Publication Type Journal Article
Title Organic geochemistry of late Jurassic paleosols (Dirt Beds) of Dorset, UK
Authors Richard Matthewman Laura J. Cotton Zita Martins M. A. Sephton
Groups
Journal MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
Year 2012
Month November
Volume 37
Number 1
Pages 41-52
Abstract Paleosols from the lower part of the Purbeck Limestone Group, which crops out extensively in Dorset, southern England, are shown to contain type IV kerogens. Comparisons with Mesozoic organic materials suggest that some of the paleosol kerogen is composed of fossil charcoal. The charcoal would have been produced by wildfires in the undergrowth of Purbeck gymnosperm forests. Contrasting the paleosol charcoal with laboratory produced counterparts suggest that, originally, significant amounts of functionalised organic matter should have persisted. Secondary oxidation and decay processes, therefore, must have removed all but the most resistant aromatic units in the charcoal. The importance of post-fire processes implies a strong influence on preservation from oxygen supply, water washing and host sediment type. These factors may have been related to pedogenesis, relative sea level and local fault movement in the late Jurassic. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2012.05.009
ISBN
Publisher
Book Title
ISSN 0264-8172
EISSN
Conference Name
Bibtex ID ISI:000308061200004
Observations
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