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1.
《Earth》2008,86(3-4):85-116
Wetland plant communities persisted though much of the Pennsylvanian in Euramerica and are the dominant coal forming vegetation in this region. Distribution of these floras show a dramatic decline at the end of the Carboniferous with many of the plant genera and species becoming extinct by the onset of the Permian. This has been correlated with climate change and in particular aridification associated with northwards plate motion and Euramerica moving into the doldrums, but is also associated with the Variscan orogeny and forefront destroying large areas of formerly lowland basinal settings. Other factors may include Pennsylvanian glaciations as evidenced by cyclothem and rhythmical deposition in lowlying wetland settings, and change in eustatic base level. Evidence from Euramerica demonstrates extinction of this kind of wetland biota by the earliest Permian and the development of drier floras including conifer dominated assemblages. However, new data from other parts of the world, most notably North China, confirm this model and highlight the presence of similar coal swamps ranging from the Late Pennsylvanian through the Permian. In this paper we summarise and synthesize recent taxonomic and systematic investigations undertaken on the plant fossils from the Pennsylvanian Benxi Formation – the oldest recognised wetland plant community in China – and the Early Permian Taiyuan Formation – the best preserved wetland plant community from China. Results indicate a remarkable similarity of the Pennsylvanian–Early Permian floras of North China with the older assemblages in the Pennsylvanian of Euramerica, and the presence of typical ‘Euramerican’ coal swamp plant families, genera and in some cases species in China. Conclusions include the presence of the Ameriosinian phytogeographical realm uniting Euramerica and northern Cathaysia at this time, coal swamps in the Permian of North China evolving from a ‘Euramerican’ origin, and the dramatic floral turnover at the end of the Carboniferous representing a regional event rather than a global extinction episode. Patterns of plant distribution through this interval have profound implications on established palaeogeographical models and support continental connection between Euramerica and Cathaysia before the end of the Carboniferous, contradicting ideas of Cathaysian island biogeography and biotic distinction. Continental connection appears to be related to glacial eustatic low-stand and previously shallow marine environments becoming vegetated. Also important is the fact that in both Euramerica and North China the pattern of floristic demise within wetland plant communities are similar to each other, implying the same causal mechanisms, with plants occupying waterlogged positions being the most severely devastated. However, ecosystem demise occurred at the end of the Carboniferous in Euramerica and in the middle Permian in North China, but in both cases the primary cause was climate change. 相似文献
2.
Analysis of stacked Permo‐Pennsylvanian palaeosols from north‐central Texas documents the influence of palaeolandscape position on pedogenesis in aggradational depositional settings. Palaeosols of the Eastern shelf of the Midland basin exhibit stratigraphic trends in the distribution of soil horizons, structure, rooting density, clay mineralogy and colour that record long‐term changes in soil‐forming conditions driven by both local processes and regional climate. Palaeosols similar to modern histosols, ultisols, vertisols, inceptisols and entisols, all bearing morphological, mineralogical and chemical characteristics consistent with a tropical, humid climate, represent the Late Pennsylvanian suite of palaeosol orders. Palaeosols similar to modern alfisols, vertisols, inceptisols, aridisols and entisols preserve characteristics indicative of a drier and seasonal tropical climate throughout the Lower Permian strata. The changes in palaeosol morphology are interpreted as being a result of an overall climatic trend from relatively humid and tropical, moist conditions characterized by high rainfall in the Late Pennsylvanian to progressively drier, semi‐arid to arid tropical climate characterized by seasonal rainfall in Early Permian time. Based on known Late Palaeozoic palaeogeography and current hypotheses for atmospheric circulation over western equatorial Pangea, the Pennsylvanian palaeosols in this study may be recording a climate that is the result of an orographic control over regional‐scale atmospheric circulation. The trend towards a drier climate interpreted from the Permian palaeosols may be recording the breakdown of this pre‐existing orographic effect and the onset of a monsoonal atmospheric circulation system over this region. 相似文献
3.
Cryoturbated organic beds and channel fills, intercalated with sandy and gravelly fluvial units, have been studied in an opencast brown‐coal mine near Nochten (Niederlausitz), eastern Germany. The fluvial–aeolian sequence covers parts of the Early, Pleni‐ and Late‐glacial. The detailed chronology is based on 11 radiocarbon and 12 OSL dates, covering the period between ca. 100 kyr and 11 kyr BP. Basal peat deposits are correlated with an Early Weichselian interstadial. During this period boreal forests were present and minimum mean summer temperatures were > 13°C. Early Pleniglacial deposits are absent. The Middle and Late Pleniglacial environments were treeless and different types of tundra vegetation can be recognised. Minimum mean summer temperatures varied between 10 and 15°C. Vegetation and climate is reconstructed in detail for the periods around 34–38 kyr BP and 24–25 kyr BP. Around 34–38 ka, a mixture between a low shrub tundra and a cottongrass tussock–subshrub tundra was present. The botanical and sedimentological data suggest that from the Middle to the Late Pleniglacial, the climate became more continental, aridity and wind strength increased, and the role of a protecting winter snow cover decreased. A sedge–grass–moss tundra dominated around 24 and 25 kyr BP. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 相似文献
4.
The No. 1 and No. 2 coal seams from the Permian Vryheid Formation in the east Witbank Coalfield, South Africa are described with respect to their distribution, thickness and quality. These two coal seams accumulated in a postglacial climatic environment and peat accumulation was closely associated with and influenced by deposition in a braided river system. The fluvial channels that were syndepositional with peat accumulation have resulted in thinning of coal below and above channel axes and pinch-out of coal adjacent to channel margins. Low-ash coal originated from peat which accumulated in areas away from the influence of clastic sedimentation. In contrast, higher-ash coals are situated adjacent and parallel to channel margins where interbedded channel sand and silt contaminated the peat.The lower No. 1 seam peat originated under near-optimum conditions in a lacustrine swamp which blanketed an underlying platform of glaciofluvial braided river sediment. This peat swamp was not subjected to syndepositional clastic contamination and as a result is of superior quality (lower ash/higher calorific value and volatile matter) than the overlying No. 2 coal seam. The No. 2 seam is split by a clastic parting produced by a braided fluvial channel which transected the swamp midway through peat accumulation. This fluvial clastic parting deleteriously affected coal thickness and quality.A comparison of the Gondwanan Permian peat-forming conditions with those from Carboniferous northern hemisphere counterparts suggests that the differences in coal characteristics between these two regions are probably related to different palaeoclimatic conditions and basin tectonics. Cool-temperate climatic conditions which prevailed over the Permian peat swamps resulted in less species diversification of vegetation at these high-latitude settings than the diverse floral assemblages of the Carboniferous swamps. A stable intracronic basin platform caused lateral dispersion of sedimentary facies rather than the stacking of vertical facies which occurred in rapidly subsiding depositories. Partial exposure of the Permian peat swamps during peat accumulation may account for the relatively higher inertinite content of the coals. 相似文献
5.
民和盆地侏罗系地层划分与对比 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
民和盆地是一个油、煤、气伴生的中新生代陆相盆地,侏罗系地层层序自下而上划分为下侏罗统炭洞沟组(大西沟组)、中侏罗统窑街组、红沟组、上侏罗统享堂组。中侏罗世早、中期气候温暖湿润,形成了以沼泽相煤系地层和湖相暗色泥岩、油页岩为主的生油建造,晚侏罗世至白垩纪气候较为干燥,形成了以河流相为主的砂砾岩储集建造。根据古生物、岩性、电性、含煤性、构造、古气候等地层划分对比标志,重新确立了盆地的地层系统,建立了盆地中新生界地层标准剖面,为盆地石油勘探奠定了坚实的基础。 相似文献
6.
The Mukah coal accumulated in the Balingian Formation where the time-stratigraphic position is poorly defined by fauna, though a probable Late Miocene age has always been assigned to this formation. Samples collected in the present study that yielded an abundance of Casuarina pollen associated with occurrences of Dacrydium, Stenochlaena palustris, Florschuetzia levipoli and also Stenochlaena areolaris spores, compare closely to zone PR9 of the palynological zonation of the Malay Basin, and can be tied to depositional sequences of Malay Basin Seismic sequences I2000/I3000, indicating an Early Miocene age for the studied coal. The Early Miocene age shows that the Mukah coal was formed during the collision between Luconia Block–Dangerous Grounds with the Borneo that lasted from Late Eocene to late Early Miocene. The rapid increase of deposition base-level caused by the collision is clearly reflected by the architecture of the Mukah coal seams that were generally thin, and also by the reverse order of the paleo-peat bodies.The studied coal samples contained large amounts of detrohuminite without the enrichment of liptinite group macerals, usually explained by the dominance of herbaceous plants in the paleomires. However, the pollen assemblages recovered in the present study provide no support for a ‘herbaceous’ swamp, instead the peats were likely formed mainly from forest vegetation based on the recovery of dominant arboreal pollen assemblages in the present study. Palynomorph assemblages recovered in the present study, with abundance of Casuarina pollen associated with common occurrences of Dacrydium, strongly suggest Kerangas vegetation and Kerapah type peat swamps, indicating a very wet climate. The occurrence of rattan and Pandanus pollens shows that the kerapah type peat swamps were locally bordered by rattan and Pandanus swamps. This shows that the prevailing use of coal petrography to discern the type of vegetation that was present in the peat-forming mires may lead to wrong conclusions. Therefore, a multi-disciplinary approach must be applied for a more accurate and reliable spatial interpretation of the type of vegetation that was present in the peat-forming mires.Consistent with the low sulphur content, evidence from the palynomorph assemblages recovered from the coal seams shows that the coal-forming peat was deposited in freshwater mires with little or no marine influence, despite the fact that the accumulation of the Mukah coal-forming peat took place within a coastal plain setting. Moreover, the fauna present in the host rock formation also suggested a brackish-water environment of deposition. 相似文献
7.
The distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons and stable carbon isotope ratios of organic matter in a series of nine Miocene Embalut coal samples obtained from nine coal seams of Kutai Basin, East Kalimantan, Indonesia were studied. The rank of the Embalut coals ranged from lignites to low rank sub-bituminous coals (0.36–0.50% Rr), based on measurements of huminite reflectance. The aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of all coal samples were dominated by cadalene in the lower boiling point range and picene derivatives in the higher boiling point range of the gas chromatograms. Cadalene can be attributed to the contribution of Dipterocarpaceae and various hydrated picenes to the contribution of additional angiosperms to the coal forming vegetation. The picenes originate from alpha- and beta-amyrin. However, in some coal samples minor amounts of simonellite and retene were also detected which argues for an additional contribution of gymnosperms (conifers) to coal forming vegetation preferentially in the Middle Miocene and at the beginning of the Late Miocene. The results of stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in most of the coal samples are consistent with their origin from angiosperms (δ13C between ?27.0‰ and ?28.0‰). During the Miocene the climate of Mahakam Delta was not uniformly moist and cooler than the present day climate. This would have been favourable for the growth of conifers, especially in the montane forests. The contribution of conifers to the Embalut coals might be a result of the cool Middle/Late Miocene climate during peat accumulation in the Kutai Basin. 相似文献
8.
广东省雷州半岛新生代钻孔ZKA01揭露的地层序列自下向上为渐新统涠洲组、中新统下洋组、角尾组、灯楼角组、上新统望楼港组、下更新统湛江组和中更新统北海组,涠洲组—望楼港组为滨浅海沉积,湛江组和北海组为陆相河湖相沉积。本文在ZKA01钻孔地层中自下向上88个层位中获取的29311粒孢粉化石的81个属中,选取了常见的种子植物花粉种属42个,通过共存因子分析法,定量重建了研究区晚渐新世—早更新世的古气候参数,划分出晚渐新世—早中新世(25~17 Ma)、中中新世(17~13.5 Ma)、晚中新世—上新世初期(13.5~4 Ma)和上新世—早更新世(4~1.5 Ma)4个气候演化阶段。孢粉共存因子定量法重建的研究区晚渐新世—早更新世4个阶段的古气候变化过程能较好地与全球气候变化的趋势相匹配,晚渐新世—早中新世温度降低的时间拐点大致可与Mi1a气候变冷事件相吻合。中中新世可以与中中新世气候适宜期(MMCO)相对应,表现为炎热潮湿的气候特征。中中新世晚期的气温是下降的,在一定程度上响应了Mi3中中新世气候变冷事件。 相似文献
9.
新疆准噶尔盆地和塔里木盆地二叠纪孢粉组合的比较及其植物区系和地层意义 总被引：8，自引：0，他引：8
根据二十年来积累的准噶尔和塔里木盆地二叠纪孢粉组合序列资料 ,结合其他动植物化石证据 ,初步做了两地二叠纪孢粉生物地层对比 ,并讨论了植物区系性质 ,指出准噶尔盆地在晚石炭世早期已属亚安加拉区 ,塔里木盆地在早二叠世虽总体上属欧美区 ,但已混生若干安加拉—亚安加拉成分 ,中、晚二叠世基本上已属亚安加拉区。孢粉证据支持准噶尔板块在早石炭世已与哈萨克斯坦板块—西伯利亚板块对接、塔里木板块在早二叠世与准噶尔板块对接的假说。二叠纪时 ,两地处于亚热带—暖温带 (4 0°N以南 ) ,气候总体上为半干旱气候 ,但干旱程度并不严酷 ,局部地区或层位偶尔还形成薄煤层或煤线 ,准噶尔盆地还有干湿的周期性变化和年度的季节变化 相似文献
10.
We have surveyed the areal and stratigraphic distribution of tonsteins in Late Permian coalfields of southwestern China over an area of several hundred thousand square kilometers. We studied the relationship between tonstein distribution and sedimentary environment. Based on mineralogical and petrographic data, we have concluded that these tonsteins originated as air-fall volcanic ashes. Following accumulation in the peat swamps, in situ alteration of the vitric and lithic components took place under acidic conditions, leading to the formation of kaolinite.Based on petrologic, mineralogic, and chemical analytical data, we have determined that the application of mineralogic and geochemical criteria for tonsteins may be useful in correlating coal beds, predicting coal qualities and reconstructing related sedimentary paleoenvironmental conditions. 相似文献
11.
Early Cretaceous Paleoclimate Characteristics of China: Clues from Continental Climate-indicative Sediments 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
The Cretaceous was one of the most remarkable ‘greenhouse' climate periods in geological history. Most of the reported studies of the Cretaceous paleoclimate are based upon marine sedimentary records. Large spatial scale paleoclimatic reconstruction, which has a higher time resolution based upon continental sediments in China, is rarely found. This study presents paleoclimate reconstruction for the six time periods of the Early Cretaceous in China by employing continental climate-indicative sediments, including calcareous deposits, coal, oil shale, gypsum, halite, desert sedimentary systems, ferruginous deposits and laterite, copper-bearing deposits, limestone and dolomite. Based on the distribution of the association of climate-indicative sediments and the influences of paleotopography and orogenic belts(or important structural belts) on climate, seven climatic zones have been identified: 1) a warm and humid zone; 2) a warm and humid-warm and arid zone; 3) a warm and arid zone; 4) an arid and hot zone; 5) the Tibet hot and humid zone; 6) a hot and arid-semiarid zone; and 7) a hot and humid-hot and arid one. It is found that the Early Cretaceous climatic zones of China were nearly latitudinally distributed from northwest to southeast. The aridhot climatic zone expanded in the Aptian, suggesting that a hotter and drier climate prevailed in later period of the Early Cretaceous. Conversely, the humid climatic zone expanded in the Albian, indicating that a wetter climate appeared at the end of the Early Cretaceous. The overall distribution pattern of the seven climatic zones indicates that a hot-warm and arid climate was predominant in China; this coincides with a global ‘greenhouse climate' background. However, palaeogeographic features and specific geologic events, such as the existence and disappearance of the eastern high plateau, and the uplift and denudation of Yinshan, Yanshan, Tianshan, Qinling and Dabie Mountains, led to distinctive regional climatic features of the Cretaceous in China. 相似文献
12.
The formation of manganese rocks and ores occurred during the whole geological history of the Earth. Five metallogenic epochs
(Early to Middle Proterozoic, Late Proterozoic, Early to Middle Paleozoic, Late Paleozoic, and Meso-Cenozoic) and 7 very important
phases (Early, Middle, and Late Proterozoic, Early to Middle Paleozoic, Late Paleozoic, Late Mesozoic, and Meso-Cenozoic)
can be distinguished. The phases of manganese ore genesis at many stratigraphic levels are closely related to the global climatic
and tectonic reconstructions (the breakup of the continent of Gondwana and periods of glaciations and aridization) and biotic
events (mass extinction of organisms). Based on carbon isotopic composition in manganese carbonates, participation of oxidized
organic carbon is established. 相似文献
13.
14.
含煤岩系沉积学研究的几点思考 总被引：7，自引：1，他引：7
根据沉积学和煤地质学的理论和方法 ,对聚煤作用、聚煤中心、煤层在地层格架中的分布、煤的前身--泥炭和成煤基地--沼泽地 ,以及煤和煤系中的矿物组分--高岭石进行了介绍、分析、论述 ,并再次提出华北晚古生代海侵问题。 相似文献
15.
Khadijeh Alinezhad Elias Ramezani Morteza Djamali Arash Sharifi Alireza Naqinezhad Cyril Aubert Emmanuel Gandouin Ali Pourmand 《第四纪科学杂志》2021,36(4):598-610
Palynological and geochemical analyses provide valuable information about modern and past climatic regimes and vegetation. The impact of climate and humans on past vegetation in the semi-arid areas of northwestern Iran has received increased interest in the wake of warming temperatures in the Middle East. Palynological and down-core XRF elemental abundances from a peat core from Lake Neor enabled a reconstruction of vegetational changes of the past 7000 years over the highlands of northwestern Iran. Periods of increased arboreal pollen (AP) types and high (Artemisia + Poaceae)/Chenopodiaceae ratios along with low titanium abundances, high percentages of total organic carbon, more negative δD values, and higher carbon accumulation rates suggest a relatively wet climate. These conditions have persisted during the periods 6700–6200, 5200–4450 and 3200–2200 cal a bp. The overall low AP values, substantial rise of Chenopodiaceae, high Ti abundances and low values of palaeo-redox proxies, are all evidences of a drier climate, as has been reconstructed for the periods 6200–5200 and 4030–3150 cal a bp and the last 2200 years. An important feature of the last centuries is the increase of anthropogenic and pastoral indicator pollen types. Our results may provide basic data to predict future trends in vegetation dynamics under future climate change in western Asia. 相似文献
16.
《Comptes Rendus Geoscience》2014,346(7-8):159-168
The Pennsylvanian portion of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age was characterized by stratigraphic repetition of chemical and siliciclastic rocks in the equatorial regions of the Pangean interior. Known as “cyclothems”, these stratigraphic successions are a 105 yr-record of glacial waxing and waning, superimposed on longer term, 106 yr intervals of global warming and cooling and a still longer term trend of increasing equatorial aridity. During periods of maximum ice–minimum sea level, the interior craton was widely exposed. Epicontinental landscapes were initially subjected to dry subhumid climate when first exposed, as sea level fell, but transitioned to humid climates and widespread wetlands during maximum lowstands. During interglacials (ice-minima) seasonally dry vegetation predominated. The wetland and seasonally dry biomes were compositionally distinct and had different ecological and evolutionary dynamics. 相似文献
17.
The present study analyses the stratal architecture of the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) to Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) sedimentary succession of Mount Salève (E France), and four Berriasian stratigraphic intervals containing four sequence-boundary zones reflecting lowering trends of the relative sea-level evolution. Massive Kimmeridgian limestones characterized by the presence of colonial corals appear to be stacked in an aggrading pattern. These non-bedded thick deposits, which are interpreted to have formed in balance between relative sea-level rise and carbonate accumulation, suggest a keep-up transgressive system. Above, well-bedded Tithonian-to-Berriasian peritidal carbonates reflect a general loss of accommodation. These strata are interpreted as a highstand normal-regressive unit. During the early phase of this major normal regression, the vertical repetition of upper intertidal/lower supratidal lithofacies indicates an aggrading depositional system. This is in agreement with an early stage of a highstand phase of relative sea level. The Berriasian sequence-boundary zones investigated (up to 4 m thick) developed under different climatic conditions and correspond to higher-frequency, forced- and normal-regressive stages of relative sea-level changes. According to the classical sequence-stratigraphic principles, these sequence-boundary zones comprise more than one candidate surface for a sequence boundary. Three sequence-boundary zones studied in Early Berriasian rocks lack coarse siliciclastic grains, contain a calcrete crust, as well as marly levels with higher abundances of illite with respect to kaolinite, and exhibit fossilized algal-microbial laminites with desiccation polygons. These sedimentary features are consistent with more arid conditions. A sequence-boundary zone interpreted for the Late Berriasian corresponds to a coal horizon. The strata above and below this coal contain abundant quartz and marly intervals with a higher kaolinite content when compared to the illite content. Accordingly, this Late Berriasian sequence-boundary zone was formed under a more humid climate. The major transgressive–regressive cycle of relative sea level identified and the climate change from more arid to more humid conditions recognized during the Late Berriasian have been reported also from other European basins. Therefore, the Kimmeridgian to Berriasian carbonate succession of Mount Salève reflects major oceanographic and climatic changes affecting the northern margin of the Alpine Tethys ocean and thus constitutes a reliable comparative example for the analysis of other coeval sedimentary records. In addition, the stratigraphic intervals including sequence-boundary zones characterized in this study constitute potential outcrop analogues for sequence-boundary reflectors mapped on seismic profiles of subsurface peritidal carbonate successions. The detailed sedimentological analyses provided here highlight that on occasions the classical principles of sequence stratigraphy developed on seismic data are difficult to apply in outcrop. A sequence-boundary reflector when seen in outcrop may present successive subaerial exposure surfaces, which formed due to high-frequency sea-level changes that were superimposed on the longer-term trend of relative sea-level fall. 相似文献
18.
依据沉积环境控制烃源岩发育理论,研究了琼东南盆地崖北凹陷崖城组煤系烃源岩的发育环境及主控因素,并建立了研究区崖城组煤系烃源岩的发育模式。崖城组煤系烃源岩主要形成于半咸水、还原-弱还原的扇三角洲平原河道间泥炭沼泽环境和半咸水、弱还原-弱氧化的潮坪潮上带-潮间带泥炭沼泽环境。沉积环境、古气候条件、相对海平面变化以及古构造控制煤系烃源岩的发育,其中沉积环境控制着煤系烃源岩中有机质类型、有机质丰度、显微组分及煤层的厚度,古气候条件提供了煤系烃源岩发育的物质基础,相对海平面变化影响着煤系烃源岩的展布及保存条件,古构造则是聚煤盆地形成、演化的主要控制因素。崖城组煤系烃源岩有两种发育模式,一是在扇三角洲平原河道间泥炭沼泽环境中水体的还原性起主导作用,二是在潮坪潮上带-潮间带泥炭沼泽中高生物生产率起主导作用。 相似文献
19.
A. V. Lozhkin P. M. Anderson T. V. Matrosova P. S. Minyuk J. Brigham-Grette M. Melles 《Russian Journal of Pacific Geology》2007,1(6):550-555
The comprehensive study of the upper 1283 cm of sediment from Lake El’gygytgyn, which formed nearly 4 Ma ago following a meteorite impact in northern Chukotka, yielded the first continuous record of the extreme changes in the Beringian climate and vegetation from the middle Middle Pleistocene to recent time (equivalent of marine isotope stages of 1–7 and the upper part of isotope stage 8). During this period, the climate was warmer than at present between 8600 and 10 7000 14C years and during the Late Pleistocene (isotope substage 5e, 116–128 ka ago). In 2003, the German-Russian-USA expedition continued studying sediments of Lake El’gygytgyn to obtain new evidence of the change in the vegetation cover in the Middle Pleistocene and the first information on the Middle Pleistocene interglacial (isotope stage 9; 297–347 ka ago). Pollen spectra characterizing the Middle Pleistocene interglacial are similar to spectra of the early stage of the Early Pleistocene interglacial and the climatic optimum in the Pleistocene to Holocene transitional period. The climatic history of Lake El’gygytgyn is basic for stratigraphic interpretations and correlations in the eastern sector of the Arctic. These data also expand our understanding of climatic changes that are studied within the framework of the “Pole-Equator-Pole Paleoclimate,” “Past Global Changes,” and other international projects. 相似文献
20.
Stephen F. Greb Cortland F. Eble Donald R. Chesnut Jr. 《International Journal of Coal Geology》2002,50(1-4)
More than 130 Mt of Pennsylvanian coal is produced annually from two coal fields in Kentucky. The Western Kentucky Coal Field occurs in part of the Illinois Basin, an intercratonic basin, and the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field occurs in the Central Appalachian Basin, a foreland basin. The basins are only separated by 140 km, but mined western Kentucky coal beds exhibit significantly higher sulfur values than eastern Kentucky coals. Higher-sulfur coal beds in western Kentucky have generally been inferred to be caused by more marine influences than for eastern Kentucky coals.Comparison of strata in the two coal fields shows that more strata and more coal beds accumulated in the Eastern than Western Kentucky Coal Field in the Early and Middle Pennsylvanian, inferred to represent greater generation of tectonic accommodation in the foreland basin. Eastern Kentucky coal beds exhibit a greater tendency toward splitting and occurring in zones than time-equivalent western Kentucky coal beds, which is also inferred to represent foreland accommodation influences, overprinted by autogenic sedimentation effects. Western Kentucky coal beds exhibit higher sulfur values than their eastern counterparts, but western Kentucky coals occurring in Langsettian through Bolsovian strata can be low in sulfur content. Eastern Kentucky coal beds may increase in sulfur content beneath marine zones, but generally are still lower in sulfur than mined Western Kentucky coal beds, indicating that controls other than purely marine influences must have influenced coal quality.The bulk of production in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field is from Duckmantian and Bolsovian coal beds, whereas production in the Western Kentucky Coal Field is from Westphalian D coals. Langsettian through Bolsovian paleoclimates in eastern Kentucky were favorable for peat doming, so numerous low-sulfur coals accumulated. These coals tend to occur in zones and are prone to lateral splitting because of foreland tectonic and sedimentation influences. In contrast, Westphalian D coal beds of western Kentucky accumulated during low differential tectonic accommodation, and therefore tend to be widespread and uniform in characteristics, but exhibit higher sulfur values because they accumulated in seasonally drier paleoclimates that were unfavorable for peat doming. Hence, basin analyses indicate that many differences between the mined coals of Kentucky's two coal fields are related to temporal changes in paleoclimate and tectonic accommodation, rather than solely being a function of marine influences. 相似文献