Turonian Oceanic Red Beds in the Eastern Alps: Concepts for palaeoceanographic changes in the Mediterranean Tethys

Several transitions of Lower to Middle Turonian pelagic marl–limestone-cycles into Oceanic Red Beds were studied at high resolution to gain a better understanding of the Tethyan marine system before and during red bed initiation and development. Samples were analysed for mineralogy, geochemistry, and stable isotope composition. In particular, carbonate geochemistry of diagenetically largely unaltered calcite was used to explore palaeoceanographic changes in the western Tethys. Principal component analysis of carbonate chemical data showed that the development of red coloured pelagic sediments is accompanied by a shift towards highly oligotrophic conditions in the surface ocean as well as a decrease in hydrothermal activity. The formation of red beds is most likely associated with a shift towards more oxic conditions in basins with black shale deposits that eventually resulted in enrichment of thiophile elements in the entire basin. Depletion in nutrients (most likely phosphate) and red bed deposition followed the maximum flooding in the Early Turonian. Highly productive marsh areas from the proximal European shelf were reworked and supplied nutrients during transgression. A gradual nutrient depletion during sea level highstand might be the cause of significantly diminished nutrient availability. Carbonate production in this low latitude setting was influenced by orbital variation in insolation (20 ka cycle). Stable carbon isotope stratigraphy reveals low sedimentation rates (between 1 and 7 mm/kyr) and a duration of episodes of Cretaceous oceanic red bed deposition between 30 and 360 kyrs. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.