Paleoclimate and Paleoenvironment of the Naredi Formation (Early Eocene), Kutch, Gujarat, India

Abstract

The Naredi Formation of Kutch, Gujarat, India, is early Eocene in age and marks the first marine transgression above the last Deccan traps. Sediment deposition occurred in a shallow inner shelf environment that varied from a brackish lagoon to brackish, normal inner shelf and to marginal marine environments. The section can be divided into 2 main transgressive cycles interrupted by a regression phase that is marked by a well-defined sequence boundary marked by a root-bearing paleosoil. Three intervals yielded common to abundant benthic foraminiferal assemblages. Planktic foraminifera are few to rare and restricted to the top of the section, except for Chiloguembelina trinitatensis. An early Eocene age can be attributed to the Naredi section based primarily on larger benthic foraminifera (SBZ8 to SBZ11, equivalent to planktic foraminiferal biozones E4 to E6), rare planktic foraminifera, the stable isotope curve and its correlation with marine sections and sequence stratigraphy. Sediments of the transgression/regression cycles were derived from physical and chemical-weathering processes of basaltic rocks as indicated by the different geochemical proxies. Carbon isotope analyses of bivalve shells and organic matter reveal a negative excursion that is correlative with the global Early Eocene excursion. The presence of fish bones, fish teeth and organic matter can be related to the Early Eocene climatic optimum. Clay mineral data from the Naredi Formation indicate variably hot humid to arid climate conditions.