The North China Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion and its global correlation with the base of the Paibian Stage (early Furongian Series), Cambrian

Abstract

The use of carbon isotope excursion in Cambrian stratigraphical correlation is a standard practice at both the intercontinental and intracontinental scales. The Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion (SPICE) is one of the prime examples in this regard in correlating the base of the Paibian Stage and Furongian Series. A lack of definite SPICE evidence in the North China craton has been a challenge in precision correlation between North China and other palaeo‐continents. This study provides new carbonates carbon isotope data from the type locality of the Changshan Formation in Hebei Province, North China. Our new δ13Ccarb data provide new objective evidence for the presence of the SPICE in North China. The sampling section is relatively condensed, and the interval of the SPICE curve is less than one and half‐metres after analysing 64 samples (the sampling interval within the SPICE is less than 10 cm). The onset of the SPICE curve in Tangshan, Hebei, occurs in the barren interval between the Neodrepanura and Chuangia trilobite zones. Based on this study and previous work, this could imply the middle part of the Prochuangia‐Paracoosia trilobite Zone in North China and can be correlated with the base of the Paibian Stage and Furongian Series.

The geochemistry of the late Cambrian carbonate in North China: the Steptoean Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion (SPICE) record suppressed in a coastal condition?

“…The concentrations of elements with the subscript N have been normalized to Post-Archaean Australian Shale (PAAS). was also reported in the same section (Bagnoli et al 2014), the Shuanqiao section in North China (Ng et al 2014b) and the Wa'ergang and Paibi sections in South China (Saltzman et al 2000;Peng et al 2004). A similar positive excursion of δ 13 C org that corresponds to the SPICE has also been reported in many sections throughout the world (Gill et al 2011;Saltzman et al 2011).…”

Integrated Cambrian biostratigraphy and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy of the Grönhögen-2015 drill core, Öland, Sweden

“…The SPICE and TOCE excursions have been recorded from most Cambrian palaeocontinents and have great potential for global correlation in the Paibian and Cambrian Stage 10, respectively (e.g. Saltzman et al 2000;Sial et al 2008Sial et al , 2013Landing, Westrop & Adrain, 2011;Woods et al 2011;Gill et al 2011;Miller et al 2011Miller et al , 2014Miller et al , 2015Ng, Yuan & Lin, 2014;Lim et al 2016;Azmy, 2018). Although it has been argued (e.g.…”

Questioning a widespread euxinia for the Furongian (Late Cambrian) SPICE event: indications from δ13C, δ18O, δ34S and biostratigraphic constraints

“…Similar to the Wanliangyu section of Chen et al (2011), the SPICE at Tangwangzhai starts below the G. reticulatus biozone. The SPICE excursion of the Shuangqiao section (Hubei Province, North China) starts at the uppermost Neodrepanura zone and covers the Prochuangia – lower Changshania-Irvingella zones (Ng, Yuan & Lin, 2014). A maximum of +3.2‰ is reached in the lower Chuangia biozone which is followed by a short prominent negative excursion (−1.5‰) and a subsequent rise to almost maximum values (Ng, Yuan & Lin, 2014).…”

“…It has been identified in carbonate and organic-rich successions of slope and platform environments of Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, England, Kazakhstan, Newfoundland, North and South China, Siberia, Sweden and the USA (e.g. Glumac & Walker, 1998; Saltzman, Runnegar & Lohmann, 1998; Saltzman et al 2000, 2011; Peng et al 2004; Zhu et al 2004; Lindsay et al 2005; Gill, Lyons & Saltzman, 2007; Gill et al 2011; Kouchinsky et al 2008; Sial et al 2008, 2013; Ahlberg et al 2009; Hurtgen, Pruss & Knoll, 2009; Chen et al 2011, 2012; Woods et al 2011; Ng, Yuan & Lin, 2014). In carbonate successions the SPICE is characterized by a shift of +4‰ to +6‰ in δ 13 C carb to peak values of about +5‰ (Saltzman et al 2000; Woods et al 2011).…”