Late Cretaceous to Paleogene exhumation in central Europe – localized inversion vs. large-scale domal uplift
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Abstract. Large parts of central Europe experienced exhumation in Late Cretaceous to Paleogene time. Previous studies mainly focused on thrusted basement uplifts to unravel the magnitude, processes and timing of exhumation. This study provides, for the first time, a comprehensive thermochronological dataset from mostly Permo-Triassic strata exposed adjacent to and between the basement uplifts in central Germany, comprising an area of at least some 250–300 km across. Results of apatite fission-track and (U–Th) / He analyses on > 100 new samples reveal that (i) kilometre-scale exhumation affected the entire region, (ii) thrusting of basement blocks like the Harz Mountains and the Thuringian Forest focused in the Late Cretaceous (about 90–70 Ma), while superimposed domal uplift of central Germany is slightly younger (about 75–55 Ma), and (iii) large parts of the domal uplift experienced removal of 3 to 4 km of Mesozoic strata. Using spatial extent, magnitude and timing as constraints suggests that thrusting and crustal thickening alone can account for no more than half of the domal uplift. Most likely, dynamic topography caused by upwelling asthenosphere significantly contributed to the observed pattern of exhumation in central Germany.Keywords:
Paleogene
Basement
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Specimens of Jurassic and Cretaceous Belemnoidea were analyzed and their paleotemperature record compiled from mass-spectrometric measurements. The data are compared with information assembled from other fields of investigation. It is demonstrated that from a subtropical climate in the later Jurassic, a more diversified one developed in the Cretaceous. From the rather cool conditions of the Neocomian, a temperature climax was reached in Albian times-to be followed by a decline attaining its minimum in Cenomanian waters. Later, another temperature climax occurred-in the Coniacian-Santonian. Subsequently, a gradual lowering of temperature took place during the Campanian and was succeeded by cool, stable conditions in the Maestrichtian. This picture of Cretaceous climatic change was derived from the analyses of Mesozoic material from Germany and Poland described in detail in the present paper and supplemented by examination of additional specimens from western Europe. It is possible that the late Cretaceous temperature decline was instrumental in the extinction of the poikilothermous dinosaurs. It is apparent that the pole shifted in relation to Europe during the Mesozoic, but its position is not yet determined.
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