The Triassic Stratigraphy of Svalbard
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NORSK POLARINSTITUTT SKRIFTER NR. 135 S. H. BUCHAN, A. CHALLINOR, W.B.HARLAND, AND j.R.PARKER THE TRIASSIC STRATIGRAPHY OF SVALBARD NORSK POLARINSTITUTT OSLO 1965 DET KONGELIGE DEPARTEMENT FOR INDUSTRI OG HÅNDVERK NORSK POLARINSTITUTT Middeltlzuns gate 27 b, Oslo 3, Norway Short account of the publications of Norsk Polarinstitutt The two series, Norsk Polarinstitutt - SKRIFTER and Norsk Polarinstitutt - MEDDELELSER, were taken over from the institution Norges Svalbard- og Ishavs undersøkelser (NSIU), which was incorporated in Norsk Polarinstitutt when this was founded in 1948. A third series, Norsk Polarinstitutt - ARBOK, is published witb one volume per year. SKRIFTER includes scientific papers, published in English, French or German. MEDDELELSER comprises shorter papers, often being reprints from other publi cations. They generally have a more popular form and are mostly published in Norwegian. SKRIFTER has previously been published under various tides: Nos. 1-11. Resultater av De norske statsunderstøttede Spitsbergen-ekspe ditioner. No. 12. Skrifter om Svalbard og Nordishavet. Nos. 13-81. Skrifter om Svalbard og Ishavet. 82-89. Norges Svalbard- og Ishavs-undersøkelser. Skrifter. 90- . Norsk Polarinstitutt Skrifter. In addition a special series is published: NORWEGIAN-BRITISH-SWEDISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1949-52. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. This series will comprise six volumes, four of which are now completed. Hydrographic and topographic surveys make an important part of the work carried out by Norsk Polarinstitutt. A list of the published charts and maps is printed 011 p. 3 and 4 of this cover. A complete list of publications, charts and maps is obtainable on request. ÅRBØKER Arbok 1960. 1962. Kr. 15.00. Arbok 1961. 1962. Kr. 24.00. Arbok 1962. 1963. Kr. 28.00. Arbok 1963. 1965. Kr. 35.00. NORSK POLARINSTITUTT SKRIFTER NR. 135 S. H. B UCHAN , A.CHALLINOR, W. B. HARLAND AND j. R. PARKER THE TRIASSIC STRATIGRAPHY OF SVALBARD NORSK POLARINSTITUTT OSLO 1965 PUBLISHED BY NORSK POLARINSTITUTT DISTRIRUTED BY OSLO UNIVERSITY PRESS OSLO 1965 Contents Abstract . .. .... ......... ....................... .. ..... .. 5 I. Introduction . .. ...................................... ........... 5 Il. History of published research ......................... ... ... ....... 10 Il I. Triassic Succession 1 8 Introduction . .............................. ................. 18 Stratigraphical units defined 19 ....... .... ....................... Stratigraphical sections 27 Regional varia ti on 28 IV. Discus sion ..............••...................................... 52 Palaeontological ag e . ... ..... ............................. ... 52 Permian - Triass ic boundary 56 Triassic - Jurassic boundary 56 Facies ...... ............. ...... .... .. ... ....... ... .... .... 57 Comparison with other Arctic successions 58 Location of Spitsbergen in Triassic time .............. ..... .... 62 Oil prospects .......... ........ ...... ...... ..... .... .. .... 63 V. Index to Sv albard Triass ic fossils ......... ......... .... .. ........ 64 Plantae 65 Echinodermata .... .... .... ........ ........ ...... ..... .... 65 Brachiopoda .... ....... ....... .... .... ........ ...... ...... 65 Bivalvia ......... ......... .... .... .... ........ ... ... ..... 66 Gastropoda .. .... ......... .... ...... ... ......... .......... 73 Scaphopoda ............................................••.... 73 Cephalopoda .......... ..... .......... ... ..... ............. 73 Crustacea .... .................. ....... .. ... ........ ...... ... 83 Vertebrata ..............................••.................. 83 Bibliography of the Triassic stratigraphy of Svalbard and other references VI. cited ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 Appendix . ..... ............ ........... .. ... ... ........... 93 Abstract This paper review s published accounts of the stratigraphy of Triassic rock s of Spitsbergen and also of Bjørnøya and the other islands of Sv albard. A detailed review of the history of research with a full bibliography is given. lVIeasured sections with lithological descriptions and fossil occurrences resulting from work on Cambridge expeditions are published for the first time. The earlier work is collated with the later and, taking into account the situation in Vestspitsbergen and what is known from beyond, new stratigraphical units are defined. These are discussed in relation to variations in thick ness, facies and age. Althoug no critical palaeontological study has been undertaken, this paper includes an index to all Svalbard species as mentioned in the literature, with references to illustrations, descriptions, stratigraphical position and locality. Incorporated in this are those parts of the Cambridge collec tions which have been provisionally identified. 1. INTRODUCTION Triassic rocks are known to crop out extensively in the Svalbard archipelago. This paper sets out to review available knowledge of their stratigraphy. The strata consist of marine and non-marine shales, siltstones and sandstones, aften calcareous, with minor limestones ; varying in thickness from a maximum of 1000 m to a minimum of less than 200 m. The soft shale and siltstone sequences tend to form low angle solifluxion slopes without scree, alternating with steeper bluffs, and much of the extensive outcrop area is poorly exposed in contrast with the craggy cherty carbonate Permian rocks beneath. The Palaeozoic - Mesozoic boundary is thus conspicuous. The map (Fig. 1) shows outcrops extending along the west, north and east of the Mesozoic - Tertiary basin in Vestspitsbergen and in Barentsøya and Edgeøya. A much wider extent of Triassic rocks throughout the Barents Shelf may be suspected from the small er outcrops in Bj ørnøya and possible Triassic rocks in Hopen and Kong Karls Land. The rocks along the west coast are intensely folded and thrust in a Tertiary defarmation belt, and milder effects of both Mesozoic and Tertiary diastrophism and igneous activity are known further east. It is here that recent investigations prompted by the search for oil and assisted by helicopter transport were extended, especially to Sabine Land and Olav V Land (Vestspitsbergen) and to Barentsøya and Edgeøya. The detailed results of these investigations are not yet published and much will remain confidential. This paper is therefore limited to published descriptions and aur own original observations. The outcrops in Vestspitsbergen and Bjørnøya, lang accessible to shipping, have yielded rich fossil collections, especially of ammonites and vertebrates, from - 6 - Fig. 1. A1aps of Svalbard to show Triassic outcrops and place names. A. Svalbard except Bjørnøya B. Triassic outerops in Spitsbergen C. Bjørnøya D. Kong Karls Land The map is based on the Norsk Polarinstitutt topographical map of Svalbard 1:500,000 sheets 1 and.3 Oslo 196.:1. Outcrops are compiled asfollmL's: Oscar Land, Dickson Land, Sabine Land and South East Olav V Landfrom Cambridge Surveys; Il WedelJarlsberg Landfrom R6ZYCKI 1959; Sørkapp Landfrom MAJOR and 1955; Bjørnøya WINSNES from HORN and ORVIN 1928; the remainder from ORV]N 1940 except where modified in Olav V Land and Gustav Adolf Land by HOLLAND 1961. Place names referred lo in this text are shown by number and are listed below in alphabetical order zcith appropriate map letter. 1. Adventfjorden B 35. Kaosfjellet 13 69. Selmaneset B 2. Agardhbukta 13 36. Kapp Johannesen 70. Siegelfjellet B 13 3. Ahlstrandodden 13 37 . Kapp Lee B 71. Siksaken 13 4. Akseløya B 38. Kapp Starostin 13 72. Skuld C 5. Aldegondaberget 39. Kapp Thordsen B 73. Sørkapp Land A B 6. Aldegondabreen TI 40 . Kapp Toscana B 74. Sten de Gcerfjellet B 7. Anderssonbukta B 41 . Kapp Wijk 13 75. StensiOfjellet B 8. TIarentsøya A B 42. Kistefjellet 13 76. St. Jonsfjorden B 9. Bellsund A 43 . Kong Karls Land A D 77 . Storfjorden A B 10. TIertilryggen B 44. Kongressfjellet B 78. Stormbukta B 11. Bjørnøya A C 45. K valpyntfjellet TI 79. Sticky Keep 13 12. TIotneheia B 46. Marmierfjellet B 80. Sturefjellet B 13. Bravaisberget 47 . Midterhuken B 81. Sveaneset 13 TI 14. De Gecrdalen 13 48. Milne Edwardsfjellet TI 82. Tjuvfjorden 13 15. Diabasodden B 49. Miseryfjellet C 83. TorelI Land A 16. Dickson Land 50. Mistakodden 84. TorelInesfjellet A 13 B 17 . Draschedalen TI 51. Mohnhukta 13 85. Trehøgdene B 18. Duckwitzbreen 52. Nathorst Land A 86. Treskelodden B Il 19. Edgeøya A B 53. Negerpynten 13 87 . Trygghamna B 20 . Edlundfjellet TI 54. Nordaustlandet A 88 . Tschermakfjellet TI TI 21. Ekmanfjorden 55. Nordenskiold Land A 89. Tumlingodden B 13 22. Elfenbeinbreen TI 56. Olav V Land A 90 . Urd C 23. Festningen B 57 . Osbornebreen B 91. Van Keulenfjorden B 24. Flowerdalen B 58. Oscar Land A 92. Vardebukta Il 13 25. Fridtjovhamna B 59. Passhatten B 93. Vasskiltoppen B 26. Gestriklandkammen TI 60 . Perthesfjella B 94. Verdande C 27. Grønfjorden B 61. Rammfjellet B 95. Vestspitsbergen A B 28. Gustaf Adolf Land A 62. Reinodden 13 96. Vikinghøgda B 29. Hahnfjella 13 63. Rotundafjellet B 97 . Vindodden B 30 . Hopen A 64. Sahine Land A 98. Wallenbergfjellet 13 31 . Hornsund A 13 65. Sassendalen B 99. Wedel Jarlsberg Land A 32. Isfjorden A 66. Sassenfjorden B 100 . Wichebukta B 33. Iskletten B 67. Saurieberget B 101. Wichmannfjellet B 34. James I Land A 68. Sauriedalen 13 102. Wilhelmøya B Due to the small area of Triassic outerops in Sørkapp Land, they are shown in black but undifferenti ated Triassic is intended for these. Outcrops of Permian rocks have been reportedfrom Edgeøya and Barentsøya (KII'iG 1964, KLUBOV 1964, BUROV