Stable isotope geochemistry and palynology of the late Precambrian to Early Cambrian sequence in Newfoundland

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Authors: Strauss, Harald, Bengtson, Stefan, Myrow, Paul M., Vidal, Gonzalo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1992
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e92-131; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e92-131

A sequence of clastic sediments in southeastern Newfoundland straddling the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary has been investigated for its stable isotope geochemistry of carbon and sulfur and acid-resistant organic-walled microfossils. A detailed study of the Chapel Island Formation, which includes the boundary interval, has revealed fluctuations in the isotopic composition of organic carbon. These are largely interpreted as caused by differences in the depositional environments. Highly variable sulfur isotopic compositions indicate bacterial sulfate reduction as a pyrite-forming process, sometimes under sulfate-limited conditions. Palynological results are quite limited with respect to diagnostic microfossils.