Garschella Formation

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Garschella Formation
Stratigraphic range: early Aptian-early Cenomanian
Garschella-Formation.jpg
Type Formation
Underlies Seewen Formation
Overlies Schrattenkalk Formation
Thicknessup to 120 m (390 ft)
Lithology
Primary Limestone
Other Sandstone
Location
Region Alps
CountryAustria
Germany
France
Switzerland
Type section
Named for Garschella Plateau
Named byFöllmi & Ouwehand
Year defined1987

The Garschella Formation is an early Aptian to early Cenomanian geologic formation in the Alps of Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland. [1] It preserves fossils dated to the Cretaceous period.

Contents

Description

The Garschella Formation consists of glauconite- and apatite-bearing sandstones, limestones, marls and phosphorite layers.The Garschella Formation varies in thickness and can be up to 120 m thick. The rocks of the Garschella Formation can be bedded, often they are overgrown with moss and weather angularly. The bedding is often heavily fissured, with the fissures being almost perpendicular to the stratification.

Formation

The change from the Schrattenkalk Formation to the Garschella Formation was caused by a transgressive phase in which the carbonate production was severely restricted by the changing ocean currents. [2]

See also

References

  1. Garschella Formation at Strati.ch
  2. Ouwehand, P. J. (1987). Die Garschella-Formation ("Helvetischer Gault", Aptian-Cenomanian) der Churfirsten-Alvier Region (Ostschweiz): Sedimentologie, Phosphoritgenese, Stratigraphie (Dissertation Nr. 8409). Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich.