Origin of depositional cycles in a Permian "saline giant": The Salado (McNutt zone) evaporites of New Mexico and Texas

Research Article| April 01, 1988 Origin of depositional cycles in a Permian "saline giant": The Salado (McNutt zone) evaporites of New Mexico and Texas TIM K. LOWENSTEIN TIM K. LOWENSTEIN 1Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13901 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1988) 100 (4): 592–608. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1988)100<0592:OODCIA>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation TIM K. LOWENSTEIN; Origin of depositional cycles in a Permian "saline giant": The Salado (McNutt zone) evaporites of New Mexico and Texas. GSA Bulletin 1988;; 100 (4): 592–608. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1988)100<0592:OODCIA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Two types of metre-scale depositional cycles have been recognized within the McNutt Potash Zone of the Permian Salado evaporites. The cycles record progressive drawdown and concentration of brine in a shallow, marginal marine basin. "Type I" cycles, made of basal carbonate-siliciclastic mudstone, then anhydrite-polyhalite pseudomorphous after primary gypsum, overlain by halite and capped by muddy halite, are interpreted as marine sea water dominated.They formed by massive spillover of sea water through a connection with the Permian Ocean at high relative sea-level stands (lagoonal mudstone and anhydrite-polyhalite after subaqueous gypsum), followed by relative lowering of sea level and gradual basin restriction (shallow saline-lake and salt-pan halite) and ending with a desiccated basin, isolated from the Permian Ocean (salt-pan halite and saline mudflat muddy halite cycle cap)."Type II" cycles occur between the Type I cycles and contain halite overlain transitionally by muddy halite. They record a temporal evolution of environments from a shallow saline lake to an ephemeral salt-pan-saline mudflat complex and are interpreted as continental-dominated sequences sourced by meteoric inflow from surrounding land areas that mixed with variable amounts of sea water, either residual or introduced into the Salado basin by seepage.The vertical stacking of Type I cycles is best explained by periodic invasions of sea water into the Salado basin coincident with eustatic sea-level rises. The continental-dominated Type II cycles formed during intervening periods of eustatic sea-level fall and low stands. The maximum time interval between major marine incursions is an average of 105 yr. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.