Determination of Fullerenes (C60/C70) from the Permian-Triassic Boundary in the Meishan Section of South China

Fullerenes (C 60 /C 70 ), clays and rocks near the Permian-Triassic (P/T) boundary in the Meishan section of South China are explored by means of comprehensive analytical techniques, including ultrasonic extraction with column purification, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of- flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS). The study confirms the existence of fullerenes toward the P/T event boundary and their absence in clays and limestones beyond the boundary. In particular, the white clay, known as the event boundary, contains fullerenes of 0.33 ppb, while the red material, as the first lamina fill of goethite and gypsum on the base of the white clay, contains fullerenes of 1.23 ppb, and the last lamina of 2.50 ppb. Significantly, distinct enrichment of fullerenes is coincident with the disappearance of fossil records of marine species (94%) just at the base of the white clay, implying that geological fullerenes would be one of temporal remnants led by the P/T catastrophic event. This work strongly supports that fullerenes would be one of significant records of the P/T catastrophic event but their origin remains to be studied further.

Late Permian-Middle Triassic Sea Level Changes of Yangtze Platform

This paper first introduces procedures leading to the establishment of Late Permian-Middle Triassic sea level change curve of Yangtze platform. Bathymetric curves extracted from curve of habitat types are first transformed to sea level curves stage by stage. Comparison between curves of Yangtze and the world reveals that because the Late Permian marine sequences are lacking in most parts of the world, the Late Permian to Griesbachian curve of Yangtze may serve as an important reference for further revision of the world curve. The Early-Middle Triassic short-term changes of Yangtze are briefly concordant with those of Haq's world curve, whereas their long-term changes are discordant. The latter, however, is representative of the East Asian regions affected by the Indosinian orogeny. Basically the third cycles of Yangtze and the world are only pertly concordant, and even in concordant cases their concrete boundaries are not coincident. This indicater that sea level changes are not strictly synchronous over the world. It seems that the 1st and 2nd cycles (supercycles and megacycles) may be world-wide, but not the 3rd cycles.

Intracontinental Collisional Orogeny During Late Permian-Middle Triassic in South China: Sedimentary Records of the Shiwandashan Basin

Sedimentary response to an orogenic process is important for determining whether South China had compressional or extensional orogeny during the period from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic besides the tectonic and magmatologic evidence. An intracontinental collision event took place between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Late Permian. Beginning at the Late Triassic, the tectonic movement was completely changed in nature and entered a post-collisional extensional orogenic and basin-making process. This paper presents sedimentological evidence from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic in the Shiwandashan basin at the southwestern end of the junction zone between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks.

A Review on the Global Stratotype Section and Point of the Permian-Triassic Boundary

This paper provides a synthetic review of researches on Meishan Section D, the Global Stratotype Section and Point of the Permian-Triassic Boundary （PTB）. The history of research, geographic and geological setting of the section are briefly introduced. Changhsingian to ＂Griesbachian＂ conodont and ammonoid zonations, the most perfect Permo-Triassic zonations over the world, are presented, with a short discussion on the age of Otoceras, The Changhsingian to ＂Griesbachian＂ strata are subdivided into three 3rd order sequences, and the sedimentary structure of each sequence is indicated. The paper presents a correlation of the Changhsingian to ＂Griesbachian＂ magneetostratigraphy of the Meishan section with the general scale, and informed the negation of a short magnetic reversal at the PTB suggested by Zhu and Liu （1999）. Recent developments of chemostratigraphy of δ^13C and δ^34S are introduced, especially the discovery of more than one negative δ^13C excursions across the PTB. Two important molecular researches reveal the profound changes at the base of eco-system, the microbial catastrophy, and the euxinic conditions in the photic zone during the Permian-Triassic superanoxic event. The paper reports the changes in dating the age of PTB since 2001. According to recent achievements, the age of volcanogenic claybed 25, 14 cm below the PTB, is now set at 252.4±0.3 Ma. A discussion on the eventostratigraphy concludes that, although there is a major event episode at beds 25-26, the events across the PTB at Meishan are multi-episodic and commenced prior to the Event Beds 25-26, thus the possibility that the mass extinction was mainly induced by an exterrestrial impact is largely excluded.

Permian and Triassic Radiolarian Biostratigraphy in South and Southwest China

The study of Permian radiolarias in South and Southwest China has been advanced in recent years . A well-preserved radiolarian fauna of Triassic is recently found in Southwest China . Eight radiolarian assemblage zones are recognized as follows in ascending order: Pseudoalbaillella rhombothoracata assemblage zone (Qixian ), Pseudoalbaillella fusiformis assemblage zone (early-middle Maokouan ), Follicucullus assemblage zone (late Maokouan-Wujiapingian ), Cangyuanella assemblage zone (early-middle Changxingian ), Clavata assemblage zone (latest Permian), Triassocampe yini assemblage zone (early Early Triassic ), Pseudoeucyrtis liui assemblage zone (late Early Triassic )and Triassocampe dew even assemblage zone (Middle Triassic ). The Permo -Triassic boundary in chert mono -facial sequence of the Muyinhe Formation is discussed .

The relationship between dolomite textures and their formation temperature: a case study from the Permian-Triassic of the Sichuan Basin and the Lower Paleozoic of the Tarim Basin

Study of dolomite texture can contribute to understanding the process of dolomitization.This research reports textures and homogenization temperatures of dolomites from the Permian-Triassic strata in the Sichuan Basin and the Lower Paleozoic strata in the Tarim Basin,which provided insights into relationships between dolomite textures and their formation temperatures.Our results are summarized as follows：1） dolomites with well-preserved texture indicate low dolomitization temperature.However,in certain diagenetic environments,the hydrothermal dolomitization may completely or partially preserve the original texture of dolomites.2） The formation temperatures of non-planar dolomites are always higher than those of planar dolomites.3） The formation temperatures of dolomite cements are generally higher than those of replacive dolomites.4） Although the formation temperatures of saddle dolomite cements have a wide range,they show higher values than those of the planar subhedral to euhedral dolomite cements.Thus,saddle dolomites could generally be an indicator of high precipitation temperature.5） The fluid Mg/Ca ratio is another element controlling dolomite morphology.Micritic dolomites,which precipitate from hypersaline fluids with a high Mg/Ca ratio in a subaerial environment could also have features of non-planar anhedral crystal shape because of rapid nucleation and crystallization during dolomitization.

Permian/Triassic Boundary and Its Correlation in the Daxian-Xuanhan Area, Northeastern Sichuan Province, China

There are different opinions about the Permian/Triassic boundary and its correlation in the Daxian-Xuanhan area because of lacking typical lithological symbols and fossil criterions. Especially, it is very hard to determine the Permian/Triassic boundary in the Daxian-Xuanhan buried areas. This brings many difficulties to geological research and oil and gas exploration. Based on field investigation and studies of well cores, newly found fossils, lithological characteristics and well log analyses, the authors discussed the Permian/Triassic boundary in the Daxian-Xuanhan area and brought forward a specific scheme for its determination and regional correlation.

Sulfur Isotopes of Framboidal Pyrite in the Permian-Triassic Boundary Clay at Meishan Section

Pyrite framboids were found in the Permian-Triassic boundary at Meishan Section,while their sulfur isotopes were determined.The majority of framboids is less than 5μm in diameter,with some large-sized framboids.Also,euhedral gypsums were observed in the boundary clay.The authors suppose that most of the pyrite framboids formed just below the redox boundary and stopped growing after entering the lower water column.The result indicates that it was probably lower dysoxia condition in the temporal ocean.Moreover,the authors also presume that some pyrite was oxidated to sulfates accompanying the fluctuation of redox condition,which would probably be the origin of the negative sulfur isotopes of gypsum and CAS reported before.In addition,sulfur isotope of framboidal pyrite suggests that sulfur is originated from bacterial sulfate reduction in anoxic condition.Therefore, this study confirms that the ocean was widely anoxic during the Permian-Triassic transitional period. However,the redox condition in temporal ocean was probably not stable,with short-term fluctuations.

REE Geochemical Study of the Permian-Triassic Marine Sedimentary Environment in Guizhou Province

This paper deals with the REE geochemical characteristics of Permian\|Triassic marine carbonate rocks in Guizhou Province. It is found that there are two broad categories of stratigraphic units in the region studied in accordance with their ∑REE contents and REE distribution patterns: one is characterized by LREE enrichment and slight Ce depletion, with the REE distribution patterns similar to those of North American shales, and the other features relative HREE enrichment and relatively remarkable Ce depletion, with the REE distribution patterns close to those of pelagic sediments. In terms of their different ∑REE contents, five types of stratigraphic units can be distinguished. Incorporation of detrital minerals, REE complexing capability, oxidation\|reduction conditions of the media are the main factors affecting the REE composition and REE distribution patterns of marine carbonate rocks in the region studied. In the light of REE geochemical characteristics of carbonate rocks, coupled with sedimentary facies analysis , this paper discusses the characteristics of the Permian\|Triassic marine sedimentary environment in Guizhou Province and its evolutional rules.

Study on a Terrestrial Permian-Triassic Boundary Section-Zhejue Section, Weining County, Guizhou Province, China

The Zhejue Section is an excellent terrestrial Permian Triassic boundary (TPTB) section not only for its convenient accessibility and good outcrop, but also for its abundant fossils. In addition, there are two claystone beds that were formed by events across the Permian Triassic boundary (PTB) at this section. The claystones provide a bridge for high resolution correlation between marine and terrestrial PTBs. Another advantage is that the PTB at the Zhejue Section can be correlated with that of littoral and neritic facies by tracing westwards. Synthesized stratigraphic studies, including biostratigraphy, eventostratigraphy (susceptibilities and carbon isotopes across the TPTB, and microspherules found in the boundary claystones) and sequence stratigraphy, are carried out at this section.

Ocean Chemistry Revealed by Mineralogical and Geochemical Evidence at the Permian——Triassic Mass Extinction,Offshore the Persian Gulf,Iran

The Upper Permian Dalan Formation and the Lower Triassic Kangan Formation in the Persian Gulf area are mainly composed of shallow marine facies limestone and dolomite.Two subsurface-cored intervals were investigated in order to understand the original mineralogy and paleoceanic conditions.The decreasing trend of Sr concentration in these deposits shows that aragonite was precipitated during the Late Permian and then gradually changed to calcite toward the Permian-Triassic boundary（PTB）.The dissolution rate of aragonite decreased from 60 m below the PTB toward the boundary,with the only exception at 10 m below the Permian-Triassic Boundary（PTB） due to the Permian-Triassic unconformity in this region.The increasing trend of Mg/Ca ratio in a global scale at the end-Permian time shows that the interpreted variation of mineralogy does not result from the change of this ratio.The increasing p（CO2） and decreasing pH are considered to be the main controlling factors.The increase of Ca2＋ at the end-Permian time due to the input of meteoric waters is too little to fully compensate this effect.A local maximum of the Si content just at the PTB confirms the input of runoff waters.

Stratigraphical Time——Correlation and Mass Extinction Event Near Permian——Triassic Boundary in South China

Shaw's method used to correlate 40 sections across the Permo-Triassic boundary in South China is applied in the paper. Two steps are adopted to get an Integral Composite Section (ICS) by synthesizing these data : First , South China is divided into five areas and composite section developed for each area . Then the second step . the Changxing composite section is regarded as a composite standard (CSRS) while the ICS is produced by matching the CSRS with composite sections of the other areas. Three biozones in the Changxingian and two biozones in the Griesbachian can be discerned on the basis of computing Z values in the ICS. These biozones are marked by the Z values which quantitatively represent their time ranges ; therefore , they may increase accuracy of stratigraphic time correlation . The mass extinction at the end of the Permian is an abrupt event that is supported by the relative rate of extinction near the P/T boundary . About 90% of invertebrate species died out by the end of the Permian . The duration of the mass extinction is rather short ,approximately 0.018Ma .

Analysis of platinum-group elements in drill core samples from the Meishan Permian-Triassic boundary section, China

There is a long-standing controversy of what triggered the extinction at the Permian-Triassic boundary, the most severe mass extinction in the geologic record, including flood basaltic volcanism and/or bolide impact hypothesis. In order to clarify various pieces of evidence for the mass extinction event at the Permian-Triassic boundary, some researchers from some laboratories throughout the world have made a comprehensive study on a group of samples from the Meishan area of China. Some fresh core samples from the Permian-Triassic boundary in the Meishan area were analyzed in this study. The results showed that there is no Ir anomaly. Moreover, the PGEs patterns of those samples show obvious differentiation characteristics, that is different from the case encountered in meteorites. So no evidence supports the hypothesis of extraterrestrial impact. In contrast, the PGEs patterns are similar to those of Siberian and Emeishan basalts, which indicates that those PGEs are derived mainly from the basalts, lending a support to the correlation between mass extinction at the Permian-Triassic boundary and flood basaltic volcanism. This study has also confirmed the results for samples from section C prior to the analysis of the samples.

Permian and Triassic Sequence Stratigraphy and Sea Level Changes of Eastern Yangtze Platform

The Permian and marine Triassic of eastern Yangtze platform, situated in eastern China, involve 19 orthosequences lasting about 2.7 Ma on average, which can be combined into five orthosequence sets ranging from 8 Ma to 12 Ma. Affected by the regional Dongwu and Indosinian movements, the sequence stratigraphic pattern and sea level changes in the Permian and Triassic of this region are distinctive and obviously different from most other regions in the world, but typical in the broad eastern Tethys and its neighboring areas. In this region not only did the continuous marine Permian and Triassic boundary sequences cause the orthosequence crossing the boundary belonging to type Ⅱ sequence but also the mesosequence including these stratigraphic intervals had its basal boundary in the upper Longlinian (Artinskian) (ca. 278 Ma), that is, the traditional Carboniferous and Permian boundary, and its top boundary moved from the Permian and Triassic boundary upward into the Anisian of Middle Triassic.

Guanling Biota: A Marker of Triassic Biotic Recovery from the end-Permian Extinction in the Ancient Guizhou Sea

After a slow recovery from the end-Permian extinction during the Early Triassic and rapid radiation in the Middle Triassic, evolution of organisms reached a new peak phase in the Late Triassic. The Guanling Biota from the Wayao Member （conodont Paragondolella polygnathiformis Zone）, Falang Formation, Xinpu, Guanling County, Guizhou Province, southwestern China corresponds to this peak that marks the full recovery from the end-Permian extinction of marine ecosystems. The biota is of high diversity, containing well preserved and completely articulated skeletons of vertebrates comprising marine reptiles, fishes, and invertebrates including crinoids, ammonites, bivalves, and other fossils, and is one of the best examples of marine ecosystem records in life history. The fossil marine reptiles and crinoids are most significant in this biota, especially the marine reptiles, which provide an important link between the Triassic Pacific and Tethys, and between Triassic basal forms and the Jurassic-Cretaceous marine top predators. The most remarkable fossils are the large completely articulated ichthyosaur skeletons up to and more than 10 m, and the first recorded thalattosaurs and placodonts in China. Following our review, of the 17 named reptilian taxa the eight listed here are considered to be valid： three ichthyosaurs （Qianichthyosaurus zhoui Li, 1999; Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae Cao and Luo in Yin et al., 2000, Guanlingsaurus liangae Yin in Yin et al., 2000）, three thalattosaurs （Anshunsaurus huangguoshuensis Liu, 1999, Xinpusaurus suni Yin in Yin et al., 2000, Xinpusaurus kohi Jiang et al., 2004）, and two placodonts （Sinocyamodus xinpuensis Li, 2000, Psephochelys polyosteoderma Li and Rieppel, 2002）. Mixosaurus guanlingensis Cao in Yin et al., 2000 might be a junior synonym of Qianichthyosaurus zhoui Li, 1999, and Cymbospondylus asiaticus Li and You, 2002 and Panjiangsaurus epicharis Chen and Cheng, 2003 might be junior synonyms of Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae Cao and Luo in Yin et al., 2000. It needs to re-describe the holotypes after a complete preparation for clarifying the taxonomic status of Typicusichthyosaurus tsaihuae Yu in Yin et al., 2000, Xinpusaurus bamaolinensis Cheng, 2003, Neosinosaurus hoangi （Zhou in Yin et al., 2000）, Wayaosaurus geei Zhou in Yin et al., 2000, Wayaosaurus bellus Zhou in Yin et al., 2000 and Placochelys ？ minutus Yin and Luo in Yin et al., 2000.

Some Evidence for a Possible Extraterrestrial Event at/near Permian-Triassic Boundary

A selection of evidence, including a carbon isotopic excursion, iridium anomaly, fullerenes (C 60 and C 70 ) with trapped noble gases, microspherules and shocked quartz, is discussed in this paper. All the evidence in hand favors the hypothesis that the PTB event was probably related to an extraterrestrial cause, and the impact would lead to great physical change, including large volcanic eruptions on the earth's surface. The ET markers for the CTB event could be considered only as an example, and cannot be taken as a unique standard of an ET event.

Suggestion of Meishan Section as GlobalStratotype Section and Point （GSSP） of Permian－Triassic Boundary

The Meishan Section of Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China and the base of its Bed 27c,in which Hindeodus parvus first occurs, are recommended as the GSSP of Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB).The present paper introduces a description of the section. Biostratigraphic correlation with other famous sections shows the completeness of this section and justifies choice of H. Parvus as the index fossil. Chemostratigraphic investigation provides the δ￣13C excursion and the moderate but inconsistent Ir spike as auxiliary symbols for the PTB. This boundary is closely related to transgression,anoxia,volcanism,mass extinction and possible impact events which can be correlated with those in South China and other parts of the world .

First Research on Marine and Nonmarine Sedimentary Sequences and Micropaleontologic Significance across Permian/Triassic Boundary in Iran (Isfahan and Abadeh)

Abundant ichthyoid remains, conodonts and holothurians sclerites were recovered near the Permian/Triassic boundary from a section south of Isfahan. Recovered ichthyoid remains include shark micro teeth and scales. The ichthyolith material is similar to a Fasanian ichthyolith from the Zakazane area in the Slovak karst of the Western Carpathians, which represents a subspecies of Acodina triassica . Conodont species are mostly neogondolellids. This fauna indicates that the sedimentary environment was marine, while to the north of localities near Isfahan and Zagross, terrestrial deposition was dominant at that time. Aluminasilicate and kaolin are present in a continental unit in Dopolan refractory main (Shahid Nilchian mine) and a section south of Chahriseh Village, north of Isfahan. Pisolitie, ironstone facies and bauxite clay are common near the Permian/Triassic boundary in the Chahriseh region.

Sedimentary system characteristics and depositional filling model of Upper Permian——Lower Triassic in South Yellow Sea Basin

In the South Yellow Sea Basin,Mesozoic–Paleozoic marine strata are generally well developed with large thickness,and no substantial breakthroughs have been made in hydrocarbon exploration.Through research,it is believed that the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic can be regarded as a long-term base-level cycle.Based on drilling data,characteristics of the lithology–electric property combination cyclicity,and the special lithology,the long-term base-level cycle was divided into five medium-term base-level cycles(MC1–MC5).On this basis,the Permian–Triassic sedimentary systems and their filling model were analyzed in accordance with the change of base-level cycle and transition of sedimentary environment,as well as characteristics of the drilling sedimentary facies and seismic facies.The results show that there were six sedimentary systems(fluvial,delta,tidal flat,open platform,restricted platform,and continental shelf)developed in the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic,the sedimentary systems were distributed such that the water was deep in the northwest and shallow in the southeast,and there were two base-level cycle filling models(a relatively stable tidal flat facies and a rapidly transgressive continental shelf facies to stable platform facies)developed in the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic.These models can provide a basis for evaluation of the Mesozoic–Paleozoic hydrocarbon geology in the South Yellow Sea Basin.