Massive mudstones in basin analysis and paleoclimatic interpretation of the Newark Supergroup

摘要: Abstract Massive red or gray mudstones, which occur at the tops of 2- to 10-m-thick sedimentary cycles, constitute a large portion Newark Supergroup. The mudstones can be separated into four distinct types; each type related specific set paleoenvironmental conditions through analogy modern environments. Mudcracked massive mudstone, dominated by narrow, jagged polygonal cracks and millimeter-scale, cement-filled vugs, is interpreted as subaerial, playa mud-flat deposits. Burrowed sediment-filled tubes having constant diameters commonly containing soft-sediment deformation features, deep, narrow mud cracks, lacustrine fossils, intermittently exposed shallow lake swampy flood-plain Root-disrupted small, that taper bifurcate syndepositional carbonate nodules, burrows, vegetated flood-plain, lake-margin, overbank deposits with soil development. Sand-patch characterized irregularly shaped pods sandstone siltstone have angular cuspate margins, internal zones different grain sizes, evaporite crystal molds, saline flat. Mud-cracked mudstone sand-patch only in northern basins, while burrowed root-disrupted dominate southern basins but also within certain stratigraphic intervals basins. These occurrences suggest paleolatitude limited arid temporal changes paleoclimate were important. If there unique depositional periods dry versus wet conditions, they may used chronostratigraphic markers for correlation between across lithologies