SpringerLink
Log in

The Cretaceous–Paleogene Boundary in the Shapsug Section (Southern Slope of the Northwestern Caucasus)

  • Published:
Paleontological Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A silicite horizon corresponding to the global catastrophic event at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary was found for the first time in the flysch sequence of the Shapsug section on the southern slope of the Northwest Caucasus. Assemblages of radiolarians and planktonic foraminifers dating the host beds were identified. Mineralogical and analytical data support the presence of tectites, impact minerals, and increased iridium content in the boundary bed of the studied section.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Adamia, Sh., Salukvadze, N., Nazarov, M., et al., Geological events at the Cretaceous–Paleocene boundary in Georgia (Caucasus), Geol. Carpat., vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 35–43.

  2. Afanasiev, S.L., Geologiya Zapadnogo Kavkaza (Geology of Western Caucasus), Moscow: Voentekhizdat, 2004.

  3. Alekseev, A.S., Barsukova, L.D., Kolesov, G.M., et al., Cretaceous/Tertiary event: Iridium distribution in Turkmenia sections, in Abstr. Papers 17th Sci. Conf. Lunar Planet, 1986, Part 1, pp. 9–10.

  4. Alekseev, A.S., Nazarov, M.A., Barsukova, L.D., et al., The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary in the south of Turkmenia and its geochemical characteristics, Byull. Mosk. Obshch. Ispyt. Prir. Otd. Geol., 1988, vol. 63, no. 2, pp. 55–69.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Alekseev, A.S., Beniamovsky, V.N., Kochergin, D.V., and Kopaevich, L.F., The first find of tegulatoid inoceramid in the Maastrichtian of the Novorossiysk area (Northwestern Caucasus), Byull. Mosk. Obshch. Ispyt. Prir. Otd. Geol., 2018, vol. 93, no. 3, pp. 26–32.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Alvarez, L.W., Alvarez, W., Asaro, F., and Michel, H.V., Extraterrestrial cause for the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction, Science. New Ser., 1980, vol. 208, pp. 1095–1108.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bouma, A.H., Ancient and recent turbidites, Geol. Mijnbouw. E, 1964, no. 43, pp. 375–379.

  8. Ding. L., Paleocene deep-water sediments and radiolarian faunas: Implication for evolution of Yarlung-Zangbo foreland basin, Southern Tibet, Sci. China (Ser. D), 2003, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 84–96.

  9. Grachev, A.F., Korchagin, O.A., Tsel’movich, V.A., and Kollmann, Kh.A., Cosmic dust and micrometeorites in the transitional clay layer at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary in the Gams Section (Eastern Alps): Morphology and chemical composition, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 2008, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 555–569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hollis, C.J., Latest Cretaceous to Late Paleocene radiolarian biostratigraphy: A new zonation from the New Zealand region, Mar. Micropaleontol., 1993, vol. 21, pp. 295–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kano, H., Paleocene and Eocene radiolarians from the Domeki formation, Shikoku, Southwest Japan, News Osaka Micropaleontol. (NOM), 2001, spec. vol. 12, pp. 321–336.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Keller, G., Adatte, T., Hollis, C., et al., The Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary event in Ecuador educed biotic effects due to eastern boundary current setting, Mar. Micropaleontol., 1997, vol. 31, pp. 97–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kochergin, D.V., The significance of Paleocene radiolarians of the Northwestern Caucasus for stratigraphy and paleogeographic reconstructions of the basin, in Integrativnaya paleontologiya: perspektivy razvitiya dlya geologicheskikh tselei. Mater. LXIII Sess. Paleontol. O-va Ross. Akad. Nauk (Proc. LXIII Sess. Paleontol. Soc. Russ. Acad. Sci. “Integrative Paleontology: Prospective Geological Applications”), St. Petersburg, 2017, pp. 80–82.

  14. Korchagin, O.A. and Tsel’movich, V.A., Cosmic particles (micrometeorites) and nanospheres from the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/T) boundary clay bed at the Stevns Klint Section, Denmark, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2011, vol. 437, pp. 449–454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Muramatsu, T., Late Cretaceous–earliest Paleogene? radiolarians from the Shimanto Belt (Northern Belt) in the southern part of the Akaishi Mountains, central Japan, J. Geol. Soc. Japan, 1986, vol. 92, no. 4, pp. 311–313.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Naydin, D.P., Kopaevich, L.F., Moskvin, M.M., et al., Macropaleontologic characteristics of the Maastrichtian and Danian in Mangyshlak’s uninterrupted sections, Izv. Akad. Nauk. Ser. Geol., 1990, no. 11, pp. 17–25.

  17. Nazarov, M.A., Barsukova, L.D., Kolesov, G.M., et al., The origin of iridium anomaly at the Maastrichtian–Danian boundary, Geokhimiya, 1983, no. 8, pp. 1160–1166.

  18. Nazarov, M.A., Barsukova, L.D., Kolesov, G.M., et al., Cretaceous/Tertiary event: geochemistry of Turkmenia K/T sections, in Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. 17th. Abstr. Pap., 1986, Pt 1, pp. 605–606.

  19. Olsson, R.K., Hemleben, C., Berggren, W.A., and Huber, B.T., Atlas of Paleocene Planktonic Foraminifera, Washington, DC: Smithson. Inst. Press, 1999.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  20. Savelieva, O.L. and Saveliev, D.P., The origin of an anomaly of iridium and other platinum group elements at different stratigraphic levels, Vestn. KRAUNTs. Nauki Zemle, 2016, no. 4, Iss. 32, pp. 73–87.

  21. Sawlowicz, Z., Iridium and other platinum-group elements as geochemical markers in sedimentary environments, Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 1993, vol. 104, pp. 253–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Strong, C.P., Hollis, C.J., and Wilson, G.J., Foraminiferal, radiolarian and dinoflagellate biostratigraphy of Late Cretaceous to Middle Eocene pelagic sediments (Muzzle Group), Mead Stream, Marlborough, New Zealand, N. Z. J. Geol. Geophys., 1995, vol. 38, pp. 171–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tsel’movich, V.A., Grachev, F.F., and Korchagin, O.A., The first discovery of silica glass in the transition bed at the Cretaceous and Paleogene boundary in the Gams section (Eastern Alps), in Tr. Mezhd. konf. 100 let Tungusskomu fenomenu (26–28 iyunya, 2008 g., Moskva) (Proc. Int. Conf. “Centenary of Tunguska Phenomenon: Past, Present, and Future, Moscow, June 26–28, 2008), Moscow: Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2008, pp. 221–222.

  24. Veimarn, A.B., Naidin, D.P., Kopaevich, L.F., et al., Metody analiza global’nykh katastroficheskikh sobytii pri detal’nykh stratigraficheskikh issledovaniyakh. Metodicheskie rekomendatsii (Methods for Analyzing the Global Catastrophic Events in Detailed Stratigraphic Studies. Methodological Recommendations), Moscow: Mosk. Gos. Univ., 1998.

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to A.S. Alekseev (Moscow State University, Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) for valuable consultations during the identification of planktonic foraminifera and discussion of the problem in general. We remember with warmth and gratitude the dearly departed outstanding micropaleontologist V.N. Beniamovsky, who studied planktonic foraminifera of the Shapsug section.

Funding

This work was supported by ongoing institutional funding. No additional grants to carry out or direct this particular research were obtained.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Mining and Geological Agency, 117042, Moscow, Russia

    D. V. Kochergin

  2. Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117647, Moscow, Russia

    D. V. Kochergin

  3. Southern Federal University, 344006, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

    N. V. Granovskaya

Authors
  1. D. V. Kochergin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. V. Granovskaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. V. Kochergin.

Ethics declarations

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors of this work declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

This work does not contain any studies involving human or animal subjects.

Additional information

Translated by D. Voroshchuk

Publisher’s Note.

Pleiades Publishing remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kochergin, D.V., Granovskaya, N.V. The Cretaceous–Paleogene Boundary in the Shapsug Section (Southern Slope of the Northwestern Caucasus). Paleontol. J. 58, 245–252 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030123600270

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030123600270

Keywords:

Search

Navigation