EVENT STRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION PROBLEMS OF THE ORDOVICIAN STRATA OF GORNY ALTAI AND SALAIR

Abstract

Study of the Ordovician sedimentary sequences of Gorny Altai and Salair has revealed lithological and paleontological features correlating with global sedimentary events:(1) The Acerocare Regressive Event (an initial event in the Early Tremadocian);(2) Black Mountain Transgressive Event (Early Tremadocian);(3) Peltocare Regressive Event (Tremadocian);(4) Kelly Creek Regressive Event (Late Tremadocian);(5) Ceratopyge Regressive Event (Late Tremadocian);(6) Billingen Transgressive Event (Early Floian);(7) Stein Lowstand Event (Middle Darriwilian);(8) Vollen Lowstand Event (Sandbian);(9) Arestad Drowning Event (Middle Sandbian);(10) Frognerkilen Lowstand Event (Early Katian);(11) Linearis Drowning Events 1 and 2 (Middle Katian);(12) Terminal Husbergoya Lowstand Event (Hirnantian); and(13) Hirnantian Lowstand Event (HICE) (Late Ordovician).The chronostratigraphic levels with traces of the global sedimentary events in the Uymen-Lebed structural-facies zone (SFZ) (Gorny Altai) differ from those in the Charysh-Inya and Anui-Chuya SFZ (Altai). In the Ordovician, the Altai basin located in the Charysh-Inya and Anui-Chuya SFZ was a marine area separated from both the Uymen-Lebed basin and the coeval Salair basin. The traces of the global sedimentary and/or biotic events in the Altai and Salair sections can be used as a precise basis for direct correlation of the local stratigraphic units with the units of the International Stratigraphic Chart.