnatospahaeridium sp., Cribroperidinium granuligerum, Glossodinium cf. dimorphum and Scriniodinium irregulare appear in the lower part of the formation, followed by Avellodinium spp. in the highest part. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in the Pelion Formation indicate an Early–Late Callovian age (C. apertum – P. athleta Chronozones). This is supported by ammonites in the lower part of the formation, which refer to the C. apertum and P. koenigi Chronozones. A significant hiatus, from Late Callovian to Middle Oxfordian, is present between the Pelion Formation and the overlying Payer Dal Formation. The age of the Payer Dal Formation is Middle Oxfordian to earliest Late Oxfordian (C. tenuiserratum – A. glosense Chronozones). The Payer Dal Formation is conform- ably overlain by the Bernbjerg Formation of Late Oxfordian to possibly earliest Kimmeridgian age (A. glosense – P. baylei Chronozones). The A. glosense Chronozone is also documented by abundant ammonites in the lowermost part of the formation.

Keywords: ammonites, dinoflagellate cysts, Jurassic, North-East Greenland, stratigraphy

S.P., M.L., J.T.* & H.V.‡, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected] Present addresses: *Skude & Jacobsen, Næstvedvej 1, DK-4760 Vordingborg, Denmark. ‡Roskilde Amt, Køgevej 80, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.

The recognition of Middle–Upper Jurassic sediments 3). A new member of the Pelion Formation, the Spath on northern Hold with Hope added a missing link to Plateau Member, was erected (Vosgerau et al. 2004, the chain of Jurassic sedimentary exposures along the this volume). Correlation was based on very few, poorly east coast of Greenland (Figs 1, 2; Stemmerik et al. preserved Middle Jurassic ammonites in situ in the 1997; Kelly et al. 1998; Larsen et al. 1997; Vosgerau et lower sandstone-dominated part of the succession, and al. 2004, this volume). Sedimentological and biostrati- more abundant Upper Jurassic ammonites of the Up- graphical analysis of the succession formed the basis per Oxfordian, the A. glosense Zone, in the mudstone- for correlation with lithostratigraphical units in Wolla- dominated upper part of the succession. The content ston Forland and Jameson Land, and subdivision into of dinoflagellate cysts was studied in order to improve the Pelion, Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations (Fig. the biostratigraphic dating of the succession, and to

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 73–88 © GEUS, 2004 73

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 73 29-10-2004, 11:14 42°W 36°W 28°W 20°W 12°W improve the knowledge of Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts in this region in general. The results reported here

82°N allow correlation with corresponding assemblages from Store Koldewey and Hochstetter Forland in the north and Jameson Land – Milne Land in the south (Fig. 1).

Geological setting 80°N The Late Palaeozoic – Mesozoic extensional basin com- plex in East Greenland is approximately 700 km long

12°W in a north–south direction. Jurassic sediments are present and exposed from Jameson Land in the south to Store Koldewey in the north (Surlyk 1977). In the northern part of the rift system, e.g. the Wollaston For- 78°N land Basin, rifting was initiated in Middle Jurassic time, and marine Bajocian–Bathonian sandstones onlap Cal- edonian basement rocks or Permian carbonates (Vischer 1943; Surlyk 1978). Deposition took place on the hang- ingwall of W–SW-tilted fault blocks. Jurassic rifting culminated in the Volgian with strong rotational block St. Koldewey 76°N faulting (Surlyk 1978). During this episode the wide original fault blocks, defining the Wollaston Forland Hochstetter Basin, were divided into smaller blocks (Vischer 1943; Forland Surlyk 1978). A similar tectonic development may have occurred in the Geographical Society Ø and Traill Ø area towards the south (Donovan 1957; Price & Whit- Kuhn Ø ham 1997). The Cretaceous period was generally char- Wollaston 74°N Forland acterised by subsidence controlled by thermal contrac- tion (Surlyk et al. 1981; Price & Whitham 1997). The Fig. 2 Hold with Hope East Greenland rift basin complex was uplifted during the Cenozoic. Geographical Society Ø Sediments of Jurassic age were first recognised on Hold with Hope by Stemmerik et al. (1997). They are Traill Ø 72°N limited to the north coast of Hold with Hope from Stensiö Plateau to Steensby Bjerg (Fig. 2), where they occur on the hangingwall of small fault blocks that dip Jameson Land mainly to the west and south-west. Bedding planes Milne within the Triassic and Jurassic seem to be parallel, Land whereas the boundary with the overlying Cretaceous Scoresby Sund 200 km 70°N succession is an angular unconformity (Vosgerau et al. 28°W 20°W 2004, this volume). The thickness of the Jurassic suc- cession varies significantly depending on its position Fig. 1. Locality map of East Greenland and eastern North Green- on the hangingwall and the depth of Cretaceous ero- land. The white region illustrates the permanent inland ice cap sion. The Jurassic succession includes shallow marine of Greenland, the grey areas are ice-free. Hold with Hope is located between 73ºN and 74ºN. sandstones of the Pelion and Payer Dal Formations (Vardekløft Group), and offshore transition – lower shoreface heteroliths and offshore mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation, Hall Bredning Group (Fig. 3). The Spath Plateau Member of the Pelion Formation was erected to accommodate sandy heteroliths and

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Fig. 2. Geological map of the northern Hold with Hope which illustrates the distribution of the studied Jurassic succession. Localities 1, 2 and 3 are marked; the succession at Locality 1 has been compiled from a number of short laterally correlated sections (1A–1E).

offshore mudstones that contrast with the generally on northern Hold with Hope. The main area of expo- coarse-grained sandstone facies of the Pelion Forma- sure is located on the northern and western slopes of tion (Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume). The succes- Steensby Bjerg towards Gael Hamke Bugt and along sion on Hold with Hope resembles the well-known the Gulelv river (Fig. 2, Locality 1). Samples from a Jurassic succession in the Wollaston Forland and number of short, vertical sections are combined into a Jameson Land Basins towards the north and south. The composite section representing the entire succession Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation is c. 190 m thick, the (Fig. 2, Locality 1, sections A–E). The Payer Dal For- Upper Jurassic Payer Dal Formation is 50–80 m thick mation was also sampled at the Sortelv river, south of and the Bernbjerg Formation is estimated to be c. 130 Steensby Bjerg (Fig. 2, Locality 2). Samples from a third m thick (Fig. 4; Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume). section through the Pelion Formation at Stensiö Pla- teau (Fig. 2, Locality 3) provide good supplementary material from the lowermost part of the succession, which is poorly represented in the section at Steensby Samples and methods Bjerg. Most of the analysed samples are from fine- The dinoflagellate cysts have been studied in three grained thin beds or lamina in the otherwise coarse- sections (Fig. 4), in combination with a number of grained, sandy Pelion and Payer Dal Formations. The geographically and stratigraphically scattered samples number of samples and their stratigraphical distribu-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 75 29-10-2004, 11:14 Chronozones Lithology Lithostratigraphy Fig. 3. Schematic correlation of the Jurassic succession on northern Hold with Hope. The lithostratigraphical units A. mutabilis are correlated with the Middle to Upper Jurassic chronozonation on the basis of R. cymodoce ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts. Points of correlation to chronozones are P. baylei indicated by ammonite or dinoflagellate A. rosenkrantzi Bernbjerg cyst signatures. The subdivision of the A. regulare Formation A. serratum chronozones corresponds to the ammonite faunas in the biozonation. A. glosense Payer Dal C. tenuiserratum Formation Upper Jurassic

M C. densiplicatum

C. cordatum Q. mariae Q. lamberti UU P. athleta E. coronatum M K. jason S. calloviense Spath Plateau Pelion Member P. koenigi Formation Callovian Oxfordian Kimmeridgian LL C. nordenskjoeldi lower Middle Jurassic Middle sandstone unit

C. apertum Sandstone Ammonite Heterolithic Dinoflagellate cyst sandstone Mudstone

tion are controlled by the occurrence and accessibility graphy (Callomon 1993; Milner & Piasecki 1996; Pia- of these fine-grained beds. In contrast, the shale of the secki 1996; Piasecki & Stemmerik 2004, this volume; Bernbjerg Formation provides productive samples Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). throughout the formation. Standard palynological preparation has been per- formed on most samples. A minority of the samples were prepared by the tank-preparation method Ammonites (Poulsen et al. 1990). Both methods involve treatment Ammonites are very restricted in the Jurassic succes- with hydrofluoric (HF) and hydrochloric acids (HCl) sion on Hold with Hope, and only three horizons have followed by filtering at 20 µm mesh size, short oxida- been dated and correlated with the standard Boreal

tion by nitric acid (HNO3) and washing in low concen- ammonite stratigraphy (Callomon 1993). A specimen tration potassium hydroxide (KOH). referred to Cadoceras cf. breve (J.H. Callomon and P. Alsen, personal communications 1997) was found 10 m

Biostratigraphy Facing page: Fig. 4. Simplified sedimentological logs of the Jurassic succes- The ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts have been sion from Localities 1, 2 and 3 on northern Hold with Hope. analysed and correlated to the Boreal ammonite and The formal and informal lithostratigraphic units are indicated dinoflagellate stratigraphy, i.e. East Greenland strati- together with the ammonite horizons; l.s., lower shale.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 76 29-10-2004, 11:14 Locality 1 GGU sample no. Lithology m 427851 Siltstone

350 427850 Silty sandstone Sandstone Pebbly sandstone Pebble lag

Structures Horizontal lamination 300 Poor Planar bedding exposure Wave ripple Hummocky cross-stratification

Bernbjerg Formation Cross-lamination Planar cross-bedding 427859 Trough cross-bedding Poor exposure 250 Ammonite/Zone 427858 A. glosense A. glosense

Poor exposure 427810 427809

200 427808 Payer Dal Payer Formation C. tenuiserratumC. baylei P.

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150 P. athletaP. glosense A. 427793 50

427790 433859 433159 433158 433157 Payer Dal Formation Payer 100 glosense A. – tenuiserratum C. upper sandstone unit Spath Plateau Member 433858 Pelion Formation Pelion 0 FMC 427780 Silt Sand Pebbles K. jason K. 427840

427833

50 427836 Locality 3 427730 427729 m 444857 l. s. l. Spath unit 427818 Plateau 444856 P. koenigi 427782 Member 30 444855 427705 433869 444832 lower C. apertum – P. koenigi apertum – P. C.

lower 444830 427717 C. apertum sandstone unit 427729 433868 C. apertum – P. koenigi apertum – P. C. sandstone unit 444854 0 Formation Pelion 0 433865 FMC FMC Silt Sand Pebbles Silt Sand Pebbles

77

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 77 29-10-2004, 11:14 above the base of the lower sandstone unit in the Pelion Sirmiodinium grossii, Valensiella dictydia and Sentu- Formation and indicates the Cadoceras apertum Zone sidinium spp. The third and uppermost assemblage, (Fig. 4). A poorly preserved ammonite referred tenta- above the ammonite horizon of the C. apertum Zone, tively to Cadoceras septentrionale (P. Alsen, personal is moderately to highly diverse and contains abundant communication 1998) in the lowermost Spath Plateau Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina, Rhynchodiniopsis clado- Member of the Pelion Formation indicates the Pro- phora, R. cf. cladophora and Pareodinia pachyceras planulites koenigi Zone. Much higher in the succes- (Fig. 5). sion, in the basal Bernbjerg Formation, the presence The corresponding succession at Steensby Bjerg (Figs of Amoeboceras ilovaiskii (J.H. Callomon and P. Alsen, 2, 6, Locality 1) contains a very poor dinoflagellate cyst personal communications 1997) indicates the Amoe- assemblage and Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina is the only boceras glosense Zone. frequent species. However, also at this locality slightly These three ammonite horizons occur at separate more species appear in the uppermost strata of the localities (Fig. 4). The C. apertum Zone is identified in unit, thus showing an upwards increase in diversity. the succession at Stensiö Plateau (Locality 3), the P. koenigi Zone is identified in the succession at Gulelv Correlation. The succession of species appearances (Locality 1) and the A. glosense Zone is identified in up through the lower sandstone unit of the Pelion the section at Sortelv (Locality 2). A calcareous con- Formation in the Stensiö Plateau succession (Locality cretion with a specimen of Cranocephalites sp. (C. 3) does not yield any significant stratigraphic informa- pompeckji Zone) is reworked into the Cretaceous ba- tion. However, the abundance of Chytroeisphaeridia sal conglomerate. The ammonite data thus indicate that hyalina combined with the earliest appearance of parts of the lower Pelion Formation are equivalent to Fromea tornatilis, Pareodinia prolongata, Aldorfia al- the C. apertum – P. koenigi Chronozones, Lower Cal- dorfensis and Kallosphaeridium sp. in this unit are con- lovian, and parts of the lower Bernbjerg Formation are sidered indicative of the C. apertum Chronozone based equivalent to the A. glosense Chronozone, Upper on comparison to the dinoflagellate records in Jameson Oxfordian. A more detailed stratigraphical framework Land and Store Koldewey (Milner & Piasecki 1996; Pia- is provided by the more consistently occurring dino- secki et al. 2004, this volume). This is also in accordance flagellate cysts. with the ammonite record in this succession. The poor dinoflagellate assemblage from the ‘lower sandstone unit’ at Steensby Bjerg (Locality 1) does not provide clear correlation but contains some character- Dinoflagellate cysts istic species, e.g. Paraevansia brachythelis which has The dinoflagellate cyst data are described below in its lowest record in the C. apertum Chronozone on relation to five lithostratigraphic units, as presented by Store Koldewey (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). Vosgerau et al. (2004, this volume). Several species that are restricted to the upper as- semblage of the Stensiö Plateau succession are also limited to the topmost strata of the corresponding unit in the succession at Steensby Bjerg: Aldorfia aldorfensis, Pelion Formation, lower sandstone unit Lithodinia planoseptata, Ctenidodinium thulium and The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are of low to mod- Pareodinia prolongata. However, other species from erate diversity and density in the samples from this the upper assemblage in the Stensiö Plateau succes- coarse-grained unit. The most diverse assemblages were sion (C. apertum Chronozone at Locality 3) appear for recovered from the succession at Stensiö Plateau (Figs the first time at a stratigraphically higher level in the 2, 4, 5, Locality 3). Many of the species in this assem- Steensby Bjerg succession (Locality 1). This may re- blage are known from strata in East Greenland older flect the restricted material and data from this unit in than the Early Callovian age indicated here by ammo- the Steensby Bjerg succession (Locality 1). nites (Milner & Piasecki 1996). Three assemblages have been distinguished in this unit, based on a limited Age. The age of the ‘lower sandstone unit’ of the Pelion number of samples. A lower assemblage of poor di- Formation is Early Callovian, equivalent to the C. versity with frequent Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina and apertum – P. koenigi Chronozones based on ammo- Sentusidinium sp. D (Fensome 1979) is followed by a nites and dinoflagellate cysts. middle assemblage of higher diversity with abundant

78

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 78 29-10-2004, 11:14 Depositional environment. The presence of a low di- locality, are reported to appear for the first time in or verse assemblage with Limbicysta bjaerkei in the basal near the C. apertum Chronozone. The highest occur- strata combined with significant, upwards increasing rence of Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata is found diversity indicate that deposition of this unit began in at the same level in both successions (Localities 1, 3) a marginal marine environment and changed to depo- and indicates the P. koenigi Chronozone based on its sition in a fully marine environment. The preferred last occurrence in the Jameson Land Basin (Milner & habitat of L. bjaerkei is non-marine (Bailey & Hogg Piasecki 1996). The highest occurrence of Kallosphaer- 1995) but it also has been recorded in restricted ma- idium hypornatum in Jameson Land is also in the P. rine dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, for example in koenigi Chronozone. Pareodinia stegasta appears in the basal strata of the Payer Dal Formation in Hoch- the basal mudstone as it does in a stratigraphically stetter Forland (Piasecki & Stemmerik 2004, this vol- comparable transgressive shale unit on Store Kolde- ume). Here, L. bjaerkei occurs together with the ma- wey (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). The lower rine fauna immediately above non-marine–brackish boundary of the Spath Plateau Member is a major sediments. drowning surface overlain by mudstone both on Hold with Hope and on Store Koldewey (Piacecki et al. 2004, this volume; Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume).

Pelion Formation, Spath Plateau Member, Age. The age of the ‘basal shale unit’ of the Spath lower shale unit Plateau Member is Early Callovian, equivalent to the The diversity and especially abundance of dinoflagel- C. apertum – P. koenigi Chronozones. late cysts reach a maximum in the basal mudstone of the Spath Plateau Member. In the Stensiö Plateau suc- Depositional environment. The maximum diversity and cession (Locality 3), the composition of the assemblage density of dinoflagellate cysts in the Middle Jurassic is not significantly different from the highest assem- succession occur in this unit and indicate deposition blage in the unit below. However, in the Steensby Bjerg of shelf mudstone in a fully marine environment dur- succession (Locality 1), several species appear strati- ing flooding. graphically delayed compared to the Stensiö Plateau succession and their appearance in this ‘lower shale unit’ produces a local, significant increase in the diver- sity (Fig. 6). Chytroeispharidia hyalina is very abun- Pelion Formation, Spath Plateau Member, dant at both localities together with frequent Sirmiod- upper sandstone unit inium grossii, Sentusidinium pelionense, Rhynchodini- Samples are available only from the succession at opsis cladophora, R. cf. cladophora and Sentusidinium Steensby Bjerg (Locality 1). The dinoflagellate assem- sp. D (Fensome 1979). blage is moderately rich and diverse. The bulk of the species are the same as in the shale below, but are Correlation. The ammonite biostratigraphy shows that combined with more species higher in the succession the mudstone is within or above the C. apertum and that typically appear in the Callovian. Chytroeisphaer- the P. koenigi Chronozones at Localities 1 and 3, re- idia hyalina, Gonyaulacysta jurassica, Rhynchodini- spectively. The dinoflagellate biostratigraphy suggests opsis cladophora and Sentusidinium spp. are most fre- that this mudstone is of the same age at Localities 1 quent. Mendicodinium groenlandicum appears in the and 3, i.e. equivalent to the P. koenigi Chronozone, lower part of the unit and Tubotuberella eisenackii but the stratigraphic resolution does not exclude the and Trichodinium scarburghense appear higher in the possibility that the basal mudstone at Locality 3 may unit. include strata from the C. apertum Chronozone. This is the stratigraphical lower limit based on ammonites Correlation. The overall Callovian dinoflagellate as- (Fig. 4). It is possible that the mudstone is diachronous. semblage provides few stratigraphical markers. The unit The ammonite found in sandstone at the lithostrati- is stratigraphically restricted downwards by the pres- graphic transition to the basal mudstone of the Spath ence of Lower Callovian dinoflagellate cysts and am- Plateau Member at Locality 1 (Fig. 4), is referred to the monites (P. koenigi Chronozone) in the shale unit be- Proplanulites koenigi Zone. Most of the dinoflagellate low. Records from the Jameson Land Basin indicate species that appear just above the ammonite at this that Mendicodinium groenlandicum appears in the K.

79

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 79 29-10-2004, 11:14 Hold with Hope, Locality 3, Stensiö Plateau dictyornata var. regalis? Age Stage cf. pelionense sp. A (Fensome 1979) sp. A Metres Metres Formation spp. cf. sp. D (Fensome 1979) spp. spp. spp. Sample height spp. spp. GGU sample no. spp. spp. spp. Valensiella dictydia Valensiella Fromea tornatilis Atopodinium hanneae Valvaeodinium Ctenidodinium thulium Nannoceratopsis plegas Paraevansia Sirmiodinium grossii Lithodinia spongiosa Cyclopsiella Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora Tubotuberella Ambonosphaera calloviana Lithodinia leneae Valvaeodinium Sentusidinium pelionense Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata Pareodinia Pterospermopsis Valensiella Tasmanites Tasmanites Solisphaeridium ankyleton Leiofusa jurassica Rhynchodiniopsis Sentusidinium Pareodinia halosa Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina ovula Valensiella Sentusidinium Sentusidinium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 50 Cretaceous Cretaceous

45.00 444853 Bjerg Steensby 40 37.00 444857

31.25 444856

30 28.00 444855

23.00 433869 444832

21.00 Pelion Callovian Callovian 20 Middle Jurassic Jurassic Middle 10 7.50 444830 6.50 433868

2.25 444854 1.00 433865 0

80

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 80 29-10-2004, 11:14 ALPHABETICAL SPECIES LIST

33 Aldorfia aldorfensis 23 Ambonosphaera calloviana 34 Atopodinium haromense 13 Atopodinium spp. 59 Batioladinium pelliferum 44 Chlamydophorella ectotabulata 8 Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina 62 Chytroeisphaeridia spp. cladophora sp. (Fensome 1979) spp. stimuliferum Ctenidodinium thulium

helicoidea 15 spp. cf. deflandrei spp. cf. spp.

spp. Cyclopsiella spp.

cf. 20 spp. cf.

callomonii 39 Endoscrinium galeritum

cf. 60 Escharisphaeridia spp. 53 Escharisphaeridia rudis 12 Fromea tornatilis 45 Gonyaulacystacf. helicoidea Mendicodinium Solisphaeridium Lithodinia planoseptata Aldorfia aldorfensis Atopodinium haromense Kallosphaeridium hypornatum Gonyaulacysta jurassica Pareodinia "granulata" Pareodinia prolongata Endoscrinium galeritum Pareodinia pachyceras Kallosphaeridium praussii. Pilosidinium fensomei Rhynchodiniopsis Chlamydophorella ectotabulata Gonyaulacysta Micrhystridium Sentusidinium sparsibarbatum Pareodinia stegasta Paraevansia brachythelis Lithodinia Gonyaulacysta pectinigera Escharisphaeridia rudis sortehatense Veryhachium Micrhystridium eisenackii Tubotuberella Solisphaeridium Paragonyaulacysta Batioladinium pelliferum Escharisphaeridia Hystrichodinium Chytroeisphaeridia 36 Gonyaulacysta jurassica 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 52 Gonyaulacysta pectinigera 61 Hystrichodinium spp. 35 Kallosphaeridium hypornatum 41 Kallosphaeridium praussii 4 Leiofusa jurassica 51 Lithodinia cf. callomonii 32 Lithodinia planoseptata 19 Lithodinia spongiosa 24 Lithodinia spp. 48 Mendicodinium spp. 55 Micrhystridium cf. deflandrei 46 Micrhystridium spp. 16 Nannoceratopsis plegas var. dictyornata 50 Paraevansia brachythelis 17 Paraevansia spp. 27 Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata 58 Paragonyaulacysta sp. (Fensome 1979) 37 Pareodinia "granulata" 7 Pareodinia halosa 40 Pareodinia pachyceras 38 Pareodinia prolongata 28 Pareodinia spp. 49 Pareodinia stegasta 42 Pilosidinium fensomei 29 Pterospermopsis sp. A (Fensome 1979) 43 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. cladophora 5 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. regalis ? 21 Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora 10 Sentusidinium cf. pelionense 26 Sentusidinium pelionense 11 Sentusidinium sp. D (Fensome 1979) 47 Sentusidinium sparsibarbatum 6 Sentusidinium spp. 18 Sirmiodinium grossii 3 Solisphaeridium ankyleton 57 Solisphaeridium cf. stimuliferum >50 specimens 31 Solisphaeridium spp. 1 Tasmanites spp.

2–50 - specimens 56 Tubotuberella eisenackii 5–19 specimens 22 Tubotuberella spp. 2 Valensiella dictydia 2–4 specimens 9 Valensiella ovula 30 Valensiella spp. 1 specimen 14 Valvaeodinium hanneae 25 Valvaeodinium leneae 54 Veryhachium sortehatense

Fig. 5. Distribution chart of dinoflagellate cysts in the Jurassic succession at Locality 3, Stensiö Plateau, northern Hold with Hope. The first appearances of species are stratigraphically arranged. The Jurassic succession is overlain unconformably by Cretaceous strata of the Steensby Bjerg Formation (Kelly et al. 1998) – see sample at 45 m.

81

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 81 29-10-2004, 11:14 Hold with Hope, Locality 1, Steensby Bjerg cerastes pocockii spp. cladophora cf. helicoidea cf. cf. pelionense cf. sp. D (Fensome 1979) spp. spp. cf. spp. spp. spp. spongiosa Age Stage spp. sp. (Fensome 1979) spp. cf. Metres Metres Formation Sample height GGU sample no. Sentusidinium Sirmiodinium grossii Pareodinia "granulata" Nannoceratopsis pellucida ovula Valensiella Gonyaulacysta Pareodinia prolongata Ctenidodinium thulium Lithodinia Aldorfia aldorfensis Lithodinia planoseptata Atopodinium polygonale Kallosphaeridium hypornatum Barbatacysta creberbarbata Algae indet. Gonyaulacysta jurassica Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora Tubotuberella Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata Valensiella Lithodinia spongiosa Pareodinia halosa Kallosphaeridium praussii Cyclopsiella Sentusidinium Surculosphaeridium Sentusidinium Mendicodinium groenlandicum Pareodinia ceratophora Veryhachium dangeardii Tubotuberella Lithodinia Valensiella Limbicysta bjaerkei Paraevansia brachythelis Chytroeisphaeridia Rhynchodiniopsis Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina Escharisphaeridia dictydia Valensiella Escharispahaeria laevigata Atopodinium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

360.00 427851 Kimm.? 349.00 427850 300 Bernbjerg Late Jurassic Late Jurassic 262.00 427859

248.00 427858 Middle – Upper Oxfordian – Upper Oxfordian Middle

221.00 427810 219.00 427809 202.00 427808 Payer Dal Payer 200

168.00 427796

134.00 427793

121.00 427790 100

77.00 427780 – Spath Plateau Member Pelion 70.00 427840

60.00 427833 Callovian

51.00 427836 Jurassic Middle 39.00 427730 36.00 427729 33.00 427818 30.00 427782 27.00 427705 10.00 427717 9.00 427729 0 Pelion Pelion

82

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 82 29-10-2004, 11:14 dictyornata . "machaera") var. var. (cf spp. spp. spp. spp. spp. dangeardii apatela spp. spp. galeritum spp. spp. nuciforme haromense spp. sp. E (Fensome 1979) cf. cf. spp. dictydia cf. spp. cf. cf. cf. spp. spp. hystrix cf. Fromea tornalis Lithodinia jurassica Escharisphaeridia rudis Mendicodinium "granulatum" Pareodinia pachyceras Chlamydophorella ectotabulata Atopodinium haromense Ambonosphaera calloviense Sentusidinium pelionense Gonyaulacysta Pareodinia stegasta eisenackii Tubotuberella scarburghense Trichodinium Gonyaulacysta eisenackii Pareodinia Rigaudella filamentosa Rhyncodiniopsis Barbatacysta verrucosa Endoscrinium galeritum Scriniodinium crystallinium Leptodinium subtile Escharisphaeridia pocockii Scriniodinium Pareodinia scopaeus Apteodinium Scriniodinium inritibilum Tubotuberella Endoscrinium Meiourogonyaulax Epiplosphaera Dingodinium jurassicum Tubotuberella Escarisphaeridia erythrocoma Valensiella Tenua Sirmiodiniopsis Escharispahaeria Pareodinia borealis Rhynchodiniopsis sp. Atopodinium Rhynchodiniopsis Avellodinium Systematophora Sentusidinium myriatrichum Prolixosphaeridium granulosum Cribroperidinium granuligerum Endoscrinium luridum Circulodinium distinctum Scriniodinium irregulare Glossodinium dimorphum Adnatosphaeridium Sentusidinium Lithodinia valensi Kallosphaeridium Durotrigia Nannoceratopsis plegas 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

>50 specimens 20–50 specimens 5–19 specimens 2–4 specimens 1 specimen

83

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 83 29-10-2004, 11:14 jason Chronozone and Trichodinium scarburghense and Gulelv (Locality 1) rivers (Figs 2, 4, 6, 7). The for- appears in the P. athleta Chronozone (Milner & Pia- mation is characterised by frequent Rigaudella aemula, secki 1996; Piasecki 1996). Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora, Sirmiodinium grossii and Gonyaulacysta jurassica. New, stratigraphically Age. The age of the upper sandstone unit of the Spath characteristic species appear in the lower part of the Plateau Member, Pelion Formation, is therefore Early formation at Sortelv: Wanaea digitata, Rigaudella to Late Callovian, equivalent to the P. koenigi – P. athleta aemula and Leptodinium subtile. Higher in the forma- Chronozones (Fig. 4). tion at both localities further stratigraphically signifi- cant species appear: Scriniodinium crystallinum, En- Depositional environment. The organic matter is domi- doscrinium galeritum, Chytroeisphaeridia chytroeides, nated by terrestrial palynomorphs and debris. The pro- Rhynchodiniopsis sp., Prolixosphaeridium granulosum portion of brown and black lath-shaped woody mate- and Dingodinium jurassicum. rial increases upwards until it completely dominates the organic content in the upper Pelion Formation. Correlation. The dinoflagellate assemblage represents The upwards increase and dominance of woody ma- a characteristic Lower to Middle Oxfordian assemblage terial suggests deposition in the lower shoreface envi- with frequent Rigaudella aemula, Scrinidinium crys- ronment in front of a prograding shoreline. tallinum and Endoscrinium galeritum, as known from the Jurassic succession elsewhere in East Greenland such as in Milne Land (Piasecki 1996). This Lower– Middle Oxfordian assemblage in Milne Land reaches Payer Dal Formation close to the top of the Middle Oxfordian before gradual The Payer Dal Formation was analysed from two lo- replacement by an Upper Oxfordian assemblage. calities at Steensby Bjerg, along the Sortelv (Locality 2) Wanaea spp. occurs only to the top of the Lower

ALPHABETICAL SPECIES LIST

98 Adnatosphaeridium spp. 60 Gonyaulacysta eisenackii 86 Rhynchodiniopsis sp. (cf. "machaera") 19 Aldorfia aldorfensis 15Gonyaulacysta cf. helicoidea 26 Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora 24 Algae indet. 25Gonyaulacysta jurassica 88 Rhynchodiniopsis spp. 54 Ambonosphaera calloviense 56 Gonyaulacysta spp. 63 Rhynchodiniopsis spp. 71 Apteodinium cf. nuciforme 22Kallosphaeridium hypornatum 62Rigaudella filamentosa 87 Atopodinium cf. haromense 32Kallosphaeridium praussii 66 Scriniodinium crystallinium 53 Atopodinium haromense 46 Kallosphaeridium spp. 72 Scriniodinium inritibilum 21 Atopodinium polygonale 67 Leptodinium subtile 96 Scriniodinium irregulare 9 Atopodinium spp. 1 Limbicysta bjaerkei 69 Scriniodinium spp. 89 Avellodinium spp. 41Lithodinia cf. spongiosa 10 Sentusidinium cf. pelionense 23 Barbatacysta creberbarbata 44Lithodinia jurassica 91Sentusidinium myriatrichum 64 Barbatacysta verrucosa 20Lithodinia planoseptata 55Sentusidinium pelionense 52 Chlamydophorella ectotabulata 30 Lithodinia spongiosa 34 Sentusidinium sp. D (Fensome 1979) 3 Chytroeisphaeridia cerastes 18 Lithodinia spp. 80 Sentusidinium sp. E (Fensome 1979) 5 Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina 49 Lithodinia valensi 36 Sentusidinium spp. 95 Circulodinium distinctum 75 Meiourogonyaulax spp. 83Sirmiodiniopsis spp. 93 Cribroperidinium granuligerum 50Mendicodinium "granulatum" 11Sirmiodinium grossii 17 Ctenidodinium thulium 37Mendicodinium groenlandicum 35 Surculosphaeridium spp. 33 Cyclopsiella spp. 48 Nannoceratopsis plegas var. dictyornata 90 Systematophora spp. 77 Dingodinium jurassicum 13Nannoceratopsis pellucida 82Tenua cf. hystrix 47 Durotrigia spp. 2 Paraevansia brachythelis 59 Trichodinium scarburghense 74 Endoscrinium cf. galeritum 28 Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata 78 Tubotuberella cf. apatela 65 Endoscrinium galeritum 12 Pareodinia "granulata" 73 Tubotuberella cf. dangeardii 94 Endoscrinium luridum 85 Pareodinia borealis 40 Tubotuberella dangeardii 76 Epiplosphaera spp. 38 Pareodinia ceratophora 58 Tubotuberella eisenackii 79 Escarisphaeridia erythrocoma 31 Pareodinia halosa 27 Tubotuberella spp. 8 Escharispahaeria laevigata 51 Pareodinia pachyceras 81 Valensiella cf. dictydia 84 Escharispahaeria spp. 16Pareodinia prolongata 7 Valensiella dictydia 6 Escharisphaeridia cf. pocockii 70 Pareodinia scopaeus 14Valensiella ovula 68 Escharisphaeridia pocockii 61 Pareodinia spp. 42 Valensiella sp. (Fensome 1979) 45 Escharisphaeridia rudis 57 Pareodinia stegasta 29 Valensiella spp. 43 Fromea tornalis 92 Prolixosphaeridium granulosum 39 Veryhachium spp. 97 Glossodinium dimorphum 4 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. cladophora Previous page: Fig. 6. Distribution chart of dinoflagellate cysts in the Jurassic succession at Locality 1, Steensby Bjerg, northern Hold with Hope. The first appearances of species are stratigraphically arranged. Alphabetical species list given above. 84

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 84 29-10-2004, 11:14 stratigraphically arranged. Steensby Bjerg,Fig. 7. Distribution chart of dinoflagellate cysts in the Jurassic succession at Locality 2, Sortelv, western H

10 20 30 Metres Hold with Hope, Locality 2, Sortelv 9.00 25.00 28.50 32.00 34.00

Samples height 433858 433157 443158 433159 433859

GGU sample no.

Late Jurassic Age

Oxfordian Stage

Payer Dal Formation Formation

1 Scriniodinium cf. inritibilum 2 Chytroeisphaeridia cerastes 3 Wanaea spp. 4 Rigaudella filamentosa 5 Stephanelytron spp. 6 Atopodinium haromense 7 Gonyaulacysta jurassica 8 Sirmiodinium grossii 9 Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora 10 Trichodinium scarburghense 11 Endoscrinium galeritum 12 Leptodinium subtile 13 Rigaudella aemula 14 Atopodinium spp. 15 Pareodinia "granulata" 16 Surculosphaeridium spp. 17 Circulodinium distinctum 18 Tubotuberella apatela 19 Wanaea digitata 20 Pareodinia borealis 21 Escharisphaeridia laevigata 22 Valensiella dictydia 23 Scriniodinium crystallinium 24 Ambonosphaera calloviana

old with Hope. The first appearance of species is 25 Pareodinia ceratophora 26 Chytroeisphaeridia chytroeoides 27 Prolixosphaeridium granulosum 2–4 specimens 2–4 5–19 specimens 20–50 specimens 20–50 1 specimen 28 Escharisphaeridia spp. 23 13 16 0 19 22 18 10 424 527 25 20 15 14 2 12 28 21 17 26 111 4 SPECIES LIST ALPHABETICAL 1 5 8 3 9 2 6 7 Valensiella dictydia Escharisphaeridia Stephanelytron Ambonosphaera calloviana Atopodinium haromense Prolixosphaeridium granulosum Pareodinia ceratophora Pareodinia borealis Pareodinia "granulata" Wanaea digitata Scriniodinium Rigaudella filamentosa Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora Gonyaulacysta jurassica Sirmiodinium grossii Wanaea Atopodinium Circulodinium distinctum Scriniodinium crystallinium Surculosphaeridium Tubotuberella apatela Escharisphaeridia laevigata Chytroeisphaeridia cerastes Chytroeisphaeridia chytroeoides Rigaudella aemula Leptodinium subtile Trichodinium scarburghense Endoscrinium galeritum spp. spp. cf. spp. inritibilum spp. spp.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 85 29-10-2004, 11:14 Oxfordian in Milne Land, whereas Leptodinium subtile semblage in the upper Payer Dal Formation partly due rarely occurs below the Middle Oxfordian and Prolixo- to the continued presence of Endoscrinium galeritum sphaeridium granulosum does not occur below the and Scriniodinium crystallinum. The stratigraphically Upper Oxfordian. The Payer Dal Formation at Locality important Taeniophora sp. / Adnatosphaeridium sp. 1 is therefore considered Middle to Late Oxfordian in (informal name ‘A. hartzii’ in: Piasecki 1980) appears age, and the presence of Wanaea digitata, Wanaea in the uppermost sample from the formation. sp. and Trichodinium scharburghense in the assem- blage is due to reworking. In Milne Land, the appear- Correlation. The continued presence of Endoscrin- ance of Leptodinium subtile in the C. tenuiserratum ium galeritum and Scriniodinium crystallinum from Chronozone coincides with the gradual disappearance the Payer Dal Formation below, and the absence of of Rigaudella spp., and the following appearances of Taeniophora sp. / Adnathosphaeridium sp. (‘A. hart- Dingodinium jurassicum and Prolixosphaeridium zii’) correlates with the lower Upper Oxfordian, A. granulosum in the A. glosense Chronozone. A corre- glosense Chronozone, by comparison to dinoflagellate sponding sequence of events in the Steensby Bjerg floras from Milne Land (Piasecki 1996). This is in ac- succession indicates a Middle–Upper Oxfordian suc- cordance with abundant ammonites of the Amoeboce- cession, C. tenuiserratum – A. glosense Chronozones. ras glosense Zone in these strata, and with the absence Consequently, a significant Late Callovian – earliest of the uppermost Oxfordian dinoflagellate cyst spe- Middle Oxfordian hiatus occurs between the Pelion cies that appear above. and Payer Dal Formations. However, several samples The upper part of the Bernbjerg Formation contains in the boundary interval (c. 30 m thick) were barren of abundant Gonyaulacysta jurassica and Sirmiodinium dinoflagellate cysts and parts of the succession were grossii in combination with Adnatosphaeridium sp. (‘A. therefore not dated. The dinoflagellate cysts, which hartzii’), Cribroperidinium granuligerum, Sciniodin- are considered reworked, indicate that Lower Oxfordian ium irregulare, Glossodinium cf. dimorphum, Endos- sediments have been present in the region. crinium luridum and Prolixosphaeridium granulosum. The composite dinoflagellate cyst flora indicates an Age. The age of the Payer Dal Formation is Middle– Upper Oxfordian to lowermost Kimmeridgian succes- Late Oxfordian, equivalent to the C. tenuiserratum – sion, A. serratum – P. baylei Chronozones. The pres- A. glosense Chronozones based on dinoflagellate cysts. ence of Avellodinium spp. in the uppermost sample Ammonites in the overlying Bernbjerg Formation sup- could indicate the lowermost Kimmeridgian A. port this age of the uppermost Payer Dal Formation as mutabilis Chronozone, but this is not supported by they indicate the A. glosense Chronozone. any other stratigraphical diagnostic species such as Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum (Piasecki 1996; Depositional environment. The organic matter is domi- Piasecki & Stemmerik 2004, this volume). nated by terrestrial palynomorphs and debris, and the proportion of brown and black lath-shaped woody Age. The age of the Bernbjerg Formation is Late material is high in the Payer Dal Formation. The or- Oxfordian – earliest Kimmeridgian, equivalent to the ganic content suggests deposition in a lower shore- A. glosense – P. baylei Chronozones based on dino- face environment. flagellate cysts. Ammonites in the lower part of the Bernbjerg Formation indicate the A. glosense Chrono- zone and confirm the Late Oxfordian age for this part of the formation. Bernbjerg Formation The Bernbjerg Formation is represented by a few sam- Depositional environment. The organic content is ples from the lower and upper parts of the formation dominated by terrestrial sporomophs and woody ma- at Steensby Bjerg (Locality 1). The Bernbjerg Forma- terial but dinoflagellate cysts occur frequently. A dep- tion contains abundant Sirmiodinium grossii and ositional environment of lower shoreface to open shelf Gonyaulacysta jurassica. In the lower levels of the is interpreted on this basis. formation, the presence of abundant Leptodinium subtile is combined with the appearance of Paragon- yaulacysta borealis, Rhynchodiniopsis sp. and Tenua cf. hystrix. The assemblage is very similar to the as-

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 86 29-10-2004, 11:14 Member of the Pelion Formation comprises the P. koe- Correlations nigi, K. jason and P. athleta Chronozones (Fig. 3). The The Pelion Formation on northern Hold with Hope age is therefore Early to Late Callovian, but a part of comprises two main units, a lower sandstone unit fol- the succession occurs above the highest productive lowed by mudstones and heterolithic sandstones of sample and may therefore be younger. the Spath Plateau Member. The same overall pattern A considerable hiatus is present between the Pelion occurs in the Pelion Formation on Store Koldewey at Formation and the overlying Payer Dal Formation. Ravn Pynt (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). How- However, the exact stratigraphical position of the ever, on Store Koldewey, the lower sandstone unit is unconformity and the extent of the hiatus cannot be older (Bathonian) than the lower sandstone unit on determined precisely, because no productive samples Hold with Hope. The mudstone and overlying sand- were recovered from the boundary interval. The avail- stone on Store Koldewey are basically of the same able data suggest a hiatus that comprises most of the Early Callovian age as the lowermost Spath Plateau Late Callovian, Early Oxfordian and earliest Middle Member on Hold with Hope (C. apertum – P. koenigi Oxfordian. The Payer Dal Formation ranges from the Chronozones). The marine flooding represented by C. tenuiserratum to the A. glosense Chronozones, and deposition of this mudstone can be traced from Milne the age is consequently Middle to Late Oxfordian (Fig. Land and Jameson Land in the south (P7 – third order 3). The dinoflagellate assemblages indicate no break sequence; Engkilde & Surlyk 2003) to Hold with Hope in deposition at the boundary to the Bernbjerg Forma- and Store Koldewey in the north. tion, and the A. glosense Chronozone is also identified The Payer Dal Formation is defined on Kuhn Ø in the basal Bernbjerg Formation on the basis of am- where it comprises two units that are of Early–Middle monites. The Jurassic succession and the Bernbjerg Oxfordian age and early Late Oxfordian age (Alsgaard Formation are limited upwards by pre-Barremian, Cre- et al. 2003). On Hold with Hope, the exposure of the taceous erosion, and the highest samples are referred oldest part of the Payer Dal Formation at Sortelv (Fig. to the A. rosenkrantzi – P. baylei Chronozones at the 2; Locality 2) is limited by a fault, and older strata may Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian boundary (Fig. 3). The age be present in the subsurface. However, no strata of of the Bernbjerg Formation is thus Late Oxfordian, Early Oxfordian age have been recorded here, and the possibly earliest Kimmeridgian. age of the Payer Dal Formation on Hold with Hope is The Jurassic succession on northern Hold with Hope Middle–Late Oxfordian, partly corresponding to the correlates well with the corresponding Jurassic suc- upper part of this formation on Kuhn Ø. cessions towards the north and the south, but appears Sedimentation of fine-grained sand and mudstone more fragmented compared to these successions. A of the Bernbjerg Formation began in the A. glosense Boreal Bathonian (Bajocian–Bathonian) succession has Chron on Hold with Hope as in Wollaston Forland to been deposited in this region, at least partly, but was the north (Surlyk 1977). removed by later erosion as indicated by the reworked ammonite of the P. pompeckji Zone. The previous pres- ence of a Lower Oxfordian succession is similarly indi- cated by reworked dinoflagellate cysts. The magnitude Conclusions of the hiatus below the Payer Dal Formation is Late The combined biostratigraphical dataset from ammo- Callovian – Middle Oxfordian. nites and dinoflagellate cysts dates the stratigraphical range of the lithological units with a high degree of precision (Figs 3, 4). However, the extent of non-dep- ositional or erosional hiati in or between the units can- Acknowledgements not be determined with the same certainty due to the The present biostratigraphic study was supported by limited number of productive samples. The ‘basal sand- the Carlsberg Foundation (Carlsbergfondet Ans. 980089/ stone unit’ of the Pelion Formation ranges from the 20-262). John H. Callomon and Peter Alsen are thanked uppermost C. apertum Chronozone to the lower P. for identification of ammonites from Hold with Hope. koenigi Chronozone (Figs 3, 4). The age is therefore The authors are grateful to Jan Jansonius and Susanne Early Callovian. The dinoflagellate assemblages show Feist-Burkhardt for useful and constructive review com- no indication of a break in sedimentation so the suc- ments. cession is considered complete. The Spath Plateau

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 87 29-10-2004, 11:14 93, projects 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og Grønlands References Geologiske Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. I & II, 100 Alsgaard, P.C., Felt, V.L., Vosgerau, H. & Surlyk, F. 2003: The pp. Jurassic of Kuhn Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Piasecki, S. & Stemmerik, L. 2004: Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. from Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland. In: Stem- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, merik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Green- 865–892. land. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin Bailey, D. & Hogg, N.M. 1995: Fentonia bjaerkei gen. et comb. 5, 89–97 (this volume). nov.; transfer from Parvocysta Bjaerke 1980. Journal of Micro- Piasecki, S., Callomon, J.H. & Stemmerik, L. 2004: Jurassic dino- palaeontology 14(1), 58 pp. flagellate cyst stratigraphy of Store Koldewey, North-East Callomon, J.H. 1993: The ammonite succession in the Middle Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic Jurassic of East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geological Soci- of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and ety of Denmark 40, 83–113. Greenland Bulletin 5, 99–112 (this volume). Donovan, D.T. 1957: The Jurassic and Cretaceous systems in Poulsen, N.E., Gudmundsson, L., Hansen, J.M. & Husfelt, Y. East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 155(4), 1–214. 1990: Palynological preparation techniques, a new Macera- Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- tiontank-method and other modifications. Danmarks Geolo- mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, giske Undersøgelse Serie C 10, 22 pp. East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- Price, S.P. & Whitham, A.G. 1997: Exhumed hydrocarbon traps sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- in East Greenland: analogs for the Lower–Middle Jurassic mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. play of Northwest Europe. American Association of Petro- Fensome, R.A. 1979: Dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from leum Geologists Bulletin 81, 196–221. the Middle and Upper Jurassic of Jameson Land, East Green- Stemmerik, L., Clausen, O.R., Korstgård, J., Larsen, M., Piasecki, land. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 132, 98 pp. S., Seidler, L., Surlyk, F. & Therkelsen, J. 1997: Petroleum Kelly, S.R.A., Whitham, A.G., Koraini, A.M. & Price, S.P. 1998: geological investigations in East Greenland: project ‘Resources Lithostratigraphy of the Cretaceous (Barremian–Santonian) of the sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’. Hold with Hope Group, NE Greenland. Journal of the Geo- Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 176, 29–38. logical Society (London) 155(6), 993–1008. Surlyk, F. 1977: Stratigraphy, tectonics and palaeogeography of Larsen, M., Piasecki, S., Preuss, T., Seidler, L., Stemmerik, L., the Jurassic sediments of the areas north of Kong Oscars Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 1997: Petroleum geological Fjord, East Greenland. Bulletin Grønlands Geologiske Un- activities in East Greenland in 1997. Geology of Greenland dersøgelse 123, 56 pp. Survey Bulletin 180, 35–42. Surlyk, F. 1978: Mesozoic geology and palaeogeography of Milner, P.S. & Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal Middle Jurassic dinoflag- Hochstetter Forland, East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geo- ellate cyst stratigraphy of Jameson Land, East Greenland. In: logical Society of Denmark 27, 73–87. Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and reservoir Surlyk, F., Clemmensen, L.B. & Larsen, H.C. 1981: Post-Palaeozoic rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Jameson Land, evolution of the East Greenland continental margin. In: Kerr, East Greenland. Energy research programme EFP-93, projects J.W. & Fergusson, A.J. (eds): Geology of the North Atlantic 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske borderlands. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. I & II, 46 pp. Memoir 7, 611–645. Piasecki, S. 1980: Middle to Late Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stra- Vischer, A. 1943: Die postdevonische Tektonik von Ostgrönland tigraphy from Milne Land and Jameson Land (East Green- zwischen 74º und 75ºN. Br. Kuhn Ø, Wollaston Forland, land) correlated with ammonite stratigraphy, 167 pp. Un- Clavering Ø und angrenzende Gebiete. Meddelelser om published Ph.D. thesis, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Grønland 133(1), 195 pp. Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Mid- Vosgerau, H., Larsen, M., Piasecki, S. & Therkelsen, J. 2004: A dle to Upper Jurassic sediments of Milne Land, East Green- new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, land. In: Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): reservoir rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Jame- The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of son Land, East Greenland. Energy Research Programme EFP- Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 (this volume).

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 88 29-10-2004, 11:14 Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts from Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland

Stefan Piasecki and Lars Stemmerik

Three sections in Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland, referred to the Jurassic Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations, have been analysed for dinoflagellate cysts. The dinoflagellate cysts, new finds of ammonites and previously recorded marine faunas form the basis for improved dating of the succession. The basal strata of the Payer Dal Formation at Kulhus is here dated as Late Callovian, Peltoceras athleta Chronozone, based on the presence of relatively abundant Limbicysta bjaerkei, Mendicodinium groenlandicum, Rhychoniopsis cladophora and Tubotu- berella dangeardii in an otherwise poor Upper Callovian dinoflagellate assemblage. Ammonites have not been recorded from these strata. The upper Payer Dal Formation at Agnetesøelven is dated as Late Oxfordian, Amoeboceras glosense – Amoeboceras serratum Chronozones, based on the presence of Sciniodinium crystallinum, together with Cribroperidinium granuligera and Stephanelytron sp. The age is in accordance with ammonites present in the uppermost part of the formation at Søndre Muslingebjerg. New ammonites in the Bernbjerg Formation at Agnetesøelven together with dinoflagellate cysts indicate an earliest Kimmeridgian age, Rasenia cymodoce and Aulacostephanoides mutabilis Chronozones. The Upper Callovian dinoflagellate cysts from Hochstetter Forland belong to a local brackish to marginal marine assemblage, which only allows a fairly broad correlation to coeval assem- blages in central East Greenland. In contrast, the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian assemblages are fully marine and can be correlated from Milne Land in central East Greenland via Hochstetter Forland to Peary Land in eastern North Greenland.

Keywords: ammonites, Boreal, dinoflagellate cysts, Hochstetter Forland, Jurassic, North-East Greenland

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected]

The northernmost onshore Jurassic outcrops in East and Jurassic sediments also crop out in northern Hoch- Greenland occur in Hochstetter Forland and, some 60– stetter Forland, east of Agnetesø, and the meanders of 80 km farther north, on Store Koldeway (Fig. 1); the Agnetesøelven (the river from Agnetesø to the coast) stratigraphy of the latter area is described in an ac- erode into marine Jurassic sediments deposited on companying paper (Piasecki et al. 2004a, this volume). basement rocks (Fig. 1). The Hochstetter Forland peninsula is dominated by The Jurassic stratigraphy of the Hochstetter Forland flat lowlands dissected by small streams; outcrops of area is based on records of marine faunas including pre-Quaternary sediments are restricted to stream cuts ammonites from several isolated exposures (Ravn 1911; and low coastal cliffs scattered throughout the region Surlyk 1978). The lowermost deposits consist of the (Fig. 1). However, at Søndre Muslingebjerg to the south, non-marine to marginal marine Muslingebjerg Forma- Caledonian basement and Middle–Upper Jurassic sand- tion, which is undated owing to the absence of marine stones and coals are faulted and reach up to approxi- fossils. The overlying sands of the Payer Dal Forma- mately 400 m above sea level. Caledonian basement tion contain Upper Oxfordian ammonites in the upper

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 89–97 © GEUS, 2004 89

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 89 29-10-2004, 11:14 7 Fig. 1. Simplified sketch map of Hoch- N stetter Forland illustrating the Jurassic outcrops and the sampled localities. The map is modified from Surlyk 6 5 4 (1978, fig. 1). 3 A gn e 2 te Agnetesøelven Greenland sø 1

2 3

76º30'N

500 km HOCHSTETTER FORLAND 1: Milne Land 2: Jameson Land 3: Wollaston Forland 4: Hochstetter Forland 5: Store Koldewey 6: Germania Land 7: Peary Land

Undifferentiated, mostly glacial deposits

1 Cretaceous

Kulhus Jurassic Nanok Caledonian crystalline basement Søndre Muslingebjerg 1 Locality 20 km 20ºW Fault

part, and are followed by mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation that yield Upper Oxfordian – Lower Kim- Material meridgian ammonites (Surlyk 1978). The outcrops at At Kulhus (Fig. 1; Locality 1), on the south coast of Kulhus and Agnetesøelven expose the main part of Hochstetter Forland west of Søndre Muslingebjerg, sand the Jurassic succession in Hochstetter Forland. These and coal seams were sampled during a ground stop localities were visited during fieldwork in 1987 in or- on helicopter reconnaissance in 1987. Only one sam- der to collect material for palynological analysis with ple (GGU 351570) contains dinoflagellate cysts. Two the aim of refining the stratigraphy. The present paper closely situated localities at Agnetesøelven were spot- describes for the first time the dinoflagellate cyst floras ted from the air and visited during a short ground stop. from these northern outcrops close to the transition to The westernmost sandstone outcrop (Locality 2) was the Boreal dinoflagellate cyst province, for example in measured and two fine-grained samples with at least Peary Land (Håkansson et al. 1981) and on Svalbard some potential for palynology were collected from two (Århus 1988). horizons (Fig. 2). Eastwards and down-river, the sand- stone-dominated succession was seen to be faulted against a succession of laminated mudstones (Locality 3), and this was closely sampled for palynology (Fig. 3). Only a few, well-preserved dinoflagellate cysts were recovered from the sand succession at Locality 2. By

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 90 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 2. Sedimentological log of the m Structures upper Payer Dal Formation at 35 Agnetesøelven (Locality 2) showing Planar lamination/bedding the positions of analysed samples. Planar cross-lamination

Lenticular lamination 351538 30 Trough cross-bedding

Scour and fill

Shell bed

25 Lithology

Fine-grained sand

Mud 20 Pyrite

351537 Fossils, etc. 15 Ammonite

Belemnite

Bivalve

10 Oyster

Pecten spp.

Planolites ispp.

Wood 5 Bioturbation

351537 GGU sample Hard bed 0 Mud Sand

contrast dinoflagellate cysts are abundant but poorly preserved in the mudstones at Locality 3. Ammonites Geology are abundant in the lower, pyritic, part of the mudstone The Jurassic succession on Hochstetter Forland is di- succession and in loose concretionary beds at the base vided into the Muslingebjerg, Payer Dal and Bernbjerg of the cliff. These ammonites provide independent strati- Formations of the Vardekløft Group. The marine sand- graphical control of the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. stones of the Payer Dal Formation were previously All of the samples from the three localities on Hoch- included in the Pelion Member of the Vardekløft For- stetter Forland were prepared by traditional palyno- mation (sensu Surlyk 1978); the Pelion Member is now logical methods and analysed for their content of raised to formation status (Surlyk 2003, fig. 5). dinoflagellate cysts.

Kulhus (Locality 1) The low coastal cliff at Kulhus, south-west Hochstetter Forland (Fig. 1, Locality 1), comprises 3–4 main coal

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 91 29-10-2004, 11:14 m 351548 Fig. 3. Sedimentological log of the Bernbjerg Formation at Agnetesøelven (Locality 3) showing the positions of analysed samples. For legend, see Fig. 2.

seams interbedded with black carbonaceous shales and light-coloured sandstones of the Muslingebjerg Forma- tion (Clemmensen & Surlyk 1976). No marine fossils 25 have been recorded from the formation but the high 351547 sulphur content of the coals and shales suggests a marine depositional environment (Petersen et al. 1998). The Jurassic succession at Kulhus extends up the west- ern flank of Søndre Muslingebjerg where the strati- graphically highest strata contain Upper Oxfordian 351546 ammonites referable to the Amoeboceras glosense and/ or A. serratum Zones (Ravn 1911; Sykes & Surlyk 1976). 20 Coals and shales of the Muslingebjerg Formation have been prepared palynologically without finding any microscopic marine fossils. At Kulhus, the first dinofla- 351545 gellate cysts appear in the basal mudstone bed of the overlying Payer Dal Formation, immediately above the highest coal seam, at the same level as the earliest ma- rine faunas. Restricted assemblages of sporomorphs from the underlying coals indicate an overall Jurassic age. 15 351544

Agnetesøelven (Localities 2 and 3) Fine-grained sandstone, with abundant marine fossils, 351543 is exposed at Locality 2 and referred to the Payer Dal Formation (Figs 1, 2). Shell beds of Pecten spp., oys- ters, other bivalves and serpulids occur throughout the 10 succession and are commonly concentrated in scour fills. Belemnites are present, but no ammonites were 351542 recovered during the short visit. Woody material and small logs are also common. The sandstone is intensely bioturbated and many sedimentary structures are ob- 351541 literated although cross-bedding or lamination is rec- ognisable in most beds. Planolites ispp. is common at certain horizons. 5 The shale succession exposed at Locality 3 is re- ferred to the Bernbjerg Formation. It consists of lami- 351540 nated, dark mudstones alternating with lenticular-bed- ded, fine-grained, grey sandstones (Fig. 3). Ammonites and bivalves are abundant in a concretionary bed low 351539 in the section and belemnites and bivalves occur scat- tered higher in the succession. The concretionary beds are washed out from the lowermost succession and lie 0 at the foot of the cliff. They contain accretions of am- Mud Sand monites in several stacked laminae together with abun- dant Buchia sp. Abundant male and female individu- als occur together in the ammonite assemblages (J.H.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 92 29-10-2004, 11:14 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY BIOSTRATIGRAPHY CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY

AGE BASED ON FORMATION AMMONITE ZONE CHRONOZONES DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS

A. mutabilis Early A. mutabilis Bernbjerg R. cymodoce Kimmeridgian R. cymodoce

A. glosense – A. serratumLate Oxfordian A. glosense – A. serratum Payer Dal Late Callovian P. athleta

Muslingebjerg No marine fossils (Callovian?) pre-P. athleta

Fig. 4. Summary of the Jurassic stratigraphy of Hochstetter Forland.

Callomon, personal communication 1999). The assem- this assemblage. In East Greenland, Limbicysta bjaerkei blage is equivalent to ammonite Fauna 15 from Milne has not been recorded stratigraphically higher than the Land in the lower Rasenia cymodoce Zone, Lower Kim- basal Boreal Middle Jurassic in the Cranocephalites meridgian (Fig. 4; Birkelund & Callomon 1985; J.H. borealis Chronozone in Jameson Land (Milner & Pia- Callomon, personal communication 1999). Lower Kim- secki 1996). However, a stratigraphical range of Mid- meridgian ammonites have been reported previously dle Callovian and possibly into lowermost Upper from sandstones at the locality of Nanok in southern Callovian has been reported from both the Subboreal Hochstetter Forland (Frebold 1932). Ammonites of the and Arctic regions (Smelror 1987, 1993). In Jameson lowermost Kimmeridgian Rasenia cymodoce and Aula- Land, M. groenlandicum appears no lower than the costephanoides mutabilis Zones, have been collected Kosmoceras jason Chronozone (mid-Callovian) and from mudstones of the Bernbjerg Formation in distinct Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora and Tubotuberel- Hochstetter Forland (Frebold 1932; Surlyk 1978). la dangeardii appear in the basal Upper Callovian in the Peltoceras athleta Chronozone (Milner & Piasecki 1996). In conclusion, the sparse data indicate an age equivalent to the earliest Late Callovian, P. athleta Chro- Stratigraphy nozone (Fig. 4). An Early Callovian age previously in- dicated for this unit (Petersen et al. 1998) was based Basal Payer Dal Formation (Locality 1) on a sample that was subsequently found to be from Dinoflagellate cysts. An unusual and relatively poor another section and locality. assemblage of dinoflagellate cysts was recorded im- mediately above the lithological transition from the Depositional environment. The dinoflagellate cyst as- barren Muslingeelv Formation to the fossiliferous Payer semblage is dominated by three species (Fig. 5). Dal Formation (Fig. 5). Limbicysta bjaerkei, Pilosidin- Limbicysta bjaerkei is possibly an acritarch because ium fensomei and Pareodinia halosa dominate the no clear archaeopyle has been documented. The as- assemblage, in association with Gonyaulacysta juras- semblage differs markedly from normal marine assem- sica, Nannoceratopsis sp., Occisucysta sp., Pareodinia blages described from time equivalent strata in Milne sp., Solisphaeridium sp., Tubotuberella cf. dangeardii Land (Piasecki 1996). Bailey & Hogg (1995) reported and Tubotuberella cf. egemenii. Single specimens of abundant L. bjaerkei in otherwise non-marine assem- Atopodinium haromense, Mendicodinium groenlandi- blages. This may indicate that the associated, frequent cum and Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora were recorded. species, Pilosidinium fensomei and Pareodinia halosa, may have had similar environmental preferences. The Age. Stratigraphically diagnostic species are few in abundance of L. bjaerkei – together with the restricted

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 93 29-10-2004, 11:14 assemblage – is taken as evidence for estuarine, brack- with the maximum numbers of Escharisphaeridium ish depositional environments during the initial trans- pocockii in the lower part of the succession. This is gression of Hochstetter Forland. followed closely by a maximum abundance of Cribro- peridinium granuligera, then by a maximum of Peris- seiasphaeridium pannosum (together with Gonyaula- cysta jurassica sensu lato) and finally by maximum Upper Payer Dal Formation (Locality 2) abundance of Occisucysta cf. monoheuriskos in the Dinoflagellate cysts. Dinoflagellate cysts are relatively uppermost sample. sparse in these sediments. However, the diversity is mo- A comparable succession of dinoflagellate cyst as- derately good and the preservation is fine. Ambono- semblages has been recorded across the boundary of sphaera calloviense is the only dinoflagellate species the Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations at Kløft II on represented by more than one or two specimens in the Store Koldewey (Piasecki et al. 2004a, this volume). At assemblage (Fig. 5). Ambonosphaera calloviense, Sirmi- this locality, a maximum of G. jurassica sensu lato is odinium grossii and Sentusidinium sp. are the only followed by abundant P. pannosum and Occisucysta species common to both samples. cf. monoheuriskos, similar to that recorded from the upper part of the section at Agnetesøelven (Locality Age. Despite the paucity of dinoflagellate cysts, the 3). Assemblages dominated by Nummus sp., E. pocockii co-occurrence of Sciniodinium crystallinum, Cribro- and C. granuligera were not recorded at Store Kolde- peridinium granuligera and Stephanelytron sp. indi- wey, but these species are present. In contrast, the cates a Late Oxfordian age i.e. Amoeboceras glosense stratigraphically significant Paragonyaulacysta capillosa to Amoeboceras serratum Chronozones, by compari- is abundant at Store Koldewey, whereas it is rare in son to Hold with Hope and Milne Land further to the the succession at Agnetesøelven. south (Piasecki 1996; Piasecki et al. 2004a, b, this vol- ume; Figs 1, 4). None of the other dinoflagellate cysts Age. The succession cannot be older than Early Kim- are inconsistent with this age, which is also in accord- meridgian based on the ammonite fauna in the basal ance with the age indicated by ammonites from the strata, which is indicative of the lower Rasenia cymodoce uppermost Payer Dal Formation at Søndre Muslinge- Zone. This is in accordance with the dinoflagellate cyst bjerg (Ravn 1911; Sykes & Surlyk 1976). However, the assemblage of abundant Sirmiodinium grossii and fre- dinoflagellate cyst assemblage is too restricted to al- quent Gonyaulacysta jurassica, Adnatosphaeridium sp. low a more precise correlation. and Paragonyaulacysta capillosa. To the south, on Milne Land, P. capillosa first appears in the R. cymodoce Depositional environment. The low abundance com- Chronozone and is followed by Perisseiasphaeridium bined with the moderate diversity of dinoflagellate cysts pannosum in the succeeding Aulacostephanoides indicates near-shore marine deposition in a high-en- mutabilis Chronozone (Piasecki 1996). At Agnetesøel- ergy environment. The sandy sediments with a rich ven, the appearance of P. pannosum higher in the suc- benthic fauna, partly in situ and partly reworked into cession accordingly indicates an age equivalent to the shell beds, support this interpretation. A. mutabilis Chronozone for this part of the succes- sion (Fig. 4). Dinoflagellate cysts indicative of younger Jurassic strata were not recorded. Lower Kimmeridgian ammonites have previously Bernbjerg Formation (Locality 3) been recorded from the Bernbjerg Formation on Hoch- Dinoflagellate cysts. Dinoflagellate cysts are abundant stetter Forland. An ammonite fauna referable to the A. and relatively diverse, but their preservation is poor. mutabilis Zone has been recovered from the Nanok The composition of the assemblages varies significantly and Agnetesøelven regions (Frebold 1932; Surlyk 1978). through the relatively short section (Fig. 5). Extremely abundant Sirmiodinium grossii characterises the lower Depositional environment. The dinoflagellate cysts are part of the section and is gradually replaced by abun- strongly degraded. They are physically broken, and dant Gonyaulacysta jurassica sensu lato in the upper angular imprints of crystals and deep circular imprints part. Five other species appear in succession with dis- of spherical pyrite framboids obscure the sculpture and tinct and characteristic maxima through the succes- structure of their walls. Together with the undisturbed sion (Fig. 5). Abundant Nummus sp. occurs together lamination of the sediments, this indicates deposition

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 94 29-10-2004, 11:14 0 25 50 Metre Kulhus and Agnetesøelven Hochstetter Forland 1.00 20.00 25.00 40.00 45.00 47.00 50.00 53.00 56.00 61.00 66.00 Sample height 351570 351537 351538 351539 351541 351542 351543 351544 351545 351547 351548 GGU sample no.

Jurassic System Callovian Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Stage Payer Dal Bernbjerg Formation 1 Veryhachium spp. 2 Tubotuberella dangeardii 3 Atopodinium haromense 4 Sentusidinium rioultii 5 Mendicodinium groenlandicum 6 Dissiliodinium spp. 7 Botryococcus spp. 8 Limbicysta bjaerkei 9 Pilosidinium fensomei 10 Solisphaeridium spp. 11 Tubotuberella cf. egemenii 12 Occisucysta spp. 13 Nannoceratopsis spp. 14 Pareodinia cf. stegasta 15 Valensiella spp. 16 Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora 17 Pareodinia spp. 18 Gonyaulacysta jurassica 19 Pareodinia halosa 20 Stephanelytron spp. 21 Tenua spp. 22 Ambonosphaera calloviense 23 Sentusidinium spp. 24 Sirmiodinium grossii 25 Scriniodinium crystallinium 26 Cribroperidinium granuligera 27 Pareodinia cf. pachyceras 28 Scriniodinium spp. 29 Tubotuberella apatela 30 Avellodinium cf. falsificum 31 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. cladophora 32 Scriniodinium cf. crystallinium 33 Leptodinium spp. 34 Leptodinium subtile 35 Cribroperidinium sp. 36 Paragonyaulacysta cf. capillosa 37 Escharisphaeridia pocockii 38 Nummus spp. 39 Atopodinium spp. 40 Occisucysta cf. monoheuriskos 1–4 specimens 1–4 5–19 specimens >50 specimens 20–50 specimens 20–50 41 Adnatosphaeridium spp. 42 Pareodinia stegasta 43 Epiplosphaera spp. 44 Sentusidinium pelionense 45 Barbatacysta spp. 46 Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum 47 Paragonyaulacysta capillosa 48 Paragonyaulacysta spp. 49 Prolixosphaeridium granulosum 50 Tubotuberella rhombiformis 15 50 1 2 20 10 24 11 29 21 23 4 44 28 25 32 16 31 49 9 46 14 27 36 47 48 40 12 38 17 13 42 8 5 34 33 18 37 43 6 35 26 19 7 45 30 39 3 22 41 SPECIES LIST ALPHABETICAL Valensiella Tubotuberella rhombiformis Paragonyaulacysta capillosa Veryhachium Sentusidinium rioultii Sentusidinium rioultii Stephanelytron Tubotuberella Tubotuberella apatela Tenua Solisphaeridium Sirmiodinium grossii Sentusidinium Sentusidinium pelionense Scriniodinium crystallinium Scriniodinium Scriniodinium Scriniodinium cladophora Rhynchodiniopsis Rhynchodiniopsis Prolixosphaeridium granulosum pannosum Perisseiasphaeridium Pareodinia Pareodinia Paragonyaulacysta Paragonyaulacysta Occisucysta Occisucysta Nummus Pareodinia Nannoceratopsis Leptodinium subtile Pareodinia stegasta Leptodinium jurassicaGonyaulacysta pocockii Escharisphaeridia Epiplosphaera Cribroperidinium granuligeraCribroperidinium Pareodinia halosa Barbatacysta Barbatacysta Avellodinium Atopodinium Ambonosphaera calloviense Adnatosphaeridium Tubotuberella dangeardii Pilosidinium fensomei Limbicysta bjaerkeiLimbicysta Mendicodinium groenlandicum Dissiliodinium Botryococcus Botryococcus Atopodinium haromense spp. spp. spp. cf. spp. cf. cf. spp. spp. spp. cf. spp. spp. cf. spp. spp. spp. pachyceras stegasta cf. spp. spp. spp. monoheuriskos spp. falsificum sp. crystallinium crystallinium egemenii spp. cf. cf. spp. spp. cladophora capillosa

Fig. 5. Stratigraphical distribution chart of dinoflagellate cysts in samples from all three localities. The sample heights indicated are largely arbitrary, although the three localities are arranged in stratigraphic order. Sample at 1 m is from Locality 1, samples at 20 m and 25 m are from Locality 2 (arbitrary spacing, see Fig. 2 for correct locations) and samples at 40–66 m are from Locality 3 (spacings approximately to scale, see Fig. 3 for precise locations). The recorded species are arranged by their first stratigraphical appearance.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 95 29-10-2004, 11:14 below wave base in a low-oxygenated environment. shallow shelf areas of East Greenland (Milne Land, Lenticular laminae with small-scale ripples, however, Wollaston Forland, Hold with Hope, Store Koldewey) show that the bottom water was not completely stag- and North Greenland (Peary Land). Maximum flood- nant and that the sea floor was periodically swept by ing occurred in the A. mutabilis to A. eudoxus Chrons. weak bottom currents.

Conclusions Correlation New ammonite data confirm and refine earlier age Studies of the Jurassic ammonite and dinoflagellate cyst determinations of the Jurassic succession on Hochstet- stratigraphy in East Greenland, combined with sedi- ter Forland. The age of the upper Payer Dal Formation mentological studies and sequence stratigraphical in- in Hochstetter Forland is confirmed as Late Oxfordian, terpretations, contribute towards an integrated model and the age of the Bernbjerg Formation is confirmed in which units can be identified by their content of as earliest Kimmeridgian. dinoflagellate cysts. The present study of the dinoflag- The dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy from the three ellate cyst assemblages on Hochstetter Forland con- localities is fragmentary. The assemblage from the lower tributes basic data to this complex study. Payer Dal Formation at Kulhus has not been reported The assemblage dominated by Limbicysta bjaerkei from any other section in East Greenland; it is impor- in the basal Payer Dal Formation at Kulhus has not tant because it represents marginal marine conditions been recorded anywhere else in East Greenland. This associated with a major flooding event of earliest Late assemblage comprises the first marine fossils to have Callovian age, P. athleta Chronozone (Fig. 4). This limits been deposited above the coal-bearing floodplain en- the age of the Muslingeelv Formation upwards. The vironment of the Muslingebjerg Formation. The dino- assemblage in the upper Payer Dal Formation is re- flagellate cyst assemblage records deposition in a mar- stricted, but supports the previously recorded Late ginal marine to brackish environment. The overlying Oxfordian age, corresponding to the A. glosense and/ sandstones are interpreted as tidal facies followed by or A. serratum Chronozones. The third assemblage is shoreface facies (Petersen et al. 1998), reflecting a rise well known from East Greenland and dates the Bern- in relative sea level. This assemblage thus character- bjerg Formation at Agnetesøelven to the earliest Kim- ises marginal marine environments at the feather-edge meridgian, R. cymodoce and A. mutabilis Chronozones of the Jurassic depositional basin during a major drown- (Fig. 4). This assemblage is associated with a major ing event (Alsgaard et al. 2003). transgressive event characterised by extensive shelf The poor dinoflagellate cyst assemblage in the up- anoxia in East Greenland. per Payer Dal Formation is not representative of this stratigraphic interval, compared to the assemblages recorded from other localities in East Greenland. How- ever, it is associated with a stratigraphic unit equiva- Acknowledgements lent to the A. glosense and A. serratum Chronozones The work was initiated as part of the project ‘Resources that previously has been identified throughout East of the sedimentary basins of North and East Green- Greenland, i.e. in Milne Land, Jameson Land and Hold land’ supported by the Danish Research Councils and with Hope (Engkilde 1994; Piasecki 1996; Vosgerau et completed by support from the Carlsberg Foundation al. 2004, this volume). Ans. 980089/0-262. John H. Callomon is thanked for The dinoflagellate cyst assemblage from the the identification of the ammonites. The referees, D.J. Bernbjerg Formation at Agnetesøelven is known from Batten and J.B. Riding, provided constructive and very Milne Land in the south to Store Koldewey in the north, helpful suggestions. and a similar assemblage occurs in the Ladegårdsåen Formation in Peary Land, North Greenland (Fig. 1; Piasecki 1966; Piasecki et al. 2004a, this volume). The dinoflagellate cyst assemblage correlates with the R. cymodoce and A. mutabilis Chronozones. It is associ- ated with a major Kimmeridgian flooding event which allowed more permanent shelf anoxia to spread to

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 96 29-10-2004, 11:14 Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Mid- References dle to Upper Jurassic sediments of Milne Land, East Green- Alsgaard, P.C., Felt, V.L., Vosgerau, H. & Surlyk, F. 2003: The land. In: Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and Jurassic of Kuhn Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & reservoir rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Jameson Land, East Greenland. Energy research programme Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, EFP-93, projects 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og 865–892. Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. Århus, N. 1988: Palynostratigraphy of some Bathonian–Haute- I and II, 100 pp. rivian sections in the Arctic, with emphasis on the Janusfjellet Piasecki, S., Callomon, J.H. & Stemmerik, L. 2004a: Jurassic dino- Formation type section, Spitsbergen. Institutt for Kontinen- flagellate cysts from Store Koldewey, North-East Greenland. talsokkelundersøkelser (IKU) Report 23.1252.11/01/88, In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North- 139 pp. East Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- Bailey, D.A. & Hogg, N.M. 1995: Fentonia bjaerkei gen. et comb. land Bulletin 5, 99–112 (this volume). nov.; transfer from Parvocysta Bjaerke 1980. Journal of Micro- Piasecki, S., Larsen, M., Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 2004b: palaeontology 14, 58 pp. Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope, Birkelund, T. & Callomon, J.H. 1985: The Kimmeridgian ammo- North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): nite faunas of Milne Land, central East Greenland. Bulletin The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 153, 56 pp. Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 73–88 (this volume). Clemmensen, L.B. & Surlyk, F. 1976: Upper Jurassic coal-bear- Ravn, J.P.J. 1911: On Jurassic and Cretaceous fossils from North- ing shoreline deposits, Hochstetter Forland, East Greenland. East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 45(10), 437–500. Sedimentary Geology 15, 193–211. Smelror, M. 1987: Bathonian and Callovian (Middle Jurassic) Engkilde, M. 1994: The Middle Jurassic Vardekløft Formation, dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from Franz Josef Land, East Greenland: depositional environments and sequence Arctic Soviet. Polar Research 5, 221–238. stratigraphy of shallow marine sandstones deposited in a Smelror, M. 1993: Biogeography of Bathonian to Oxfordian (Ju- low-gradient epeiric seaway, 1–207. Unpublished Ph.D. the- rassic) dinoflagellates: Arctic, NW Europe and circum-Medi- sis, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. terranean regions. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Frebold, H. 1932: Geologie der Jurakohlen des nördlichen Palaeoecology 102, 121–160. Ostgrönland. Meddelelser om Grønland 84(5), 62 pp. Surlyk, F. 1978: Mesozoic geology and palaeogeography of Håkansson, E., Birkelund, T., Piasecki, S. & Zakharov, V. 1981: Hochstetter Forland, East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geo- Jurassic–Cretaceous of the extreme Arctic (Peary Land, North logical Society of Denmark 27, 73–87. Greenland). Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jurassic of East Greenland: a sedimentary 30, 11–42. record of thermal subsidence, onset and culmination of rifting. Milner, P.S. & Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal Middle Jurassic dinoflag- In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark ellate cyst stratigraphy of Jameson Land, East Greenland. In: and Greenland. Geological Survey of Denmark and Green- Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and reservoir land Bulletin 1, 659–722. rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Jameson Land, Sykes, R.M. & Surlyk, F. 1976: A revised ammonite zonation of East Greenland. Energy research programme EFP-93, projects the Boreal Oxfordian and its application in North-East Green- 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske land. Lethaia 9, 421–436. Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. I and II, 46 pp. Vosgerau, H., Larsen, M., Piasecki, S. & Therkelsen, J. 2004: A Petersen, H.I., Bojesen-Koefoed, J., Nytoft, H.P., Surlyk, F., new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Hope, Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 1998: Relative sea-level changes North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): recorded by paralic liptinite-enriched coal facies cycles, Mid- The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of dle Jurassic Muslingebjerg Formation, Hochstetter Forland, Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 (this volume). Northeast Greenland. International Journal of Coal Geology 36, 1–30.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 97 29-10-2004, 11:14 98

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 98 29-10-2004, 11:14 Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Store Koldewey, North-East Greenland

Stefan Piasecki, John H. Callomon and Lars Stemmerik

The Jurassic of Store Koldewey comprises a Middle Jurassic succession towards the south and an Upper Jurassic succession towards the north. Both successions onlap crystalline basement and coarse sediments dominate. Three main lithostratigraphical units are recognised: the Pelion For- mation, including the Spath Plateau Member, the Payer Dal Formation and the Bernbjerg Forma- tion. Rich marine macrofaunas include Boreal ammonites and the successions are dated as Late Bathonian – Early Callovian and Late Oxfordian – Early Kimmeridgian on the basis of new collections combined with material in earlier collections. Fine-grained horizons and units have been analysed for dinoflagellate cysts and the stratigraphy of the diverse and well-preserved flora has been integrated with the Boreal ammonite stratigraphy. The dinoflagellate floras corre- late with contemporaneous floras from Milne Land, Jameson Land and Hold with Hope farther to the south in East Greenland, and with Peary Land in North Greenland and Svalbard towards the north. The Middle Jurassic flora shows local variations in East Greenland whereas the Upper Jurassic flora gradually changes northwards in East Greenland. A Boreal flora occurs in Peary Land and Svalbard. The characteristic and stratigraphically important species Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum and Oligosphaeridium patulum have their northernmost occurrence on Store Kolde- wey, whereas Taeniophora iunctispina and Adnatosphaeridium sp. extend as far north as Peary Land. Assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts are used to characterise significant regional flooding events and extensive sequence stratigraphic units.

Keywords: ammonites, Boreal, dinoflagellate cysts, Jurassic, North-East Greenland, Store Koldewey

S.P. & L.S., Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected] J.H.C., Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.

Jurassic sediments are well exposed in the East Green- East Greenland. Accordingly, dinoflagellate data from land Basin from Milne Land (70°N) in the south to Store Koldewey are important since they improve cor- Hochstetter Forland (75°N) in the north. Yet farther to relation between these two floral provinces. The Ju- the north, Jurassic sediments are restricted to isolated rassic exposures on the island of Store Koldewey are outliers (Ravn 1911; Stemmerik & Piasecki 1990) until also stratigraphically important because they provide the more extensive outcrops of Jurassic deposits in the the nearest accessible record in guiding the evaluation Wandel Sea Basin in eastern North Greenland are of the hydrocarbon potential of the extensive offshore reached (81°N–83°N; Fig. 1). The geographical gap shelf areas in the northern region. between the Jurassic outcrops of the Wandel Sea Ba- The Mesozoic of Store Koldewey was first described sin (Peary Land) and the well-studied ones of the East by Ravn (1911) and Koch (1929) on the basis of data Greenland Basin corresponds to the zone covering the collected by members of ‘Danmarks Expeditionen’ in transition from the strictly Boreal dinoflagellate cyst 1906–1908. Store Koldewey was then not visited by flora of Peary Land to the Subboreal hybrid flora of geologists until the summer of 1989, when several field-

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 99–112 © GEUS, 2004 99

GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 99 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 1. Simplified geological map of 6 Store Koldewey. Danmarkshavn 5

N 4 3 2 Greenland

1

500 km

18 W 76º30'N 1: Milne Land 2: Jameson Land 3: Hold with Hope Kløft I 4: Hochstetter Forland Kløft II 5: Store Koldewey 6: Peary Land/ Wandel Sea Basin

Store Koldewey

Sydlige Gneisnæs

Trækpasset

Ravn Pynt

Kap Arendt

Undifferentiated, mostly glacial deposits Cretaceous 76ºN Jurassic

Caledonian crystalline basement 20 km Fault 18ºW

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 100 29-10-2004, 11:14 parties from the Geological Survey of Greenland (GGU; mentological log from Ravn Pynt (Fig. 2). This succes- since 1995 part of the Geological Survey of Denmark sion is well dated by ammonites and the recorded oc- and Greenland) studied the geology of the island as currences and distributions of dinoflagellate cysts are part of regional mapping projects (Stemmerik & Pia- mainly used to improve the precision of Middle Juras- secki 1990; Henriksen 1997). Other areas mapped as sic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy in East Greenland. Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sediments by Haller (1983) This has involved new palynological analyses of am- were also visited at the same time but most of these monite-dated samples from Jameson Land for confir- appeared to be glacial deposits (Stemmerik & Piasecki mation of the new stratigraphical results from Store 1990). However, some new, very small outcrops of Koldewey. These new data are not published yet, but Jurassic sediments were found, protected from ero- are referred to in this paper. The new ammonite records sion on the downthrown side of basement faults (Pia- are not yet published in detail but are utilised in this secki et al. 1994). paper. The position of the Upper Jurassic samples is marked on the sedimentological log from Kløft II (see Fig. 5). The record of dinoflagellate cysts is then used to date Geological setting the regionally recorded transition from shallow ma- The elongated shape of Store Koldewey reflects a rine sandstone to the shale of the Bernbjerg Forma- north–south-oriented crystalline basement ridge. tion. The dinoflagellate assemblages are correlated with Mesozoic sediments are exposed only in low coastal older ammonite data, but the samples were not them- cliffs along the east side of the island (Fig. 1). They selves directly associated with ammonites. A number include four distinct stratigraphic units (I–IV) that are of new species have been described and defined sepa- preserved in small structural basins separated by base- rately (Piasecki 2001). ment highs (Fig. 1). The lithology is generally of mud to fine-grained sand grade and the units are highly fossiliferous. The stratigraphic units are of Middle Ju- rassic (I), Late Jurassic (II) and Early Cretaceous ages Middle Jurassic (III–IV). The southernmost outcrop at Ravn Pynt con- sists of a Middle Jurassic succession more than 60 m Lithostratigraphy thick, the Trækpasset Formation (Koch 1929; Figs 1, The Middle Jurassic succession on Store Koldewey, 2). Upper Jurassic sediments crop out in two gullies, the Trækpasset Formation of Koch (1929), is a lateral Kløft I and Kløft II, in the northern part of the island equivalent in part of the geographically widespread (Fig. 1). The sediments in the first (northern) af these Pelion Formation, and as there is little reason to main- gullies have been referred to the Kløft I Formation tain a separate stratigraphy for Store Koldewey, it is (Koch 1929) based on the description by Ravn (1911) herewith re-assigned to the Pelion Formation. The of material collected by members of the ‘Danmarks upper part of the exposed succession is of Early to Ekspeditionen’ in 1906–1908. Ravn (1911) proposed a Middle Callovian age and biostratigraphically equiva- Callovian age for the Trækpasset Formation and a lent to the new Spath Plateau Member on Hold with ‘Sequanian’ (Kimmeridgian) age for the Kløft I Forma- Hope (Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume) where the tion based on ammonites. The sandstone of the Kløft I same two ammonite zones are recorded. This part of Formation was later found in the Kløft II locality to be the Store Koldewey succession provides dinoflagel- overlain with a sharp boundary by grey laminated mud- late cyst data from an interval that is not so well docu- stones of the Bernbjerg Formation (Piasecki et al. 1994). mented in Jameson Land (Milner & Piasecki 1996). Ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts in the succes- sion at Ravn Pynt may indicate a depositional break between the Bathonian and the Callovian parts of the Samples and methods Pelion Formation (Figs 3, 4). The basal Callovian com- The palynological samples were prepared by standard prises the only significant mudstone in this succession. preparation methods including treatment with hydro- This shift in depositional facies is associated with the chloric and hydrofluoric acids, oxidation and filtration appearance of Callovian ammonites and several of the with 20 micron mesh. The stratigraphical position of uppermost Bathonian ammonite zones are not recorded the Middle Jurassic samples is marked on the sedi- beneath the facies shift. The absence of these zones

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 101 29-10-2004, 11:14 m

360400, 401 Lithology Sand Sand with gravel 31 360399

50 31 360398 Mud

Structure Lamination

360397 Lenticular lamination 360396 Planar cross-bedding Shell bed 40 360395 Clay clasts 360394 Calcareous concretions Hardened bed

Fossils 360393 Thalassinoides isp. 30 Curvolithos isp. 360392 Monocraterion isp. Diplocraterion isp. 360700 Planolites isp. 16 Boreal ammonite fauna horizon 360699 Belemnite Bivalve 20 360698 Pinna sp. 26 360697 Wood Serpulid Oyster

360691 GGU sample numbers

360696

10 19a 360695

360694 16 360692, 693

360691 Fig. 2. Sedimentological log of the exposed Middle Jurassic succession at Ravn Pynt. 0 Levels of the analysed palynological samples Mud Sand Gravel are indicated.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 102 29-10-2004, 11:14 may indicate a hiatus in the sedimentary succession or Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina are the stratigraphically simply no preservation of fauna and flora in that spe- important species that occur throughout the investi- cific part of the section. Some of the absent ammonite gated succession. S. grossii appears in the Arctocepha- faunas, however, have been collected just south of Ravn lites arcticus Chronozone in Milne Land (Larsen et al. Pynt on Store Koldeway. 2003) and becomes more frequent from approximately the Arctocephalites cranocephaloide Chronozone and upwards to the Cadoceras apertum Chronozone (Milner & Piasecki 1996). This increase in abundance of S. Ammonites grossii is not observed here because no samples were The Jurassic succession contains abundant ammonites collected from this part of the section. In Milne Land, in well-separated faunal horizons and the stratification G. pectinigera is recorded as becoming abundant from is generally preserved despite some solifluction. The the A. cranocephaloide Chronozone upwards into the sedimentological succession was studied in a ravine at C. apertum Chronozone but again, this increase in Ravn Pynt and four ammonite horizons were collected abundance is not represented in the present section. here in situ and directly correlated with the fine-grained In Jameson Land, P. retiphragmata has its earliest ap- palynological samples (Fig. 2). These ammonites rep- pearance in the A. cranocephaloide Chronozone but resent the Arcticoceras ishmae Zone (horizon 16), the at Store Koldewey it clearly appears already in the Arcticoceras cranocephaloide Zone (horizon 19a in- Arcticoceras ishmae Chronozone. C. hyalina appeared cluding topotypes of Kepplerites tychonis Ravn), the earliest in the Cadoceras calyx Chronozone in Jameson Cadoceras apertum Zone (horizon 26) and the Pro- Land (Milner & Piasecki 1996). The present material, planulites koenigi Zone (horizon 31) of the standard in combination with new data from Jameson Land, show Boreal ammonite biostratigraphy of Jameson Land (Cal- that C. hyalina is present already in the A. ishmae lomon 1993). The age of the succession is then mid- Chronozone and becomes abundant from the C. Bathonian to Callovian based on the ammonite faunas. apertum Zone. Aldorfia aldorfensis appears in the A. cranocephaloide Chronozone precisely where it is ex- pected from its range in Jameson Land (Milner & Piasecki 1996). The morphologically variable species Dinoflagellate cysts Ctenidodinium thulium is recorded throughout the The organic matter in the Middle Jurassic succession is succession, having a much more extensive range than dominated by black and brown woody material. The that recorded elsewhere in East Greenland. Towards abundance of dinoflagellate cysts is generally low but the south, in Milne Land, it is restricted to the interval the diversity is fair (65 recorded species, including a above the A. cranocephaloide Chronozone and below few acritarchs). The assemblages are dominated by the Paltoceras athleta Chronozone (Larsen et al. 2003). proximate cysts accompanied by few cavate cysts but This upper range is confirmed in these northern re- are basically barren of chorate cysts. Specimens from gions by data from Hold with Hope where it is re- the Pareodinia/Paraevansia/Evansia and the Eschari- corded in strata just below the P. athleta Chronozone sphaeridium/Sentusidinium groups are the most abun- (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). dant cysts. Successive species appear regularly upwards Many of the less frequent species seem to occur in a in the succession but the highest number of appear- rather random way that makes their presence and es- ances is in GGU sample 360698 at 19.60 m (Fig. 4) at pecially their absence less stratigraphically useful. the base of a 13 m thick fine-grained interval (Fig. 2). Crussolia perireticulata is a good example of this. In This may reflect a hiatus in the succession below the Milne Land, it occurs in the Bathonian A. arcticus sample and/or a shift to a more open marine deposi- Chronozone and again higher in the Callovian part of tional environment. the succession (Larsen et al. 2003). In Jameson Land, it Since the Middle Jurassic succession is dated in de- appears one ammonite zone higher than in Milne Land, tail by ammonites, the distribution of the dinoflagel- the Bathonian Arctocephalites greenlandicus Chrono- late cysts can be used to increase the precision of their zone and is then not recorded again until it reappears ranges in the Boreal Jurassic as previous recorded in in the basal Callovian, top C. apertum Chronozone. other regions in East Greenland (Jameson Land and There are no records of this species from the Bathonian Hold with Hope). Sirmiodinium grossii, Gonyaulacysta or the Callovian of Store Koldewey and Hold with pectinigera, Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata and Hope. This could indicate a southern affinity of this

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 103 29-10-2004, 11:14 BOREAL AMMONITE LITHO- Fig. 3. Schematic stratigraphical ZONATION STRATIGRAPHY classification of the Middle Jurassic succession on Store Koldewey. Erymnoceras coronatum

Kosmoceras jason

Sigaloceras calloviense HORIZONS FAUNA

Proplanulites koenigi

31

Cadoceras nordenskjoeldi Spath Plateau Member Cadoceras apertum 26

? Cadoceras calyx 22

Cadoceras variabile Formation Pelion 20 19 Arcticoceras cranocephaloide

16 Arcticoceras ishmae BATHONIAN15 CALLOVIAN

Arctocephalites greenlandicus

Arctocephalites arcticus

Succession at Succession south Hiatus Ravn Pynt of Ravn Pynt

species as the depositional settings of these localities The dinoflagellate cysts in the Middle Jurassic suc- are comparable overall. However, a Callovian range is cession are divided into an Upper Bathonian and a reported from the present Arctic regions of the Sverdrup Lower Callovian dinoflagellate cyst assemblage. The Basin and Svalbard (Smelror 1993). boundary is placed at 19.2 m, above which level a Some exceptionally early occurrences of Ambono- significant number of new species appear (Figs 2, 4). sphaera calloviana and Gonyaulacysta helicoidea in Most species in the Upper Bathonian assemblage also the A. ishmae Chronozone and of Pareodinia stegasta occur in the Lower Callovian assemblage and the com- and Paraevansia brachythelis in the C. apertum Chro- position of the Bathonian assemblage varies signifi- nozone are recorded in the present succession. cantly between the few samples studied. The younger,

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 104 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 4. Distribution chart of the dinoflagellate cysts in the Middle Jurassic succession at Ravn Pynt on Store Koldewey. Fig. 4. Distribution chart of the dinoflagellate cysts in Middle Jurassic succession at Ravn Pynt on Store 0 25 50 Metre Ravn Pynt Store Koldewey 3.60 4.60 12.40 19.80 23.00 26.50 29.50 31.80 38.60 39.40 43.80 360401 54.50 57.00 Sample height 360397 360693 360694 360696 360698 360699 360700 360392 360393 360394 360395 360400 GGU sample no.

Jurassic (Middle) System Bathonian Callovian Stage Pelion Formation Formation 1 Paraevansia spp. 2 Pareodinia scopaeus 3 Ambonosphaera calloviense 4 Valensiella ovula 5 Gonyaulacysta jurassica 6 Valensiella dictydia 7 Gonyaulacysta pectinigera 8 Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata 9 Evansia janeae 10 Meiourogonyaulax spongiosa 11 Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina 12 Atopodinium haromense 13 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. cladophora 14 Sirmiodinium grossii 15 Caddosphaera halosa 16 Meiourogonyaulax spp. 17 Chlamydophorella cf. ectotabulata 18 Durotrigia daveyi 19 Gonyaulacysta helicoidea 20 Batiacasphaera spp. 21 Scriniodinium spp. 22 Sentusidinium spp. 23 Chytroeisphaeridia chytroeoides 24 Cymatiosphaera spp. 25 Sentusidinium pelionense 26 Kallosphaeridium spp. 27 Ctenidodinium thulium 28 Pareodinia arctica 29 Valvaeodinium leneae 30 Escharisphaeridium rudis 31 Durotrigia cf. daveyi 32 Pareodinia pachyceras 33 Kallosphaeridium hypornatum 34 Polystephanophorus cf. paracalatus 35 Valensiella sp. Fensome 36 Valensiella spp. 37 Chytroeisphaeridia spp. 38 Fromea tornalis 39 Gonyaulacysta cf. centriconnata 40 Evansia perireticulata 41 Pareodinia stegasta 42 N. plegas var. dictyornatus 43 Aldorfia aldorfensis 44 Dissiliodinium spp. 45 Paraevansia brachythelis 46 Kallosphaeridium praussii 47 Paragonyaulacysta spp. 48 Pareodinia granulata 49 Pareodinia prolongata 50 Scriniodinium cf. luridum 51 Sentusidinium sp. D FENSOME 52 Atopodinium polygonalis 53 Fromea spp. 54 Pareodinia spp. 55 Pareodinia cf. scopaeus 56 Escharisphaeridium spp. 1–4 specimens 1–4 5–19 specimens >50 specimens 20–50 specimens 20–50 57 Jansonia spp. 58 Solisphaeridium ankyleton 59 Leptodinium spp. 60 Sirmiodiniopsis spp. 61 Gonyaulacysta spp. 62 Pareodinia cf. groenlandicum 63 Escharisphaeridium spp. 64 Lithodinia spp. 65 Ambonosphaera cf. calloviana 66 Gonyaulacysta cf. helicoidea 17 15 20 52 12 65 3 43 24 27 37 11 23 39 38 53 40 9 56 30 63 18 31 44 66 61 5 19 26 46 33 57 59 16 10 64 47 8 1 45 42 50 29 36 35 4 6 58 14 60 22 51 25 21 62 28 48 55 13 34 41 54 2 49 32 ALPHABETICAL SPECIES LIST ALPHABETICAL 7 Paraevansia Valensiella Cymatiosphaera Ctenidodinium thulium Chytroeisphaeridia Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina Chytroeisphaeridia chytroeoides Chlamydophorella Caddosphaera halosa Gonyaulacysta Fromea tornalis Fromea Evansia perireticulata Evansia janeae Escharisphaeridium rudis Escharisphaeridium Escharisphaeridium Durotrigia daveyi Durotrigia Dissiliodinium Batiacasphaera Atopodinium polygonalis Atopodinium haromense Gonyaulacysta Ambonosphaera Ambonosphaera calloviana Aldorfia aldorfensis Gonyaulacysta pectinigeraGonyaulacysta jurassicaGonyaulacysta helicoidea Gonyaulacysta Kallosphaeridium praussiiKallosphaeridium hypornatum Kallosphaeridium Jansonia Leptodinium Meiourogonyaulax Meiourogonyaulax spongiosa Lithodinia Paragonyaulacysta Paragonyaulacysta retiphragmata Paraevansia brachythelis N. plegas Scriniodinium Valvaeodinium leneae Valensiella Valensiella ovula Valensiella dictydia ankyletonSolisphaeridium Sirmiodinium grossii Sirmiodiniopsis Sentusidinium Sentusidinium Sentusidinium pelionense Scriniodinium Pareodinia Pareodinia arctica Pareodinia granulata Pareodinia Rhynchodiniopsis Polystephanophorus Pareodinia stegasta Pareodinia Pareodinia scopaeus Pareodinia prolongata Pareodinia pachyceras spp. spp. var. spp. sp. Fensome cf. spp. cf. cf. spp. spp. spp. spp. cf. spp. daveyi spp. sp. D Fensome groenlandicum scopaeus dictyornatus cf. cf. spp. spp. spp. spp. cf. cf. luridum luridum spp. cf. centriconnata centriconnata helicoidea spp. spp. spp. spp. spp. cf. calloviana cladophora ectotabulata paracalatus

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 105 29-10-2004, 11:14 Lower Callovian assemblage is characterised by abun- sedimentary successions exist regionally in different dant Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina and Pareodinia pach- lithostratigraphical units. The Middle Jurassic dinoflag- yceras, together with many species not present below ellate assemblages vary with depositional environments e.g. Pareodinia stegasta, Aldorfia aldorfiense and but the overall characters can be recognised and cor- Paraevansia brachythelis. related over long distances. The main problem is the interdependence of depo- sition of relatively fine-grained sediments and preser- vation of dinoflagellate cysts, giving relatively few ho- Middle Jurassic correlation rizons with rich assemblages in the generally coarse- The dinoflagellate cyst assemblage of the lower part grained Middle Jurassic successions, i.e. the Pelion and of the succession (Bathonian) correlates with assem- Charcot Bugt Formations. blages of the A. arcticus – A. cranocephaloide Chro- nozones from both Milne Land (Assemblages 2 and 3 in: Larsen et al. 2003) and Jameson Land (Milner & Piasecki 1996) in central East Greenland. The assem- Upper Jurassic blages from the Charcot Bugt Formation in Milne Land are very poor, both in diversity and density, but have Lithostratigraphy stratigraphically significant species such as S. grossii, The Upper Jurassic succession on Store Koldewey was C. hyalina, Kallosphaeridium hypornatum and Evansia defined as the Kløft I Formation (Koch 1929). Its lower janeae in common with the present assemblage. In sandstone-dominated part is equivalent to the recently the same stratigraphical interval in the Fossilbjerget defined Payer Dal Formation (Alsgaard et al. 2003) from Formation of Jameson Land, new species appear for Hold with Hope, Kuhn Ø and Hochstetter Forland fur- the first time in abundance and have many species in ther to the south, and the overlying mudstones are common with the assemblage from Store Koldewey. equivalent to the geographically extensive Bernbjerg Differences in occurrence and first appearances of sig- Formation (Fig. 5). For convenience and simplifica- nificant species between the two areas are discussed tion of the lithostratigraphy, the Kløft I Formation is above. not used here and the succession is referred to the The dinoflagellate cyst assemblage of the higher part Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations (Fig. 5). of the succession (Lower Callovian) on Store Kolde- wey also correlates well with assemblages from the Charcot Bugt Formation in Milne Land, whereas the contemporaneous assemblages from the Fossilbjerget Formation in Jameson Land are poor and not so well m documented. In contrast, dinoflagellate cyst assem- 360495 blages from the Pelion Formation, Spath Plateau Mem- 15 ber, on Hold with Hope (Piasecki et al. 2004, this vol- ume) correlate well with assemblages from Store Kol- dewey. The assemblages in the Charcot Bugt Forma- tion (Assemblages 4 and 5 in: Larsen et al. 2003) are 10 360494 not precisely dated but are not older than the A. cranocephaloide Chronozone (Bathonian) and not Bernbjerg Fm younger than the Erymnoceras coronatum Chronozone (top Middle Callovian). 5 360493 360496

Discussion Fm 360498 360497 Payer Dal Payer 0 The correlation of the Pelion Formation on Store Kolde- Mud Sand wey with the Charcot Bugt, the Fossilbjerget and the Fig. 5. Sedimentological log of the exposed Upper Jurassic suc- Pelion Formations in southern parts of the Jurassic East cession at Kløft II with the levels of analysed samples marked. Greenland basin complex shows that time-equivalent For legend, see Fig. 2.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 106 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 6. Schematic stratigraphical classifi- Chronostratigraphy Lithostratigraphy cation of the Upper Jurassic succession Chronozones Formations on Store Koldewey. Aulacostephanoides mutabilis Bernbjerg

Rasenia cymodoce

Kimmeridgian Pictonia baylei

Amoeboceras rosenkrantzi Payer Dal

Amoeboceras regulare

Amoeboceras serratum Oxfordian

Amoeboceras glosense

Based on Based on ammonites dinoflagellate cysts

The Upper Jurassic succession comprises two as- Ammonites semblages, which intermingle at the transition from The old ammonite collections from the Kløft I Forma- Payer Dal to Bernbjerg Formation (Fig. 7). The lower tion (Payer Dal Formation) described by Ravn (1911) assemblage is characterised by Gonyaulacysta dualis, were recently correlated more precisely with the Brit- Adnatosphaeridium sp. (A. hartzi in: Piasecki 1980), ish ammonite succession, confirming a Late Oxfordian Taeniophora iunctispina, Ambonosphaera calloviana to Early Kimmeridgian age, equivalent to the Amoebo- and Paragonyaulacysta capillosa. This assemblage is ceras serratum, A. rosenkrantzi and Aulacostepha- well known from Oxfordian/Kimmeridgian strata in noides mutabilis Zones (Fig. 6; Sykes & Surlyk 1976; Milne Land in East Greenland (Piasecki 1980; Piasecki Sykes & Callomon 1979). New ammonite finds indi- 1996), Hochstetter Forland (Piasecki & Stemmerik 2004, cate a similar age. These ammonites are not precisely this volume) and in Peary Land, North Greenland located but most probably came from the sandstones (Håkansson et al. 1981; Piasecki 1994). referred here to the Payer Dal Formation. The samples The upper assemblage is characterised by Paragon- analysed for dinoflagellate cysts are from the top of yaulacysta capillosa, Occisucysta sp., Perisseiasphaer- this formation and from the overlying Bernbjerg For- idium pannosum, Rhynchodiniopsis sp. and Rhyncho- mation (Fig. 6). diniopsis cf. pennata. This assemblage is known from Kimmeridgian strata in Milne Land with a slightly dif- ferent frequency of the species involved (Piasecki 1996), and from Peary Land, North Greenland (Piasecki 1994) Dinoflagellate cysts and Svalbard (Århus 1988). The organic content of the Upper Jurassic samples is The earliest Paragonyaulacysta capillosa on Milne dominated by brown and black woody material and Land appears in the basal Kimmeridgian, Rasenia cy- the abundance and diversity of the dinoflagellate cyst modoce Chronozone, shortly before the earliest Peris- floras are low. The richest samples are from the base seiasphaeridium pannosum and Avellodinium cf. fal- of the Bernbjerg Formation, probably representing a sificum at the base of the A. mutabilis Chronozone. flooding event. The dinoflagellate cysts are better pre- These two events are recorded within an assemblage served in the Payer Dal Formation than in the Bernbjerg of abundant Adnatosphaeridium sp. (A. hartzi in: Pia- Formation. The composition of the dinoflagellate cyst secki 1980), Taeniophora iunctispina, Gonyaulacysta flora is clearly in favour of proximate cysts, with a jurassica/dualis and Ambonosphaera calloviana that minority of chorate specimens and species. dominates from the Late Oxfordian (A. rosenkrantzi

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 107 29-10-2004, 11:14 Fig. 7. Distribution chart of the dinoflagellate cysts in the Upper Jurassic succession at Kløft II on Store Koldewey. Fig. 7. Distribution chart of the dinoflagellate cysts in Upper Jurassic succession at Kløft II on Store

0 25 Metre Kløft II Store Koldewey 1.00 3.00 4.00 11.00 18.00 Sample height 360497 360496 360493 360494 360495 GGU sample no.

Jurassic System Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Kimmeridgian Stage Payer Dal Bernbjerg Formation

1 Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora 2 Pilosidinium myriatrichum 3 Nummus spp. 4 Adnatosphaeridium sp. 5 Ambonosphaera calloviana 6 Paragonyaulacysta capillosa 7 Leptodinium subtile 8 Sentusidinium pelionense 9 Gonyaulacysta cf. helicoidea 10 Leiosphaeridia spp. 11 Epiplosphaera spp. 12 Gonyaulacysta dualis 13 Cribroperidinium granuligera 14 Pareodinia halosa 15 Tenua hystrix 16 Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina 17 Epiplosphaera bireticulata 18 Circulodinium spp. 19 Escharispahaeria laevigata 20 Caddosphaera cf. halosa 21 Occisucysta aff. monoheuriskos 22 Taeniophora iunctispina 23 Ambonosphaera sp. 24 Sirmiodinium grossii 25 Pareodinia spp. 26 Scriniodinium irregulare 27 Atopodinium haromense 28 Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum 29 Avellodinium cf. falsificum 30 Escharisphaeridia pocockii 31 Rhynchodiniopsis spp. 32 Rhynchodiniopsis cf. pennata 33 Occissucysta spp. 34 Barbatacysta pilosa 35 Prolixosphaeridium granulosum 36 Escharispahaeria cf. laevigata 37 Tubotuberella cf. egemenii 38 Tenua spp. 39 Circulodinium downiei 1–4 specimens 1–4 5–19 specimens >50 specimens 20–50 specimens 20–50 40 Circulodinium cf. downiei 41 Paragonyaulacysta cf. capillosa 42 Oligosphaeridium patulum 43 Apteodinium spp. 44 Cribroperidinium cf. perforans 45 Pareodinia borealis 46 Perisseiasphaeridium cf. pannosum 47 Acritarch Species 27 43 5 4 47 23 18 39 40 16 20 34 29 11 17 13 44 9 30 19 36 10 12 3 7 46 25 14 41 6 45 42 21 33 8 26 31 1 32 35 2 28 38 15 22 24 37 ALPHABETICAL SPECIES LIST ALPHABETICAL Gonyaulacysta Sentusidinium pelionense Pilosidinium myriatrichum Chytroeisphaeridia hyalina Caddosphaera pilosa Barbatacysta Avellodinium Atopodinium haromense Apteodinium species Acritarch Ambonosphaera Circulodinium Circulodinium downiei Circulodinium Epiplosphaera Epiplosphaera bireticulata granuligeraCribroperidinium Cribroperidinium Escharisphaeridia pocockii pocockii Escharisphaeridia laevigata Escharispahaeria Escharispahaeria Leiosphaeridia dualis Gonyaulacysta Perisseiasphaeridium Pareodinia Pareodinia halosa Paragonyaulacysta Pareodinia borealis patulum Oligosphaeridium Occisucysta Occisucysta Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum Perisseiasphaeridium Scriniodinium irregulare Scriniodinium Rhynchodiniopsis Rhynchodiniopsis Prolixosphaeridium granulosum Sirmiodinium grossii Tubotuberella Tenua Tenua hystrix Taeniophora iunctispina Ambonosphaera calloviana Adnatosphaeridium Leptodinium subtile Nummus Paragonyaulacysta capilosa Rhynchodiniopsis cladophora cladophora Rhynchodiniopsis spp. spp. spp. aff. spp. cf. spp. cf. spp. cf. spp. cf. spp. cf. falsificum sp. monoheuriskos cf. spp. cf. egemenii cf. downiei helicoidea halosa cf. sp. perforans pennata laevigata cf. capilosa pannosum

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 108 29-10-2004, 11:14 Chronozone) to the earliest Kimmeridgian (Pictonia Kimmeridgian of Svalbard (Janusfjellet Formation) baylei and R. cymodoce Chronozones). A similar order where only Paragonyaulacysta capillosa seems to have of appearances occurs in the Upper Jurassic succes- stratigraphical potential, with a consistently relative sion of Store Koldewey and the presence of Occisucysta short range (Århus 1988). There, P. capillosa appears sp. in these strata also supports a stratigraphical level after a poor to barren interval in the Upper Oxfordian equivalent to the R. cymodoce Chronozone by com- to lowermost Kimmeridgian, above a poor ammonite parison with the assemblages from Milne Land. record of Rasenia sp. and at a level where bioturbated P. pannosum becomes abundant in Milne Land in mudstones are followed by laminated mudstones, just the A. mutabilis Chronozone and dominates the dino- as on Store Koldewey and in Milne Land. The appear- flagellate assemblages throughout the A. eudoxus Zone ance of P. capillosa and its associated assemblage may until Oligosphaeridium patulum becomes the totally therefore reflect a relative sea-level rise. The presence dominant species in the A. autissiodorensis Chrono- of P. capillosa and its associated dinoflagellate cyst zone. The assemblage on Store Koldewey contains assemblage may be used as a general indication of the Perisseiasphaeridium pannosum most abundantly at stratigraphical level from the R. cymodoce Chronozone the transition between the two formations and Oligo- into the A. mutabilis (A. eudoxus?) Chronozone. The sphaeridium patulum follows rapidly at the base of few other associated species in the Janusfjellet section Bernbjerg Formation. None of the two species are abun- are the stratigraphically long-ranging species Parago- dant at higher levels in the Bernbjerg Formation at nyaulacysta borealis, Lanterna saturnalis and Tubo- Kløft II. tuberella apatela, the typical Borealis Assemblage (Brideaux & Fisher 1976) which also occurs in East and North Greenland. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in Peary Land Upper Jurassic correlation and Svalbard provide no clear upper stratigraphical The Upper Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst assemblages on limits, except for the disappearance of P. capillosa. P. Store Koldewey closely resemble the Boreal assem- capillosa occurs commonly up to the A. autissiodorensis blages from the Jurassic Ladegårdsåen Formation of Chronozone (top Kimmeridgian) in Milne Land but is Peary Land (Piasecki 1994), and to some degree also also recorded scattered throughout the Volgian. The the assemblage in the Janusfjellet Formation, Svalbard successions at Store Koldewey, Peary Land and Svalbard (Århus 1988). However, the restricted ammonite fau- within the range of abundant P. capillosa are therefore nas in these two formations do not allow precise dat- considered to be of Kimmeridgian (pre-Volgian) age. ing of the dinoflagellate assemblages on Peary Land and Svalbard. The most significant difference between these assemblages is the presence of P. pannosum and O. patulum only at Store Koldewey. Adnatosphaeri- Discussion dium sp. and Taeniophora iunctispina occur as far Despite the similarity in composition and abundance north as Peary Land but are not reported from Svalbard. of specific species in the geographically widespread The stratigraphically highest occurrence of Gon- assemblages described above, there are also clear dif- yaulacysta dualis, Atopodinium haromense, Occisu- ferences reflecting the latitudinal distance between the cysta sp. in Peary Land, in an assemblage with abun- compared localities. The Upper Jurassic dinoflagellate dant Escharisphaeridium pocockii, Rhynchodiniopsis cyst assemblage on Store Koldewey is a mixture of sp., Taeniophora iunctispina and Adnatosphaeridium species with Subboreal or Boreal preference but with sp. is associated with the appearance of Paragonyaula- a clear affinity to the Boreal region. P. pannosum and cysta capillosa and Cribroperidinium perforans. This O. patulum are abundant and long-ranging in North- assemblage and associated stratigraphic events in Peary west Europe, they are abundant with a more restricted Land are directly comparable with the dinoflagellate stratigraphical range in East Greenland, and they ap- cyst assemblage at the transition from the Payer Dal pear in low numbers with a limited stratigraphical range Formation to the Bernbjerg Formation on Store Kolde- in Store Koldewey. This is probably close to the north- wey. The age of this assemblage is interpreted to be ern limit of these species as they do not appear farther Early Kimmeridgian (R. cymodoce – A. mutabilis Chro- to the north in Peary Land (Piasecki 1994) and Svalbard nozones). (Århus 1988). On Store Koldewey, the occurrence of A comparable event has not been recorded in the these species so far north is associated with the most

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 109 29-10-2004, 11:14 significant relative sea-level rise recorded in the Up- from Assemblage 4 from the Charcot Bugt Formation. per Jurassic of East Greenland, in the R. cymodoce to On Hold with Hope, the Pelion Formation comprises A. mutabilis (A. eudoxus) Chronozones of the Kimme- two sedimentological units: a lower sandstone unit ridgian. followed by the Spath Plateau Member (Vosgerau et al. 2004, this volume). Ammonites indicating the C. apertum Zone and the P. koenigi Zone occur in the basal strata of Spath Plateau Member. Dinoflagellate Sequence stratigraphic implications cyst assemblages equivalent to the assemblages from Studies of the Jurassic ammonite and dinoflagellate cyst the corresponding Spath Plateau Member on Store stratigraphy integrated with sedimentological studies Koldewey have been recorded in this succession and sequence stratigraphical interpretations in East (Piasecki et al. 2004, this volume). Greenland lead towards an integrated genetic model Thus, two distinct dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in which the units can be identified by their content of of Bathonian and Callovian age characterise the two dinoflagellate cysts. The present study of the dinoflag- sedimentological units that have been identified as ellate cyst assemblages on Store Koldewey contributes third-order depositional sequences and are found to to the study of this complex problem. be extensively distributed throughout East Greenland. The Middle Jurassic succession deposited directly As already mentioned above, the Upper Jurassic on crystalline basement on Store Koldewey correlates succession on Store Koldewey, consisting of the Payer with contemporaneous and stratigraphically similar Dal and Bernbjerg Formations, correlates excellently successions from the lower part of the Fossilbjerget with contemporaneous successions from eastern Peary Formation in Jameson Land (P5 and P6 third-order se- Land and Svalbard in the north to Milne Land in the quences of Engkilde & Surlyk 2003), the Charcot Bugt south. The overall transgressive trend from the Upper Formation in Milne Land (Larsen et al. 2003) and the Oxfordian to maximum flooding in the Kimmeridgian Pelion Formation at Hold with Hope (Vosgerau et al. is represented by sedimentary deposits throughout East 2004, this volume). Both in Milne Land and on Hold and North Greenland that can be correlated in detail with Hope, the Middle Jurassic successions represent on the basis of both ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts. the earliest evidence of the Jurassic transgression of A succession of distinct dinoflagellate cyst assemblages the margins of the sedimentary basins. The ammonite characterises the stepwise progress of relative sea-level fauna from the A. ishmae Chronozone is among the rise and can be recognised throughout the sedimen- most widespread faunas in the Arctic (Callomon 1993) tary basins of East Greenland. and marks the considerable extent of this circum-Arc- tic second-order marine transgression represented also in most areas of East Greenland. The third-order dep- ositional sequence P5 in Jameson Land is limited by Conclusion sequence boundaries located in the A. ishmae and C. The Jurassic succession of Store Koldewey is divided calyx Chronozones, respectively (Engkilde & Surlyk into the Pelion, Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations. 2003). The P6 depositional sequence is confined to Abundant Boreal ammonites date the succession in the C. apertum, C. nordenskjoeldi and basal P. koenigi detail and associated floras of dinoflagellate cyst pro- Chronozones. Stratigraphically, P5 and P6 correspond vide supplementary data. The Pelion Formation is dated to the two sedimentological units identified in the Mid- as Late Bathonian – Early Callovian, in the Middle Ju- dle Jurassic of Store Koldewey and their content of rassic, and the Payer Dal and Bernbjerg Formations dinoflagellate cysts correlates as well. are dated as Late Oxfordian – Early Kimmeridgian in In Milne Land, the Charcot Bugt Formation also con- the Late Jurassic. tains ammonites from the A. ishmae and the A. crano- The Middle Jurassic succession consists of a Batho- cephaloide Zones (Larsen et al. 2003). The associated nian and a Callovian part. They can be correlated with dinoflagellate cyst assemblages correlate well with as- contemporaneous sedimentary successions on Hold semblages from the corresponding lower Pelion suc- with Hope, in Jameson Land and in Milne Land to the cession on Store Koldewey. Dinoflagellate cysts from south, where corresponding dinoflagellate cyst assem- the higher Pelion Formation, the Spath Plateau Mem- blages have been recorded. Ranges of individual dino- ber, at Store Koldewey (C. apertum Chronozone to flagellate species are given in relation to the Boreal the basal P. koenigi Chronozone) correlate with those ammonite stratigraphy.

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 110 29-10-2004, 11:14 The Upper Jurassic succession is correlated with East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. (eds): The Juras- corresponding successions in Hochstetter Forland, Hold sic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological Survey of Den- with Hope and Milne Land to the south and with those mark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 813–863. Håkansson, E., Birkelund, T., Piasecki, S. & Zakharov, V. 1981: of Peary Land, North Greenland, and Svalbard to the Jurassic–Cretaceous of the extreme Arctic (Peary Land, North north. Passing northwards from East Greenland via Greenland). Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark North Greenland to Svalbard, the Upper Jurassic dino- 30, 11–42. flagellate cyst floras show a transition from dominantly Haller, J. 1983: Geological map of Northeast Greenland 75°– Subboreal species in central East Greenland to a dis- 82°N Lat. Meddelelser om Grønland 200(5), 22 pp. tinct Boreal flora in Svalbard. The stratigraphic ranges Henriksen, N. 1997: Geological map of Greenland 1:500 000, of many species and their abundance decrease towards Sheet 10, Dove Bugt. Copenhagen: Geological Survey of the north. In contrast, species with Boreal affinity range Denmark and Greenland. Koch, L. 1929: Stratigraphy of Greenland, 124 pp. Dr. Scient southwards to Milne Land. The assemblages in Store thesis, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Koldewey are transitional in composition. Larsen, M., Piasecki, S. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Stratigraphy and The sedimentological units of Store Koldewey are sedimentology of a basement-onlapping shallow marine sand- placed in the sequence stratigraphic framework devel- stone succession, the Charcot Bugt Formation, Middle–Up- oped for the Jurassic in East Greenland, and the asso- per Jurassic, East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & Surlyk, F. ciated dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are used to char- (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Geological acterise and to identify these sequence stratigraphic Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, 893–930. elements. Milner, P.S. & Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal Middle Jurassic dinoflag- ellate cyst stratigraphy of Jameson Land, East Greenland. In: Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and reservoir rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Jameson Land, Acknowledgements East Greenland. Energy research programme EFP-93, projects 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Work began as part of the Project ‘Resources of the Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. I and II, 46 pp. sedimentary basins of North and East Greenland’, sup- Piasecki, S. 1980: Middle to Late Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stra- ported by the Danish Research Councils. The work tigraphy from Milne Land (East Greenland) correlated with was completed with support from the Carlsberg Foun- ammonite stratigraphy, 167 pp. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, dation (Carlsbergfondet) Ans. 980089/20-262. The au- University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Piasecki, S. 1994: Biostratigraphy of the Jurassic – Lower Creta- thors are grateful to Dr. A. Wierzbowski and Dr. G.F.W. ceous Ladegårdsåen Formation, Peary Land. In: Håkansson, Herngreen for careful comments and constructive sug- E. (ed.): Wandel Sea Basin: Basin Analysis. EFP-91, Project gestions. No. 0012, 1–14. Piasecki, S. 1996: Boreal dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Mid- dle to Upper Jurassic sediments of Milne Land, East Green- land. In: Piasecki, S. et al. (eds): Formation of source and References reservoir rocks in a sequence stratigraphic framework, Alsgaard, P.C., Felt, V.L., Vosgerau, H. & Surlyk, F. 2003: The Jameson Land, East Greenland. Energy research programme Jurassic of Kuhn Ø, North-East Greenland. In: Ineson, J.R. & EFP-93, Projects 1313/93-0010 and 0017. Danmarks og Surlyk, F. (eds): The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland. Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Rapport 1996/30, Vol. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 1, I and II, 100 pp. 865–892. Piasecki, S. 2001: Three new Middle Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts Århus, N. 1988: Palynostratigraphy of some Bathonian–Haute- of East Greenland. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und rivian sections in the Arctic, with emphasis on the Janusfjellet Paläontologie. Abhandlungen 219(1–2), 15–31. Formation type section, Spitsbergen. Institutt for Kontinen- Piasecki, S. & Stemmerik, L. 2004: Jurassic dinoflagellate cysts talsokkelundersøkelser (IKU) Report 23.1252.11/01/88, from Hochstetter Forland, North-East Greenland. In: Stem- 139 pp. merik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Green- Brideaux, W.W. & Fisher, M.J. 1976: Upper Jurassic – Lower land. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin Cretaceous dinoflagellate assemblages from Arctic Canada. 5, 89–97 (this volume). Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 259, 1–53. Piasecki, S., Stemmerik, L., Friderichsen, J.D. & Higgins, A.K. Callomon, J.H. 1993: The ammonite succession in the Middle 1994: Stratigraphy of the post-Caledonian sediments in the Jurassic of East Greenland. Bulletin of the Geological Soci- Germania Land area, North-East Greenland. Rapport Grøn- ety of Denmark 40, 83–113. lands Geologiske Undersøgelse 162, 183–190. Engkilde, M. & Surlyk, F. 2003: Shallow marine syn-rift sedi- Piasecki, S., Larsen, M., Therkelsen, J. & Vosgerau, H. 2004: mentation: Middle Jurassic Pelion Formation, Jameson Land, Jurassic dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy of Hold with Hope,

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 111 29-10-2004, 11:14 North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. (eds): Sykes, R.M. & Callomon, J.H. 1979: The Amoeboceras zonation The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Survey of of the Boreal Upper Oxfordian. Palaeontology 22(4), 839– Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 73–88 (this volume). 903. Ravn, J.P.J. 1911: On Jurassic and Cretaceous fossils from North- Sykes, R.M. & Surlyk, F. 1976: A revised ammonite zonation of East Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland 45(10), 437–500. the Boreal Oxfordian and its application in North-East Green- Smelror, M. 1993: Biogeography of Bathonian to Oxfordian (Ju- land. Lethaia 9, 421–436. rassic) dinoflagellates: Arctic, NW Europe and circum-Medi- Vosgerau, H., Larsen, M., Piasecki, S., Therkelsen, J. & Surlyk, F. terranean regions. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, 2004: A new Middle–Upper Jurassic succession on Hold with Palaeoecology 102, 121–160. Hope, North-East Greenland. In: Stemmerik, L. & Stouge, S. Stemmerik, L. & Piasecki, S. 1990: Post-Caledonian sediments (eds): The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. Geological Sur- in North-East Greenland between 76° and 78°30′N. Rapport vey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 5, 51–71 (this vol- Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse 148, 123–126. ume).

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 113 29-10-2004, 11:14 Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse (GEUS) Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K Denmark

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin is a new series started in 2003 to replace the two former bulletin series of the Survey, viz. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin and Geology of Denmark Survey Bulletin. The twenty-one volumes published since 1997 in those two series are listed below, followed by titles in the new bulletin series. The new series, together with Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Map Series, now form the peer-review scientific series of the Survey.

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin (new series)

1 The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland, 948 pp. 2003. Edited by J.R. Ineson & F. Surlyk. 500.00 2 Fish otoliths from the Paleocene of Denmark, 94 pp. 2003. By W. Schwarzhans. 100.00 3 Late Quaternary environmental changes recorded in the Danish marine molluscan faunas. By K.S. Pedersen. 200.00 4 Review of Survey activities, 2003 , 100 pp. (24 articles), 2004. Edited by M. Sønderholm & A.K. Higgins. 180.00 5 The Jurassic of North-East Greenland. (7 articles), 2004. Edited by L. Stemmerik & S. Stouge. 6 East Greenland Caledonides: stratigraphy, structure and geochronology. (6 articles), 2004 Edited by A.K. Higgins & F. Kalsbeek.

Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin (discontinued)

173 Cambrian shelf stratigraphy of North Greenland, 120 pp., 1997. By J.R. Ineson & J.S. Peel. 250.00 174 The Proterozoic Thule Supergroup, Greenland and Canada: history, lithostratigraphy and development, 150 pp., 1997. By P.R. Dawes. 300.00 175 Stratigraphy of the Neill Klinter Group; a Lower – lower Middle Jurassic tidal embayment succession, Jameson Land, East Greenland, 80 pp., 1998. By G. Dam & F. Surlyk. 250.00 176 Review of Greenland activities 1996, 112 pp. (18 articles), 1997. Edited by A.K. Higgins & J.R. Ineson. 200.00 177 Accretion and evolution of an Archaean high-grade grey gneiss – amphibolite complex: the Fiskefjord area, southern West Greenland, 115 pp., 1997. By A.A. Garde. 200.00 178 Lithostratigraphy, sedimentary evolution and sequence stratigraphy of the Upper Proterozoic Lyell Land Group (Eleonore Bay Supergroup) of East and North-East Greenland, 60 pp., 1997. By H. Tirsgaard & M. Sønderholm. 200.00 179 The Citronen Fjord massive sulphide deposit, Peary Land, North Greenland: discovery, stratigraphy, mineralization and structural setting, 40 pp., 1998. By F.W. van der Stijl & G.Z. Mosher. 200.00 180 Review of Greenland activities 1997, 176 pp. (26 articles), 1998. Edited by A.K. Higgins & W.S. Watt. 200.00 181 Precambrian geology of the Disko Bugt region, West Greenland, 179 pp. (15 articles), 1999. Edited by F. Kalsbeek. 240.00 182 Vertebrate remains from Upper Silurian – Lower Devonian beds of Hall Land, North Greenland, 80 pp., 1999. By H. Blom. 120.00 183 Review of Greenland activities 1998, 81 pp. (10 articles), 1999. Edited by A.K. Higgins & W.S. Watt. 200.00 184 Collected research papers: palaeontology, geochronology, geochemistry, 62 pp. (6 articles), 1999. 150.00

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 114 29-10-2004, 11:14 185 Greenland from Archaean to Quaternary. Descriptive text to the Geological map of Greenland, 1:2 500 000, 93 pp., 2000. By N. Henriksen, A.K. Higgins, F. Kalsbeek & T.C.R. Pulvertaft. 225.00 186 Review of Greenland activities 1999, 105 pp. (13 articles), 2000. Edited by P.R. Dawes & A.K. Higgins. 225.00 187 Palynology and deposition in the Wandel Sea Basin, eastern North Greenland, 101 pp. (6 articles), 2000. Edited by L. Stemmerik. 160.00 188 The structure of the Cretaceous–Palaeogene sedimentary-volcanic area of Svartenhuk Halvø, central West Greenland, 40 pp., 2000. By J. Gutzon Larsen & T.C.R. Pulvertaft. 130.00 189 Review of Greenland activities 2000, 131 pp. (17 articles), 2001. Edited by A.K. Higgins & K. Secher. 160.00 190 The Ilímaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland: status of mineralogical research with new results, 167 pp. (19 articles), 2001. Edited by H. Sørensen. 160.00 191 Review of Greenland activities 2001, 161 pp. (20 articles), 2002. Edited by A.K. Higgins, K. Secher & M. Sønderholm. 200.00

Geology of Denmark Survey Bulletin (discontinued)

36 Petroleum potential and depositional environments of Middle Jurassic coals and non-marine deposits, Danish Central Graben, with special reference to the Søgne Basin, 78 pp., 1998. By H.I. Petersen, J. Andsbjerg, J.A. Bojesen-Koefoed, H.P. Nytoft & P. Rosenberg. 250.00

37 The Selandian (Paleocene) mollusc fauna from Copenhagen, Denmark: the Poul Harder 1920 collection, 85 pp., 2001. By K.I. Schnetler. 150.00

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GEUS Bulletin no 5.pmd 116 29-10-2004, 11:14