Southern Dolomites, Italy, Triassic to Jurassic
Quicktime Virtual Reality (QTVR) movie, 600x400 pixel, 6.7 MB
In the Dolomites, carbonate ramps existed in the Early (Lower Sarl Formation) and Late Anisian (Upper Sarl, Contrin Formation). Carbonate platforms developed in the Ladinian to early Carnian. They are subdivided into platforms preceeding an early Longobardian volcano-magmatic event in the Central Dolomites (Schlern platforms) and those succeding it (Cassian platforms). However, this subdivision is largely restricted to the platforms, which were situated in the vicinity of the volcanic center of Predazzo/Monzoni. Over wide parts of the northern and eastern Dolomites, Cassian and Schlern platforms are difficult or impossible to separate. Platform development was terminated in the late Early Carnian with coastal to marginal marine deposition of the Schlernplateau and Raibl Fms. Lagoonal deposition of the Hauptdolomit, Dachstein and Calcare Grigi persisted during the Norian to early Jurassic. Strong differential subsidence between the western aand eastern Dolomites resulted in signifciant thickness changes of the Hauptdolomit. Minimum-maximum thickness ranges between 200 and 1200 m.
The movie shows an panoramic view on carbonate ramps and platforms of the northern, eastern and southern Dolomites, seen from Piz Boé in the Sella Mountain Range. Examples include (from left to right, as visible, carbonate ramps/platfom units only):
(1) Gardenaccia: Ladinian to early Carnian platforms, Hauptdolomit to Dachstein platforms (lagoons)
(2) Val Badia, Passo di Campolongo and Livinallongo areas: Ladinian to early Carnian basins;
(3)Fanes-Senes area: early Carnian platform, Hauptdolomit to Calcare Grigi;
(4) Settsass (center, middleground): early Carnian platform-basin transition;
(5) Tofane and Mt. Cristallo mountain ranges: Hauptdolomit to Calcare Grigi;
(6) Mt. Pelmo mountain range: Hauptdolomit to Calcare Grigi;
(7) Civetta mountain range: Ladinian platform to basin transition;
(8) Marmolada mountain range (glaciated): Ladinian carbonate platform (gravitational thrust unit)
(9) Padon crest (right, foreground): late Ladinian volcaniclastics.
Selected Literature -
Gianolla, P., De Zanche, V. and Mietto, P. (1998) Triassic sequence stratigraphy in the Southern Alps (northern Italy); definition of sequences and basin evolution, - in: De Graciansky, P.C., Hardenbol, J., Jacquin, T. and Vail, P.R. (eds.) Mesozoic and Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy of European basins. Spec. Publ. Soc. Sed. Geol., 60, 719-747.
Neri, C. and Stefani, M. (1998) Sintesi cronostratigrafica e sequenziale dell'evoluzione permiana superiore e triassica delle Dolomiti - in: Bosellini, A. and Stefani, M. (eds.) Geologia delle Dolomiti. Mem. Soc. Geol. Ital., 53, 417-463.
Bosellini, A., Neri, C. and Stefani, M. (1996) Geologia delle Dolomiti. 78a Riunione Estiva, Soc. Geol. Ital., San Cassiano 16-18, 120 p.
Rüffer, T. and Zühlke, R. (1995) Sequence stratigraphy and sea-level changes in the Early to Middle Triassic of the Alps: a global comparison. - in: Haq, B.U. (ed.) Sequence stratigraphy and depositional response to eustatic, tectonic and climatic forcing. Kluwer Acad. Publ., 161-207.
