An exceptional, tectonically remarkably unaffected, nearly 200 m-thick
continuous section of hemipelagic and turbiditic sediments, covering
most of the Triassic is described from the Batain Complex of
north-eastern Oman. According to conodont and radiolarian data the
sequence spans the late Scythian to the early Norian, a time period of
nearly 30 M. Coupled with a high resolution stratigraphy, the
lithostratigraphy, sedimentology, as well as sequence and isotope
stratigraphy of the section are documented.
For the Triassic of the Batain Plain we propose the new name Sal
Formation, which replaces the formerly used Matbat Formation, and
subdivide it into three new members. The Sal Formation was deposited on
the proximal continental margin of northeastern Arabia and records
various depositional environments. The lower member is interpreted as
the distal part of a homoclinal ramp which evolves to a distally
steepened ramp during time of deposition of the middle member. The upper
member displays a toe of slope position which is indicated by an
increase of proximal turbidites. These sediments form part of a segment
of the Neo-Tethyan embayment between Arabia and India.
The stratigraphic analysis indicates highly varying sedimentation rates
from a minimum of 2 m/M gamma around the Anisian/Ladinian boundary up to
15 m/M gamma during the Lower and Upper Triassic.
Sequence-stratigraphically, the Sal section is subdivided into six third
order cycles which are biochronologically well integrated into the
global Triassic cycle chart. The mixed siliciclastic-calcareous upper
member of the Sal Formation typically shows highstand related carbonate
shedding. It is, therefore, an important test case for
sequence-stratigraphic controlled carbonate export to mixed basin fills.
The well developed sequence stratigraphic cycles are mirrored in the
isotope patterns. Additionally, the carbon and oxygen isotope data from
the Sal Formation record the same chemostratigraphic marker at the
Spathian/Anisian boundary known from other Tethyan sections.