Investigations on the importance of early diagenetic processes for the mineralogical stabilisation and lithification of heterozoan carbonate assemblages (Oligo-Miocene, Maltese Islands und Sicily) [Elektronische Ressource] / von Andrea Claudia Knörich

Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Potsdam Arbeitsgruppe Exogene Dynamik/Sedimentologie Investigations on the importance of early diagenetic processes for the mineralogical stabilisation and lithification of heterozoan carbonate assemblages (Oligo-Miocene, Maltese Islands and Sicily) Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades "doctor rerum naturalium" (Dr. rer. nat.) in der Wissenschaftsdisziplin "Geologie" eingereicht an der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Potsdam von Andrea Claudia Knörich Potsdam, im April 2005 ABSTRACT Diagenetic studies of carbonate rocks focused for a long time on photozoan carbonate assemblages deposited in tropical climates. The results of these investigations were taken as models for the diagenetic evolution of many fossil carbonates. Only in recent years the importance of heterozoan carbonates, generally formed out of the tropics or in deeper waters, was realized. Diagenetic studies focusing on this kind of rocks are still scarce, but indicate that the diagenetic evolution of these rocks might be a better model for many fossil carbonate settings ("calcite-sea" carbonates) than the photozoan model used before. This study deals with the determination of the diagenetic pathways and environments in such shallow-water heterozoan carbonate assemblages.