The tectonosedimentary evolution of the northern margin of the Carboniferous foreland basin of NE Germany

The geometry and evolution of the northern margin of the Carboniferous fore land basin in NE Germany was examined in terms of depositional environments , petrographic and geochemical data. Lower Carboniferous units are carbonat e-rich and predominantly marine. By Namurian times continental environments are established along the northern basin margin with turbiditic sedimentat ion persisting in the south. The Upper Carboniferous succession is continen tal and elastic. The sandstones were derived from a quartz-rich source, loc ated to the north, with subordinate sedimentary input. Basin evolution and the development of a characteristic marine-to-continental sedimentary succe ssion, while being predominantly controlled by flexure induced by the Varis can Orogen to the south, was also influenced by eustatic sea-level variatio ns and more localised tectonic movements. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.