Climatic versus tectonic control on storm cyclicity in mesoproterozoic Koldaha shale, Vindhyan supergroup, Central India

Abstract

The 1.2 Ga-old Koldaha shale, central India reveals three orders of depositional cyclicities in its basal storm-dominated shelf succession. Visual appraisal as well as Fourier and MEM analyses concurs in this respect. Only the major storm events at intervals of a few thousands of years have left recognizable imprints. Interbedding of storm sandstones and fairweather shales is apparently climate-controlled. Packaging of about seven such climatic cycles results the second-order cyclicity befitting eccentricity cycles of contemporary scale. Nonetheless, for the erratic storm bed-thickness trends within the cycles some other factor/s might have played a role. The third order cycles are, more dominantly, correlatable with basinal tectonics.