Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China

The Late Mesozoic is a typical period for studying the greenhouse climate and the interaction of the Eearth’s systems. To expound the interaction between the evolution process of the terrestrial surface system and the environment in the Late Jurassic -Cretaceous, a typical profile with relatively co...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shuxia Li, Fang Xiang, Longyi Shao, Fenghua Zhao, Hewen Ma, Bin Xu, Shenkai Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1607066/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850159838349230080
author Shuxia Li
Fang Xiang
Longyi Shao
Fenghua Zhao
Fenghua Zhao
Hewen Ma
Bin Xu
Shenkai Sun
author_facet Shuxia Li
Fang Xiang
Longyi Shao
Fenghua Zhao
Fenghua Zhao
Hewen Ma
Bin Xu
Shenkai Sun
author_sort Shuxia Li
collection DOAJ
description The Late Mesozoic is a typical period for studying the greenhouse climate and the interaction of the Eearth’s systems. To expound the interaction between the evolution process of the terrestrial surface system and the environment in the Late Jurassic -Cretaceous, a typical profile with relatively complete exposure of the Mesozoic strata in the Emei area of the Sichuan Basin, the Chuanzu Profile, was selected for this study. The sedimentary environment of the study area was qualitatively analysed based on the macroscopic characteristics of the lithostratigraphy of outcrop profiles in the field and the statistical data of detrital composition under a microscope. Factor analysis and the chemical alteration index after correction (CIAcorr) were used to quantitatively analyse the characteristics of major and trace elements. Finally, the palaeoclimatic evolutionary characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in the Emei area are systematically discussed. The results show that the formation of Cretaceous sediments in the Emei area of the Sichuan Basin is mainly controlled by climatic factors, but is little affected by tectonic activities, and the maturity of the rock clastic composition is relatively low; therefore, it should be a near-provenance deposit. The range of CIAcorr values was 55–79, indicating that the degree of chemical weathering of the provenance was weak to moderate. The palaeoclimate in the Late Jurassic gradually became humid from Early to Late; in the Early Cretaceous, it was semiarid to semihumid, with an extremely dry event occurring; and in the Late Cretaceous, it was semiarid and drier than that of the Early Cretaceous.
format Article
id doaj-art-04d3a7b9365f42f0a4277c283f5ebe0e
institution OA Journals
issn 2296-6463
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Earth Science
spelling doaj-art-04d3a7b9365f42f0a4277c283f5ebe0e2025-08-20T02:23:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-06-011310.3389/feart.2025.16070661607066Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, ChinaShuxia Li0Fang Xiang1Longyi Shao2Fenghua Zhao3Fenghua Zhao4Hewen Ma5Bin Xu6Shenkai Sun7College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chendu, ChinaCollege of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, ChinaHebei State Key Laboratory of Mine Disaster Prevention, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing, ChinaCCTEG Xi’an Research Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Xi’an, ChinaHebei State Key Laboratory of Mine Disaster Prevention, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing, ChinaHebei State Key Laboratory of Mine Disaster Prevention, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing, ChinaThe Late Mesozoic is a typical period for studying the greenhouse climate and the interaction of the Eearth’s systems. To expound the interaction between the evolution process of the terrestrial surface system and the environment in the Late Jurassic -Cretaceous, a typical profile with relatively complete exposure of the Mesozoic strata in the Emei area of the Sichuan Basin, the Chuanzu Profile, was selected for this study. The sedimentary environment of the study area was qualitatively analysed based on the macroscopic characteristics of the lithostratigraphy of outcrop profiles in the field and the statistical data of detrital composition under a microscope. Factor analysis and the chemical alteration index after correction (CIAcorr) were used to quantitatively analyse the characteristics of major and trace elements. Finally, the palaeoclimatic evolutionary characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in the Emei area are systematically discussed. The results show that the formation of Cretaceous sediments in the Emei area of the Sichuan Basin is mainly controlled by climatic factors, but is little affected by tectonic activities, and the maturity of the rock clastic composition is relatively low; therefore, it should be a near-provenance deposit. The range of CIAcorr values was 55–79, indicating that the degree of chemical weathering of the provenance was weak to moderate. The palaeoclimate in the Late Jurassic gradually became humid from Early to Late; in the Early Cretaceous, it was semiarid to semihumid, with an extremely dry event occurring; and in the Late Cretaceous, it was semiarid and drier than that of the Early Cretaceous.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1607066/fullEmei areaLate Jurassic-Cretaceouspaleoclimatefactor analysischemical alteration index after correction (CIAcorr)
spellingShingle Shuxia Li
Fang Xiang
Longyi Shao
Fenghua Zhao
Fenghua Zhao
Hewen Ma
Bin Xu
Shenkai Sun
Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
Frontiers in Earth Science
Emei area
Late Jurassic-Cretaceous
paleoclimate
factor analysis
chemical alteration index after correction (CIAcorr)
title Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
title_full Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
title_fullStr Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
title_full_unstemmed Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
title_short Palaeoclimatic characteristics of the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous in Emei area, Sichuan Basin, China
title_sort palaeoclimatic characteristics of the late jurassic cretaceous in emei area sichuan basin china
topic Emei area
Late Jurassic-Cretaceous
paleoclimate
factor analysis
chemical alteration index after correction (CIAcorr)
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1607066/full
work_keys_str_mv AT shuxiali palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT fangxiang palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT longyishao palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT fenghuazhao palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT fenghuazhao palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT hewenma palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT binxu palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina
AT shenkaisun palaeoclimaticcharacteristicsofthelatejurassiccretaceousinemeiareasichuanbasinchina