Carbon isotope excursion near the Wenlock-Ludlow, (Silurian) boundary in the Anglo-Welsh area

Research Article| April 01, 1992 Carbon isotope excursion near the Wenlock-Ludlow, (Silurian) boundary in the Anglo-Welsh area Richard M. Corfield; Richard M. Corfield 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Derek J. Siveter; Derek J. Siveter 2Geological Collections, University Museum, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Julie E. Cartlidge; Julie E. Cartlidge 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. Stuart McKerrow W. Stuart McKerrow 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Richard M. Corfield 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England Derek J. Siveter 2Geological Collections, University Museum, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, England Julie E. Cartlidge 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England W. Stuart McKerrow 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PR, England Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1992) 20 (4): 371–374. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0371:CIENTW>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Richard M. Corfield, Derek J. Siveter, Julie E. Cartlidge, W. Stuart McKerrow; Carbon isotope excursion near the Wenlock-Ludlow, (Silurian) boundary in the Anglo-Welsh area. Geology 1992;; 20 (4): 371–374. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0371:CIENTW>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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Oxygen and carbon isotope analyses have been performed at close sampling intervals on rocks from several exposures that show the boundary between the Wenlock and Ludlow Series in the classic Silurian areas of Wales, the Welsh Borderland, and the West Midlands of England. Our data indicate a monotonic decline in δ13C from positive to negative values across the boundary between the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation (Wenlock Series) and the Lower Elton Formation (Ludlow Series), and correlatives, in all sites investigated. A slightly earlier negative excursion is also present in the upper Wenlock strata of two of these localities. Both negative δ13C excursions appear to be contemporaneous with episodes of increased ocean ventilation and eustatic sea- level lowstand postulated by Kemp. At least one, and possibly both, of the late Wenlock carbon isotope depletions can also be related to the decline in pelagic graptolite diversity. The distribution of the carbon isotope depletion in both carbonate-platform and off-shelf facies implies that this trend is unlikely to have been caused by local diagenetic alteration. Isotope chemostratigraphy may also provide an extra correlation tool that can be integrated with traditional biostratigraphic methods for Silurian strata. 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.