| Kössen Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Rhaetian | |
| Type | Formation |
| Sub-units | Hochalm Member, Eiberg Member, "Zirmenkopf limestone" |
| Underlies | Kendlbach Formation, Oberrhaet Formation |
| Overlies | Hauptdolomit Formation, Dachstein Formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | marl, limestone |
| Location | |
| Country | Austria Germany Switzerland |
The Kössen Formation is a Late Triassic (Rhaetian-age) geological formation in the Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria and Germany, in the Tiroler-Lech Nature Park. During the Late Triassic, the area now occupied by the Northern Calcareous Alps was instead a long, passive coastline at the western tip of the Neotethys Ocean. The environment was initially dominated by a wide and shallow carbonate platform within a lagoon between the shore and a string of reefs. This carbonate platform is nowadays preserved as the Carnian to Norian-age Hauptdolomit and Dachstein Formation. The Kössen Formation represents a period of increased siliciclastic clay input into the lagoon, covering up the carbonate platform with marls and marly limestones instead of pure limestone or dolomite. The Eiberg Member of the Kössen Formation was deposited in the Eiberg basin, a narrow strip of deeper water which developed between the carbonate platform and the shoreline in the later part of the Rhaetian.
See also
- List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Austria
- List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Germany
- List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Switzerland
References
- Krystyn, L.; Boehm, F.; Kürschner, W. M.; Delecat, S. (2005). "The Triassic–Jurassic boundary in the Northern Calcareous Alps". Program, Abstracts and Field Guide. 5th Field Workshop of IGCP 458 Project: A1–A39.
- Felber, Roland; Weissert, Helmut J.; Furrer, Heinz; Bontognali, Tomaso R. R. (30 July 2015). "The Triassic–Jurassic boundary in the shallow-water marine carbonates from the western Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria)". Swiss Journal of Geosciences. 108 (2): 213–224. doi:10.1007/s00015-015-0192-1. hdl:20.500.11850/109482. ISSN 1661-8734.
- Bonis, N. R.; Ruhl, M.; Kürschner, W. M. (2010-04-15). "Climate change driven black shale deposition during the end-Triassic in the western Tethys". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Triassic climates. 290 (1): 151–159. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.06.016. ISSN 0031-0182.
External links
- Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- Naturpark Tiroler Lech. "Tiroler-Lech Nature Park".
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