EOCENE-OLIGOCENE STABLE ISOTOPE STRATIGRAPHY OF KUTCH

Abstract

Developments in stable oxygen and carbon isotope studies of the sediments from oceanic realm has established their potential use as stratigraphic markers. Whereas, other schemes of stratigraphic classifications for the Cenozoic sediments of Kutch are available, this paper attempts to establish the stable isotope stratigraphy of a part of the sequence. It is observed that the delta-O-18 and delta-C-13 variation significantly correspond to the chronostratigraphic units of this area. The negative delta-C-13 of the Kakdian Stage (Berwali Series) shifts characteristically to positive values in the Babian Stage (Berwali Series) and then swings back to negative values in the Bermoti Series. The Kakdian Stage and the Bermoti Series, both having negative delta-C-13, can be differentiated by their respective delta-O-18 range.