Summary
A horizon with pot casts (potholes) is described from shallow-marine limestones of thespinosus-zone (‘Discitesschichten’, Upper Muschelkalk) near Weimar/Thuringia. The erosional structures are not developed as sole marks but occur as isolated structures. They differe distinctly in size and composition from pot casts described from the Muschelkalk of Southern Germany. Vertical sedimentary zonation and varying sediment infill in the structures suggest continuous erosion and deposition contemporaneous with the background sedimentation. Deposition may have been caused by oscillatory and unidirectional flows as well as a long period of micrite deposition. Early diagenetic deformations (e.g. dewatering, brecciation, pressure solution) have controlled by a higher continuous water flux inside the pot casts and higher intergranular dispersal pressure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, A.E., MacKenzie, W.S. &Guilford, C. (1984): Atlas of sedimentary rocks under the microscope.—104 p., 6+217, fig., 4 tab., New York (Longman)
Aigner, T. (1985): Storm Depositional Systems.—Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences3, 174 p., 83 fig., Berlin (Springer)
Aigner, T. &Bachmann, G.H. (1992): Sequence-stratigraphic framework of the Germanic Triassic.—Sediment. Geol.80, 115–135, Amsterdam
Aigner, T. &Futterer, E. (1978): Kolk-Töpfe und- Rinnen (pot and gutter casts) im Muschelkalk-Anzeiger für Wattenmeer? —N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh.156, 285–304, Stuttgart
Allen, J.R.L. (1982): Sedimentary Structures, Their Character and Physical Basis, Vol. 2.—Developments in Sedimentology30B, 663 p., Amsterdam, (Elsevier)
As-Saruri, M. &Langbein, R. (1990): Dolomitische Gelbkalke des Unteren Muschelkalks im Thüringer Becken.—Z. Geol. Wiss.18, 1011–1016, Berlin
Augustinus, P.G.E.F. (1978): The changing shoreline of Suriname (South America).—Natuurwetenschappelijke Studiekring voor Surinam en de Nederlandse Antillen95, 232 p., Utrecht
Bachmann, G.H. (1973): Die karbonatischen Bestandteile des Oberen Muschelkalkes (Mittlere Trias) in Südwest-Deutschland und ihre Diagenese.—Arb. Inst. Geol. Paläont. Univ. Stuttgart, N.F.68, 1–99, Stuttgart
Bathurst, R.G.C. (1991): Pressure-dissolution and limestone bedding: the influence of stratified cementation.—In:Einsele, G., Ricken, W. &Seilacher R., (eds.): Cycles and Events in Stratigraphy.—450–463, Berlin (Springer)
Brückner, S. & Langbein, R. (1990): Low-concentration-Dolomit —Ein neues genetisches Konzept.—Sediment 90, Kurzfassungen der Vorträge: 3 p., Bonn
Duke, W.L. (1990): Geostrophic circulation or shallow marine turbidity currents? The dilemma of paleoflow patterns in storminfluenced prograding shoreline systems.—J. Sediment. Petrol.,60, 870–883, Amsterdam
Einsele, G. (1991): Submarine Mass Flow Deposits and Turbidites. —In:Einsele, G., Ricken, W. &Seilacher, A. (eds.): Cycles and Events in Stratigraphy.—313–339, Berlin (Springer)
Friedel, C.-H. (1987): Alter und Genese transversaler Stylolithen im Unteren Muschelkalk (Mittlere Trias) Thüringens/DDR. —Z. Geol. Wiss.15, 105–116, Berlin
Goldring, R. &Aigner, T. (1982): Scour and Fill: The Significance of Event Separation.—In:Einsele, G. &Seilacher, A. (eds.): Cyclic and Event Stratification,—354–362, Berlin (Springer)
Kozur, H. (1974): Biostratigraphie der germanischen Mitteltrias. —Freiberger Forschh.C 298, 56+71 p., 9 encl., Leipzig
Labaume, P. (1987): Syn-diagenetic deformation of a turbiditic succession related to submarine gravity nappe emplacement, Autapie Nappe, French Alps.—In:Jones, M.E. & Preston, R.M.F. (eds.): Deformation of Sediments and Seideentary Rocks.—Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ.29, 147–163, Oxford
Langbein, R. (1988): Petrographische Kriterien einer tiefenabhängigen Sedimentation am Beispiel mesozoischer Karbonate.—Die Trias von Nordwestthüringen-Kurzreferate und Exkursionsfürer Ges. Geol. Wiss., p. 6, Berlin
Langbein, R. &As-Saruri, M.L. (1992): Dolomitisierung und Silifizierung in Tiefwasserkarbonaten des Tertiärs der südlichen arabischen Halbinsel.—Zbl. Geol. Paläont. Teil 11991/12, 2859–2872, Stuttgart
Langbein, R. &Röhling, S. (1991): Appearance and distribution of Ferroan Calcite and Low-concentration-Dolomite in Lower Palaeocoic Deep-water Carbonates of the Thuringicum.— Chem. Erde51, 241–249, Jena
Lorenc, M.W., Barco, P.M. &Saaverda, J. (1994): The evolution of potholes in granite bedrock, W Spain.—Catena22, 265–274, Amsterdam
Lowe, D.R. (1975): Water escape structures in coarse-grained sediments.—Sedimentology22, 157–204, Oxford
Lowe, D.R. (1976): Subaqueous liquefied and fluidized sediment flows and their deposits.—Sedimentology23, 285–308, Oxford
Lowe, D.R. (1982): Sediment gravity flows: II. Depositional models with special reference to the deposits of high-density turbidity currents.—J. Sediment. Petrol.52, 279–297, Tulsa
Martel, A.T. &Gibling, M.R. (1994): Combined-flow generation of sole structures, including recurved groove casts, associated with lower carboniferous lacustrine storm deposits in Nova Scotia, Canada.—J. Sediment. ResearchA 64, 508–517, Tulsa
Michael, P. (1943): Bericht über die geologischen Aufschlüsse, die beim Bau der Reichsautobahn auf der Strecke Magdala bis Erfurt entstanden sind.—Beitr. Geol. Thüringens7, 124–136, Jena
Myrow, P.M. (1992): Pot and gutter casts from the Chapel Island Formation, southeast Newfoundland.—J. Sediment. Petrol.62, 991–1007, Tulsa
Myrow, P.M. (1994): Pot and gutter casts from the Chapel Island Formation, southeast Newfoundland-Reply.—Sediment. ResearchA 64, 708–709, Tulsa
Park, W.C. &Amstutz, G.C. (1968): Primary ‘Cut-and-Fill’ Channels and Gravitational Diagenetic Features.—Mineral. Deposita3, 66–80, Berlin
Seidel, G. (1992): Thüringer Becken.—Sammlung geologischer Führer85, Berlin und Stuttgart (Gebr. Borntraeger)
Wanless, H.R. (1979): Limestone response to stress: pressure solution and dolomitization.—J. Sediment. Petrol.49, 437–462, Tulsa
Surlyk, F. (1987): Slope and deep shelf gully sandstones, Upper Jurassic, East Greenland.—Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol.71, 464–475, Tulsa
Wiefel, H. &Wiefel, J. (1980): Zur Lithostratigraphie und Lithofazies der Ceratitenschichten (Trias, Hauptrmuschelkalk) und der Keupergrenze im östlichen Teil des Thüringer Beckens. —Z. Geol. Wiss.8, 1095–1121, Berlin
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Knaust, D., Langbeini, R. Pot casts in the Upper Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) of Weimar/Thuringia—Composition, microfabrics and diagnesis. Facies 33, 151–165 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537449
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537449