Lithostratigraphy and micropalaeontological characteristic of Lower Cretaceous strata in central part of the Carpathian Foreland

Bibliogr. s. 1174-1175

During the Early Cretaceous a central part of the Carpathian Foreland was situated in the Peri-Tethys area. That zone was located on the SW margin of the East European Craton and it was adjacent to the Tethys basins in the south. Impact of those both zoogeographic provinces (the Boreal Sea and the Tethys Ocean) is easily noticeable in assemblages of microfauna. Character of sedimentation in the Early Cretaceous basin of the Carpathian Foreland is connected mainly with changes of the sea-level as well as tectonic activity of this region. The stratigraphy and facies data are based on near two hundreds wells profiles. Detailed sedimentological profiles and photographic documentation of the Upper Jurassic and the Lower Cretaceous deposits from about 50 boreholes were done as well as micropalaeontological and microfacial studies of core samples. The presented work is an attempt of unification and formalization of lithostratigraphic units' nomenclature.Two boreholes: Zagorzyce-7 and Wiewiórka-4 were suggested as stratotype sections of distinguished formations. Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary is probably situated within limits of Ropczyce formation in this area. Three formations have been distinguished in the profile of Lower Cretaceous above Ropczyce formation: Zagorzyce limestone-marl formation (Berriasian age), Dębica marl and organo-detritic limestone formation (Valanginian) and Wiewiórka limestone formation (Late Valanginian-Hauterivian). The most marked erosion surface is recorded between Zagorzyce and Dębica formations. We suppose that hiatus including a large part of Lower Valanginian profile is connected with that erosion surface. It could be refered to a rapid fall of the sea-level in the Tethys Ocean, noticed inter alia in the Western Carpathians and the Northern Calcareous Alps. The known existing thickness of the Lower Cretaceous sediments in the middle part of Carpathian Foreland (total of three formations: Zagorzyce fm.,Dębica fm. and Wiewiórka fm.) rises to 188 m in Zagorzyce-1 well.