This thesis makes several contributions to improve our understanding of the Neoproterozoic Paleobiology. In chapter 1, a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the Ediacara fossils indicates that the oldest Ediacara assemblage "the Avalon assemblage" already encompassed the full range of Ediacara morphospace. A comparable morphospace range was occupied by the subsequent White Sea and Nama assemblages, although it was populated differently. In contrast, taxonomic richness increased in the White Sea assemblage and declined in the Nama assemblage. The Avalon morphospace expansion mirrors the Cambrian explosion, and both may reflect similar underlying mechanisms. Chapter 2 describes problematic macrofossils collected from the Neoproterozoic slate of the upper Zhengmuguan Formation in North China and sandstone of the Zhoujieshan Formation in Chaidam. Some of these fossils were previously interpreted as animal traces. Our study of these fossils recognizes four genera and five species. None of these taxa can be interpreted as animal traces. Instead, they are problematic body fossils of unresolved phylogenetic affinities. Chapter 3 reports stable isotopes of the Zhamoketi cap dolostone atop the Tereeken diamictite in the Quruqtagh area, eastern Chinese Tianshan. Our new data indicate that carbonate associated sulfate (CAS) abundance decreases rapidly in the basal cap dolostone and δ34SCAS composition varies between +9â ° and +15â ° in the lower 2.5 m. In the overlying interval, CAS abundance remains low while δ34SCAS rises ~5â ° and varies more widely between +10â ° and +21â °. δ34Spy is typically greater than δ34SCAS measured from the same samples. We propose that CAS and pyrite were derived from two isotopically distinct reservoirs in a chemically stratified basin. Chapter 4 studies δ13C, δ18O, δ34SCAS, and δ34Spy of the Zhoujieshan cap carbonate that overlies the Ediacaran Hongtiegou glaciation. The Zhoujieshan cap dolostone shows positive δ13C values (0 â 1.7â °). δ34SCAS shows rapid stratigraphic variations from +13.9 to +24.1â °, probably due to relatively low oceanic sulfate concentrations. δ34Spy shows a steady stratigraphic trend. Thus, the δ34SCAS and δ34Spy trends are decoupled from each other. The decoupling of δ34SCAS and δ34Spy trends suggests that CAS and pyrite were derived from different sulfur pools, which were probably due to the postglacial basin stratification. / Ph. D.

No description available.

Dados de geoquímica isotópica e elementar foram obtidos em rochas carbonáticas da Fm. Sete Lagoas, Grupo Bambuí, visando contribuir para o entendimento da evolução sedimentar da bacia do São Francisco, assim como decifrar as variações ambientais da água do mar durante o Neoproterozoico. Esta unidade é composta de rochas carbonáticas sobrepostas aos diamictitos da Fm. Carrancas na parte sul do Cráton do São Francisco. As seções Inhaúma (IN), Linha Verde (LV) e Funilândia (FN) são constituídas por carbonatos impuros de cor cinza clara e dolomitos de cor bege, pobres em matéria orgânica, com altos teores de sedimentos detríticos e depositados num ambiente marinho raso com influência de correntes de maré. Os valores de \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C mais representativos do ambiente deposicional variam entre -1,0 e 0%o e permitem posicionar estas três seções na primeira sequência deposicional da Formação Sete Lagoas, acima da capa carbonática criogeniana. No entanto, os carbonatos destas seções apresentam baixos teores de Sr, resultando em razões \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/\'ANTPOT.86 Sr\' muito radiogênicas entre 0,7111 e 0,7114. As anomalias isotópicas podem estar relacionadas com processos de dolomitização tectônica que ocorreu em uma escala regional na área de influência tectônica da Faixa Araçuaí, na fronteira oriental do cráton. As seções Sete Lagoas (SL) e Haras Veredas (HV) são constituídas por carbonatos puros de cor cinza escuro a preto, ricos em matéria orgânica, com baixos teores de sedimentos detríticos e depositados num ambiente relativamente profundo, com pouca influência de correntes de maré. Os valores de \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C destas seções são bastante positivos, entre 8,5 e 12,6%o, interpretados como valores primários, o que permite posicionar estas duas seções na segunda sequência deposicional da Formação Sete Lagoas. Os altos valores de \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C podem representar alta bioprodutividade com altas taxas de soterramento de matéria orgânica no ambiente marinho, assim como alta produtividade de carbonato autigênico. A deposição dos carbonatos ocorreu em um mar epicontinental restrito com conexões intermitentes com os oceanos contemporâneos, dificultando a homogeneização isotópica do Sr, como demonstrado pela grande variação das razões \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/\'ANTPOT.86 Sr\' obtidas nas seções SL e HV, entre 0,7073 e 0,7085. Este cenário é reforçado pela configuração tectônica da bacia, limitada pelas faixas orogênicas Brasília (W) e Araçuaí (E) no final do período Ediacarano. Correlação global por meio de isótopos de Sr não é confiável neste caso. As datações U-Pb obtidas em grãos de zircão detrítico de duas amostras de diamictitos da Formação Carrancas sugerem o Cráton do São Francisco como principal fonte dos sedimentos representados pelas idades de ca. 2800 Ma. Um grão de ca. 1200 Ma, define a idade máxima de deposição desta unidade e a área fonte pode ser rochas do Supergrupo Espinhaço. / Isotope and elemental geochemistry data were obtained on carbonate rocks of the Sete Lagoas Formation in order to contribute to the understanding of the sedimentary evolution of the São Francisco basin in the basal part of the Bambuí Group, as well as to decipher the environmental variations of seawater during the Neoproterozoic. This unit consists of carbonate rocks overlying the diamictites of the Carrancas Formation in southern São Francisco Craton. The Inhaúma (IN), Linha Verde (LV) and Funilândia (FN) sections consist of light gray impure carbonates and beige dolomites, poor in organic matter, with high contents of detrital sediments and deposited in a shallow marine environment with influence of tidal currents. The most representative \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C values of the depositional setting range between -1.0 and 0%o, and allow us to correlate these sections with the basal depositional sequence of the Sete Lagoas Formation, above the Cryogenian cap carbonate. However, the carbonates of these sections have low Sr concentrations, resulting in highly radiogenic \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/\'ANTPOT.86 Sr\' ratios between 0.7111 and 0.7114. The isotopic anomalies may be related to tectonic dolomitization processes that occurred on a regional scale in the tectonic influenced areas of Araçuaí Belt, on the eastern border of the São Francisco Craton. The Sete Lagoas (SL) and Haras Veredas (HV) sections are composed mainly of dark gray to black pure carbonates, rich in organic matter, with low contents of detrital sediments and deposited in a relatively deep environment with little influence of tidal currents. The \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C values of these sections are consistent and very positive, between 8.5 and 12.6%o, being interpreted as representative of the isotopic composition of seawater in the depositional environment, which allow us to correlate these two sections with the second depositional sequence of Sete Lagoas Formation. The very positive \'\'delta\'\' POT.3\' C values may represent high bio-productivity with high burial rates of organic matter in the marine environment, as well as high productivity of authigenic carbonate. The deposition of these carbonates occurred in a restricted epicontinental sea with intermittent connections with contemporary oceans, making difficult the Sr isotopic homogenization with seawater. This explains the large variation on the \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/\'ANTPOT.86 Sr\' ratios obtained on carbonates from the SL and HV sections, ranging between 0.7073 and 0.7085. The tectonic setting of the São Francisco Craton, limited by orogenic belts of Brasilia (W) and Araçuaí (E) during the late Ediacaran period, supports this scenario. Global correlation by means of Sr isotope is not reliable in this case. The U- ages of detrital zircon grains from diamictites of the Carrancas Formation are mainly discordant, but ages of ca. 2800 Ma suggest the São Francisco Craton as the main source of sediments. One grain dated at ca. 1200 Ma sets the maximum depositional age for the units, and the source area could be the rocks from the Espinhaço Supergroup.

O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo de quimioestratigrafia isotópica (C, O, Sr) de detalhe, realizado numa sucessão carbonática de idade ediacariana da porção extremo norte da Faixa Paraguai, Estado do Mato Grosso. A pesquisa se justifica já que durante o Neoproterozóico a Terra sofreu profundas mudanças climáticas, as quais foram registradas em enigmáticas sucessões compostas de depósitos glaciais recobertos por rochas carbonáticas de clima quente. Estudos recentes mostram que ocorreram, pelo menos, três glaciações neste período, denominadas Sturtiana (ca. 725 Ma), Marinoana (ca. 635 Ma) e Gaskierana (580 Ma). Na tentativa de estabelecer uma correlação global entre as sucessões depositadas neste período, os geopesquisadores têm usado diversas ferramentas, principalmente a quimioestratigrafia isotópica de C, O e Sr. Na região de estudo, ocorrem diamictitos da Formação Puga recobertos por rochas carbonáticas do Grupo Araras, sobre a qual se depositam os diamictitos e carbonatos da Formação Serra Azul, definida neste trabalho. A sucessão carbonática do Grupo Araras apresentou valores de d13C variando de ? 1,7? (base) a + 4? (topo) e razões 87Sr/86Sr entre 0,7075 (na base) e 0,7084 (no topo). Estes valores são semelhantes àqueles encontrados em outras sucessões carbonáticas Marinoanas. Os calcários da Formação Serra Azul apresentaram um valores de d13C entre ? 7,5% e ? 3,2% e razões 87Sr/86Sr de ca. 0,7086, típicas das sucessões carbonáticas Gaskieranas. Os resultados isotópicos obtidos neste trabalho, associados às evidências sedimentológicas, sugerem que na história geológica de deposição da Faixa Paraguai ocorreram, pelo menos, duas importantes glaciações. / This work presents a detailed isotopic (C, O, and Sr) chemostratigraphic study carried out on the Ediacaran carbonate succession from the northernmost part of the Paraguay Belt, in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The importance of this study is related to the Earth´s profound climate changes that took place during the Neoproterozoic, which have been recorded by enigmatic sequences composed of glacial deposits immediately overlain by carbonate rocks typical of warm climate. At least three glaciations are recognized: Sturtian (ca. 725 Ma), Marinoan (ca. 635 Ma), and Gaskiers (580 Ma). In order to correlate worldwide the successions deposited in this period and to understand the complex depositional environments, isotopic tools, especially chemostratigraphy, have been widely used. In the study area diamictites of the Puga Formation are overlain by carbonates of the Araras Group, and these, in turn, are covered by diamictites and carbonates of the Serra Azul Formation, which is defined here. The Araras Group carbonates exhibited d13C values between ? 1.7? at the base and + 4 ? at the top and 87Sr/86Sr ratios ranging from 0.7075 at the base to 0.7084 at the very top. These values are similar to those of post-glacial, non-cap Marinoan carbonate successions. The limestones of the Serra Azul Formation yielded d13C values between ? 7.5 and ? 3.2 ?, and 87Sr/86Sr ratios of ca. 0.7086, typical of post-Gaskiers cap carbonates. These isotopic results, together with sedimentological evidence, suggest that two important glaciations occurred during the depositional history of the northernmost Paraguay Belt.

Cette thèse de doctorat se focalise sur la fin du Précambrien, le Néoprotérozoïque, une période charnière dans lhistoire de la Terre, par létude dunités ophiolitiques datées entre 800 et 700 Ma. Les travaux présentés ici portent sur létude pétrographique, géochimique et magnétique des serpentinites de ces ophiolites. Associées à des sutures panafricaines en bordure des cratons ouest africain et amazonien, ces ophiolites sont les témoins des subductions et de la lithosphère océanique associées à la dislocation du supercontinent Rodinia. Létude de ces ophiolites permet de proposer des contextes de formation pour ces sections de lithosphère océanique. Une autre question à lorigine de ce travail était : Létude de la serpentinisation et de lhydrothermalisme associé permet-elle dapporter des contraintes sur le paléoenvironnement océanique ? Les travaux sur les serpentinites et les roches mafiques associées des unités ophiolitiques de lAraguaia belt (757 ± 49 Ma1, Brésil) constituent la première étude géochimique réalisée sur ces unités. La chimie des spinelles couplée à des travaux de modélisation géochimique, portant essentiellement sur les concentrations en REE, attestent dun protolithe hautement réfractaire, ayant enduré entre 14 et 24 % de fusion partielle. Ces travaux témoignent aussi de laffinité abyssale de ces serpentinites, confirmée par les signatures N-MORB et E-MORB des basaltes associés. Il apparait que la serpentinisation de ces unités sest probablement opérée en deux temps, en domaine océanique, puis par interaction avec des fluides dérivés des sédiments encaissants, aboutissant à de forts enrichissements en LILE, en B et en Li dans ces serpentinites. Finalement, nous proposons que ces sections de lithosphère océanique, ainsi que les métasédiments les abritant (Tocantins group), soient les reliques dune transition océan-continent (TOC) en bordure est du craton amazonien. Les études de terrain, pétrographiques et géochimiques sur les sections ophiolitiques de Khzama (762 ± 2 Ma2) et dAït Ahmane (Anti-Atlas, Maroc) ont dans un premier temps permis de confirmer le lien supposé entre ces deux ophiolites. Les spinelles des serpentinites de ces unités sont caractérisés par des Cr# très élevés et des Mg# bas témoignant dun protolithe ayant enduré des taux de fusion supérieurs à 25 %, confirmant leur affinité avec la zone de subduction anti-atlasique. Ceci est corroboré par de très faibles concentrations en éléments incompatibles comme Al, Ti, HREE et HFSE. Le contexte le plus probable concernant la genèse de ces sections de lithosphère est ainsi un même centre daccrétion arrière-arc intra-océanique, à la marge du supercontinent Rodinia. Létude comparative des serpentinites de ces ophiolites a aussi permis de mettre en évidence en évidence lintérêt des mesures magnétiques pour tracer le degré daltération des spinelles chromifères dans les serpentinites, approche pouvant être étendue à dautres types de roches. Notamment, nous montrons que la Cr-magnétite et la ferritchromite peuvent être identifiées à laide des mesures de susceptibilité magnétique en chauffe. Enfin, lassociation des méthodes magnétiques, pétrographiques et géochimiques nous permet de proposer un modèle concernant la formation des veines de magnétite massives de lunité dAït Ahmane Nord. Nous montrons que le triptyque : serpentinites et spinelles altérés et veines de magnétite centimétriques, constitue un système hydrothermal abyssal fossile, de type fumeur noir. Dans ce contexte, les compositions isotopiques en oxygène des veines de magnétite permettent de proposer une valeur du 18O des océans néoprotérozoïques profonds de -1.33 ± 0.98 (VSMOW), soit une valeur très similaire à lactuel (entre -1 et +1 VSMOW). Elle tranche aussi le débat sur lévolution du 18O des océans au cours des temps géologiques en attestant dune constance de celui-ci, au moins depuis le Néoprotérozoïque. / This Doctoral thesis focus on the end of the Precambrian, the Neoproterozoic, a pivotal period in the Earth history, by the study of ophiolitic units dated between 800 and 700 Ma. This work essentially deals with the petrography, geochemistry and magnetism of serpentinites from these ophiolites. They are associated with Panafrican orogenic belts along the West African and the Amazonian cratons and witnesses the subductions and the oceanic lithosphere associated to the break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia. The study of these neoproterozoic ophiolites allowed us to propose the formation settings for these sections of oceanic lithosphere. Another question behind this work is: Does the study of serpentinization and associated hydrothermalism allows one to provide constraints on the oceanic paleoenvironment? Work on the serpentinites and associated mafic rocks from the Araguaia belt ophiolitic units (757 ± 49 Ma1, Brazil) constitute the first geochemical study realized on these units. The Cr-spinel chemistry coupled with geochemical modeling, concerning essentially the REE concentrations, attest to a highly refractory protolith that endured between 14 and 24% of partial melting. This work also indicate an abyssal affinity (i.e. MOR rather than SSZ) of these serpentinites, which is confirmed by the N-MORB and E-MORB geochemical signature of the associated basalts. It appears that the serpentinization of these units probably took place in two steps, first in oceanic domain and then by interaction with fluids derived from the surrounding sediments after obduction, leading to strong LILE, B and Li enrichments in the serpentinites. Finally, we propose two potential settings concerning the origin of the sections of oceanic lithosphere presently found in the Araguaia belt: (1) an ocean-continent transition or (2) slices of a more mature lithosphere trapped into an accretionary wedge. Fieldwork, petrography and geochemical analysis on serpentinites from the Khzama (762± 2 Ma²) and Aït Ahmane ophiolitic sections (Anti-Atlas, Morocco) firstly allowed to confirm the supposed link between these two ophiolites. Cr-spinels in serpentinites from these units are characterized by very high Cr# and low Mg# testifying of a protolith having endured partial melting greater the 25%, confirming their affinity with the anti-atlasic subduction zone. This is corroborated by very low incompatible element concentrations such as Al, Ti, HREE and HFSE. Thus, the most likely setting for the genesis of these sections of lithosphere is a same intra-oceanic back-arc spreading center at the margin of the Rodinia supercontinent. The comparative study of all studied serpentinites from Neoproterozoic ophiolites in different settings also demonstrates the ability of magnetic measurements in monitoring the Cr-spinel alteration degree, a method which can be extended to other types of rocks. In particular, we show that Cr-magnetite and ferritchromite can be identified using thermomagnetic curves. Finally, the association of magnetic, petrographic and geochemical methods allows us to propose a model concerning the formation of the massive magnetite veins of the North Aït Ahmane unit. We show that the triptych consisting in: altered serpentinites, spinels and centimetric magnetite veins, results from a fossil, black smoker type, abyssal hydrothermal system. In this context, the oxygen isotopic compositions of the magnetite veins provide a 18O value of the deep Neoproterozoic oceans of -1.33 ± 0.98 (VSMOW), a value that is very similar to the current one (between -1 and +1 VSMOW). It also settles the debate on the evolution of the 18O of the oceans during geological time, attesting of its consistency, at least since the Neoproterozoic.

O registro sedimentar do final do Neoproterozóico tem sido alvo de intensas pesquisas desde a retomada dos modelos de glaciação extrema e rápidas mudanças climáticas, com destaque para a hipótese Snowball Earth. Esses modelos baseiam-se na identificação, em todos os continentes, de sucessões neoproterozóicas que compreendem diamictitos sobrepostos por carbonatos, interpretados, respectivamente, como depósitos glaciais e pós-glaciais. A fim de explicar o caráter global da distribuição dos diamictitos e sua aparente transição rápida para carbonatos, alguns autores propuseram hipóteses de que o planeta teria sofrido mudanças climáticas extremas, e de que estas teriam ocorrido na forma de três eventos glaciais durante o Criogeniano e o Ediacarano (Sturtian, Marinoan e Gaskiers). Outros autores consideram que a correlação global destes depósitos pode ser explicada pelo modelo Zipper-rift, que considera a existência de geleiras de altitude, condicionadas pelo soerguimento das ombreiras de sistemas de rifts, supostamente abertos durante a fragmentação do supercontinente Rodínia. Apesar de intensos esforços para correlacionar estas sucessões, ainda persistem dúvidas a esse respeito. Isto se deve, em parte, à ênfase dada ao estudo das sucessões carbonáticas sobrejacentes, em detrimento das pesquisas nos próprios diamictitos. Dentro desse contexto, o presente estudo tem como alvo a sucessão sedimentar inferior do Grupo Una, interpretada como representativa do evento Sturtian, localizada na porção norte do Cráton do São Francisco, Bahia, Brasil. Foram realizadas análises de fácies, de associações de fácies e de proveniência sedimentar com o objetivo de testar os modelos de dinâmica glacial propostos para o período e avaliar localmente o caráter da transição entre diamictitos e carbonatos. O Grupo Una apresenta área de afloramento de aproximadamente 16.000 km2 e compreende depósitos sedimentares isentos de metamorfismo, que se encontram distribuídos em três sinclinais (Salitre, Irecê e Una-Utinga). Na base, compreende arenitos, diamictitos e pelitos com clastos esparsos da Formação Bebedouro, interpretada em termos das associações de fácies (1) Transicional marinha influenciada por banquisas e/ou icebergs e (2) Marinha de plataforma continental. A passagem para a unidade de topo ocorre de forma brusca, em contato plano com dolomitos maciços a laminados com pseudomorfos de aragonita, sobrepostos por ritmitos de calcarenitos e calcilutitos com laminação planoparalela, laminação cruzada cavalgante, estromatólitos e slumps, dividos nas associações de fácies de (3) Plataforma carbonática rasa influenciada por ondas e (4) Rampa carbonática influenciada por escorregamentos. Dados de contagem de litotipos em clastos e seções delgadas indicam variação lateral de proveniência, com fontes particulares para cada uma das áreas investigadas. Essa variação é interpretada como resultado de aporte de geleiras de vale ou do tipo outlet na margem glacio-marinha, indicando a presença de altos topográficos. A datação U-Pb SHRIMP de seixos revelou predomínio de fontes próximas, com contribuição local de fontes mais distantes, sugerindo alguma deposição a partir de icebergs provenientes da margem oposta da bacia, talvez a mais de 150 km à leste, sobre os Blocos Jequié ou Itabuna-Salvador- Curaçá. Datações de cristais de zircão detrítico da matriz dos diamictitos confirmam os dados obtidos a partir de seixos, e permitem a identificação de uma fonte jovem, de fora do cráton, com cerca de 850 Ma. Esse dado limita a idade máxima da unidade. Ainda que a proveniência da Formação Bebedouro indique a existência de altos topográficos adjacentes à bacia, a ausência de controles tectônicos na sedimentação, evidenciada pela grande persistência lateral de sistemas deposicionais com pouca variação de espessura, não corrobora o modelo de desenvolvimento das geleiras neoproterozóicas em margens de sistemas de rifts. / The sedimentary record of Neoproterozoic age has become a major subject of research since the rebirth of the models of extreme glaciation and rapid climatic changes for the period, including the Snowball Earth hypothesis. These models are founded on the identification, in all continents, of Neoproterozoic diamictites directly overlain by carbonates, which are interpreted respectively as glacial and post-glacial deposits. In order to explain the global distribution of diamictites and their apparently rapid transition to carbonates, some authors have proposed hypothesis of extreme climatic change related to three glacial episodes during the Cryogenian and the Ediacaran (Sturtian, Marinoan e Gaskiers). On the other hand, some authors consider that the global correlation of these deposits is the consequence of altitude-nucleated glaciers formed on the shoulders of rift systems during the breakup of the Rodinia Supercontinent, in what is called the Zipper-rift model. Despite the efforts to establish a chronological correlation among the several successions, many questions still persist, in part due to the great emphasis on the study of the carbonate successions and the scarce work on the diamictites. The present work aims at studding the lower section of the Una Group, interpreted as related to the Sturtian glacial event and located in the northern region of the São Francisco Craton, Bahia, Brazil. Facies, facies associations and clastic provenance analysis were performed in order to test the current models on the Neoproterozoic glacial dynamics and to locally evaluate the passage from diamictites to carbonates. The Una Group crops out in a area of approximately 16,000 km2 and is composed of sedimentary deposits without metamorphism, preserved in three synclinal folds (Salitre, Irece e Una-Utinga). At its base, the unit comprises sandstones, diamictites and mudstones with dropstones grouped into the Bebedouro Formation. This formation comprises two facies associations: (1) Marine transitional deposits influenced by ice-shelves and/or icebergs and (2) Continental platform marine deposits. The passage to the upper unit is marked by a sharp planar surface above which lay two facies associations: (3) Wave influenced shallow carbonatic platform deposits, comprising massive to laminated dolomites, locally with aragonite pseudomorph crystals, overlain by (4) Carbonatic ramp influenced by slumps, composed of calcareous grainstones and mudstones with plane-parallel lamination, climbing ripples, slump structures and locally stromatolites. Pebble lithology and thin section compositional data indicate great spatial variation of provenance, with specific sources for each of the investigated areas. This variation is interpreted as the consequence of valley or outlet glaciers feeding the glaciomarine margin, thus indicating the presence of topographically elevated areas near the basin. U-Pb SHRIMP dating of selected pebbles reveals the dominance of nearby sources, with the local contribution of far-traveled clasts, suggesting mixing with sediments deposited from icebergs which came from the opposite basin margin, as far as 150 km to the east. U-Pb SHRIMP dating of detrital zircon grains from the matrix of the diamictites confirmed this model and lead to the identification of a source from outside the craton with approximately 850 Ma. This data constraints the maximum depositional age of the Bebedouro Formation. Despite provenance from the Bebedouro Formation indicates the presence of topographically elevated areas near the basin, the absence of tectonic controls on the sedimentation, evidenced by the great lateral continuity of the depositional systems and their small thickness variation, does not confirm the model of development of neoproterozoic glaciers over the shoulders of rift systems.

A Nappe Socorro - Guaxupé representa um antigo arco magmático formado durante a fase colisional do Orógeno Brasília Meridional, um dos importantes eventos orogênicos do Neoproterozóico responsáveis pela aglutinação da porção ocidental do paleocontinente Gondwana. Na porção sudeste do Domínio Socorro, muitas das zonas de cisalhamento de direção NE-SW condicionaram a colocação de inúmeros corpos e batólitos de granitóides cálcio - alcalinos potássicos gerados a partir da fusão crustal sin - orogênica da nappe, durante o pico metamórfico em um ambiente de altas temperaturas a baixas profundidades. Na região são encontrados ortognaisses e migmatitos não correlacionáveis aos migmatitos estromáticos pelíticos a semi-pelíticos dominantes da Unidade Metatexítica da Nappe. Até o momento essas rochas eram consideradas parte do Complexo Amparo, como embasamento do Complexo Granitóide Socorro. Este trabalho apresenta dados geoquímicos, isotópicos e geocronológicos inéditos para rochas da região entre Extrema e Camanducaia, sul de Minas Gerais, e que permitiram caracterizar o magmatismo que deu origem a esses ortognaisses e sua evolução crustal, bem como determinar sua idade dentro do contexto Neoproterozóico da Nappe Socorro - Guaxupé. Idades U-Pb obtidas em cristais de zircão do paleossoma diorítico nos ortognaisses metatexíticos forneceram idade de 662,1 ± 5,1 Ma. Idades pontuais mais antigas entre 770 e 834 Ma foram encontradas apenas em núcleos herdados. Em ortognaisses dioríticos a granodioríticos, onde não foram iniciados processos de fusão parcial, idades U-Pb em zircões de um ortognaisse de composição diorítica forneceram idades entre 660 e 630 Ma, implicando em um magmatismo Neoproterozóico atuante ao longo do período pré a sin-colisional da Nappe Socorro Guaxupé, em um ambiente de arco magmático estacionário por pelo menos 30 Ma, situação análoga a que ocorre atualmente no arco magmático do Japão. O magmatismo que deu origem aos ortognaisses dioríticos a granodioríticos possui afinidades com a série cálcio-alcalina de alto K e características geoquímicas e isotópicas semelhantes à granitos do tipo I. Razões \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/ \'ANTPOT.86 \'Sr IND.i\' e valores de \'épsilon\'Nd negativos evidenciam fontes crustais empobrecidas em elementos incompatíveis. Na fase tardi a pós-colisional da Nappe, no período de 609 a 598 Ma, pulsos finais do magmatismo diorítico deram lugar ao magmatismo que resultou na colocação de diversos corpos de rochas monzodioríticas e monzoníticas, em parte com feições de interação e mistura de magmas e que possuem assinatura geoquímica do tipo A, semelhante às rochas do Plúton Piracaia, pós - colisional. / The Socorro - Guaxupé Nappe represents an ancient magmactic arc formed during the collisional phase of the Southern Brasília Orogen), one of the important Neoproterozoic orogenic events, responsible for the agglutination of the western portion of Gondwana paleo continent. In the southeastern portion of the Socorro Domain, many NE-SW shear zones controlled the intrusion of many bodies and batholiths of potássic calc-alkaline granitoids, generated by sin-orogenic crustal melting of the nappe in a shallow-depth, high-temperature environment, during the metamorphic peak. The orthogneisses and migmatites that crop out in the area are not related to the stromatic pelitic to semi-pelitic migmatites that are predominant in the nappe\'s Metatexitic Unit. So far, these rocks were considerated to be part of the Amparo Complex, which is the basement of the Socorro Granitoid Complex. This work present new geochemical, isotopic and geochronological data for rocks from the region between Extrema and Camanducaia, southern Minas Gerais, which allow the characterization of the magmatism that originated those orthogneisses and its crustal evolution, and also the determination of its age in the Neoproterozoic context of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe. U-Pb zircon ages obtained from dioritic paleossome of the metatexitic orthogneisses provided ages of 662,1 ± 5,1 My. Sporadic older ages from 770 to 834 My were found only in inherited cores. On dioritic to granodioritic orthogneiss where partial melting processes were not started, zircon crystals from an orthogneiss of dioritic composition provided 660 to 630 My U-Pb ages, implying an active Neoproterozoic magmatism during the pre- to sin-collisional period of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe, in a static magmatic arc environment for ate least 30 My, which is a condition similar to the present-day Japan\'s magmatic arc occurrence. The magmatism which originated the dioritic to granodioritic orthogneisses has affinities with the high-K calc-alkaline series and geochemical and isotopic characteristics similar to I-Type granites. \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/ \'ANTPOT.86 \'Sr IND.i\' rates and negative \'épsilon\'Nd values point to a crustal source depleted in incompatible elements. At the tardi- to post- collisional phase of the nappe, during the period from 609 to 598 My, the last pulses of dioritic magmatism gave place to a monzodioritic and monzonitic magmatism which resulted in the intrusion of many rock bodies with an A-Type geochemical signature similar to the post-collisional Piracaia Pluton, part of which exhibit magma interaction and magma mixing features.

A Nappe Socorro - Guaxupé representa um antigo arco magmático formado durante a fase colisional do Orógeno Brasília Meridional, um dos importantes eventos orogênicos do Neoproterozóico responsáveis pela aglutinação da porção ocidental do paleocontinente Gondwana. Na porção sudeste do Domínio Socorro, muitas das zonas de cisalhamento de direção NE-SW condicionaram a colocação de inúmeros corpos e batólitos de granitóides cálcio - alcalinos potássicos gerados a partir da fusão crustal sin - orogênica da nappe, durante o pico metamórfico em um ambiente de altas temperaturas a baixas profundidades. Na região são encontrados ortognaisses e migmatitos não correlacionáveis aos migmatitos estromáticos pelíticos a semi-pelíticos dominantes da Unidade Metatexítica da Nappe. Até o momento essas rochas eram consideradas parte do Complexo Amparo, como embasamento do Complexo Granitóide Socorro. Este trabalho apresenta dados geoquímicos, isotópicos e geocronológicos inéditos para rochas da região entre Extrema e Camanducaia, sul de Minas Gerais, e que permitiram caracterizar o magmatismo que deu origem a esses ortognaisses e sua evolução crustal, bem como determinar sua idade dentro do contexto Neoproterozóico da Nappe Socorro - Guaxupé. Idades U-Pb obtidas em cristais de zircão do paleossoma diorítico nos ortognaisses metatexíticos forneceram idade de 662,1 ± 5,1 Ma. Idades pontuais mais antigas entre 770 e 834 Ma foram encontradas apenas em núcleos herdados. Em ortognaisses dioríticos a granodioríticos, onde não foram iniciados processos de fusão parcial, idades U-Pb em zircões de um ortognaisse de composição diorítica forneceram idades entre 660 e 630 Ma, implicando em um magmatismo Neoproterozóico atuante ao longo do período pré a sin-colisional da Nappe Socorro Guaxupé, em um ambiente de arco magmático estacionário por pelo menos 30 Ma, situação análoga a que ocorre atualmente no arco magmático do Japão. O magmatismo que deu origem aos ortognaisses dioríticos a granodioríticos possui afinidades com a série cálcio-alcalina de alto K e características geoquímicas e isotópicas semelhantes à granitos do tipo I. Razões \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/ \'ANTPOT.86 \'Sr IND.i\' e valores de \'épsilon\'Nd negativos evidenciam fontes crustais empobrecidas em elementos incompatíveis. Na fase tardi a pós-colisional da Nappe, no período de 609 a 598 Ma, pulsos finais do magmatismo diorítico deram lugar ao magmatismo que resultou na colocação de diversos corpos de rochas monzodioríticas e monzoníticas, em parte com feições de interação e mistura de magmas e que possuem assinatura geoquímica do tipo A, semelhante às rochas do Plúton Piracaia, pós - colisional. / The Socorro - Guaxupé Nappe represents an ancient magmactic arc formed during the collisional phase of the Southern Brasília Orogen), one of the important Neoproterozoic orogenic events, responsible for the agglutination of the western portion of Gondwana paleo continent. In the southeastern portion of the Socorro Domain, many NE-SW shear zones controlled the intrusion of many bodies and batholiths of potássic calc-alkaline granitoids, generated by sin-orogenic crustal melting of the nappe in a shallow-depth, high-temperature environment, during the metamorphic peak. The orthogneisses and migmatites that crop out in the area are not related to the stromatic pelitic to semi-pelitic migmatites that are predominant in the nappe\'s Metatexitic Unit. So far, these rocks were considerated to be part of the Amparo Complex, which is the basement of the Socorro Granitoid Complex. This work present new geochemical, isotopic and geochronological data for rocks from the region between Extrema and Camanducaia, southern Minas Gerais, which allow the characterization of the magmatism that originated those orthogneisses and its crustal evolution, and also the determination of its age in the Neoproterozoic context of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe. U-Pb zircon ages obtained from dioritic paleossome of the metatexitic orthogneisses provided ages of 662,1 ± 5,1 My. Sporadic older ages from 770 to 834 My were found only in inherited cores. On dioritic to granodioritic orthogneiss where partial melting processes were not started, zircon crystals from an orthogneiss of dioritic composition provided 660 to 630 My U-Pb ages, implying an active Neoproterozoic magmatism during the pre- to sin-collisional period of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe, in a static magmatic arc environment for ate least 30 My, which is a condition similar to the present-day Japan\'s magmatic arc occurrence. The magmatism which originated the dioritic to granodioritic orthogneisses has affinities with the high-K calc-alkaline series and geochemical and isotopic characteristics similar to I-Type granites. \'ANTPOT.87 Sr\'/ \'ANTPOT.86 \'Sr IND.i\' rates and negative \'épsilon\'Nd values point to a crustal source depleted in incompatible elements. At the tardi- to post- collisional phase of the nappe, during the period from 609 to 598 My, the last pulses of dioritic magmatism gave place to a monzodioritic and monzonitic magmatism which resulted in the intrusion of many rock bodies with an A-Type geochemical signature similar to the post-collisional Piracaia Pluton, part of which exhibit magma interaction and magma mixing features.

Esta pesquisa investigou microfósseis neoproterozoicos em forma de vaso (\"vase-shaped microfossils - VSMs\") da Formação Urucum (Grupo Jacadigo) e Formação Bocaina (Grupo Corumbá), ambas inseridas na Faixa Paraguai Sul, Brasil. Estes microfósseis foram comparados a outras ocorrências neoproterozoicas no mundo. O objetivo foi contribuir com o conhecimento de aspectos paleobiológicos, evolutivos e bioestratigráficos relacionados ao aparecimento de eucariontes unicelulares tecados em ecossistemas anteriores ao surgimento dos metazoários. Os VSMs podem ser atribuídos a quitinozoários, tintinídeos e foraminíferos, porém, características diagnósticas importantes apontam o grupo Amoebozoa como afinidade biológica mais próxima. A variedade morfológica e composicional observada em VSMs neoproterozoicos, inclusive nos exemplares brasileiros, documenta a mais antiga diversificação da vida unicelular eucariótica, presumivelmente heterotrófica, preservada no registro geológico. As diferentes fácies sedimentares contendo VSMs fornecem informações valiosas sobre fatores ambientais que podem ter sido importantes na diversificação bem como no seu possível desaparecimento entre o Neoproterozoico e o Mesozoico. Além disso, a ampla distribuição e variedade desses microfósseis sugerem uma possível aplicação bioestratigráfica. Microscopia petrográfica (MP) e Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV), Espectrometria de Energia Dispersiva de Raios X (EDS), Microscopia Confocal (MC), Espectroscopia Raman (ER), Catodoluminescência (CL) além de técnicas geoquímicas e geocronológicas foram aplicadas para caracterizar a composição e morfologia dos microfósseis, bem como para a rocha encaixante, visando inferir a natureza e paleoecologia dos organismos responsáveis pelas produção das tecas e o ambiente em que viveram, se diversificaram e desapareceram. / This research investigated vase-shaped microfossils (VSMs) from the Urucum Formation (Jacadigo Group) and Bocaina Formation (Corumbá Group), both inserted in the Southern Paraguay Fold Belt, Brazil. These microfossils were compared to other neoproterozoic occurrences in the world. The aim was to contribute to the knowledge of paleobiological, evolutionary and biostratigraphic aspects related to the appearance of unicellular eukaryotes in the ecosystems that preceed the appearance of metazoans. VSMs can be attributed to quitinozoan, tintinids and foraminifera, but important diagnostic features point to the Amoebozoa group as the closest biological affinity. The morphological and compositional variety observed in neoproterozoic VSMs, including Brazilian specimens, documents the earliest diversification of eukaryotic unicellular life, presumably heterotrophic, preserved in the geological record. The different sedimentary facies containing VSMs provide valuable information about environmental factors that may have been important in the diversification as well as their possible disappearance between the Neoproterozoic to the Mesozoic. In addition, the wide distribution and variety of these microfossils suggest a possible biostratigraphic application. Petrography, Scanning electron microscopy, Confocal microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Cathodoluminescense, besides geochemical and geochronological techniques, were applied to characterize the composition and morphology of the microfossils, as well as for the host rock, in order to infer the nature and paleoecology of the organisms responsible for the production of the test and the environment in which they lived, diversified and probably disappeared

Geologic mapping, facies analysis, sedimentary petrography, and detrital zircon analyses of undivided eastern Uinta Mountain Group stratigraphy are presented to better understand the depositional environments and tectonic setting of the Uinta Mountain Group basin. Subdivided units have been modified and correlated from previous work and include the Red Pine Shale, Hades Pass, Crouse Canyon, Outlaw Trail, and Diamond Breaks formations. Three lower-order maximum flooding surfaces associated with the lower Outlaw Trail formation, lower Hades Pass formation, and Red Pine Shale are interpreted. The relative magnitude of each lower-order transgression increases up section along with increasing diversity of palynomorph assemblages found in organic shale intervals. Six facies associations exist within the section and are interpreted as braided fluvial conglomerate, braided fluvial sandstone and conglomerate, braided fluvial sandstone, low-energy braided fluvial sandstone, mudflat, and offshore depositional environments. Both marine and non-marine interpretations are plausible for mudflat and offshore environments; however, previous interpretations of correlative Red Pine Shale exposures suggest a marine environment. The coarsest fluvial environments are restricted to the northern half of the study area and likely coincide with proximity to a tectonically-active northern basin margin. Paleocurrent analysis and the restriction of some subaqueous deposits to the north show northward-dipping depositional slopes, which suggest a tectonic control. Provenance work suggests three general sediment sources existed: an eastern source where ~1.1 Ga and lesser ~1.4 Ga detritus dominate, an east-northeastern source where ~1.8 Ga detritus dominate, and a north-northeastern arkosic source where ~2.7 Ga detritus dominate. Results suggest that during lower-order lowstands, sediments derived from eastern sources dominate. Higher concentrations of ~1.8 Ga and ~2.7 Ga detritus is likely coincident with proximity to the northern basin margin. During lower-order highstands, eastern or northern sources may dominate; northern sources appear more prominently within the Outlaw Trail formation, while eastern sources appear more prominently within the Red Pine Shale. Reasons for this may be linked to the magnitude of the transgressive interval sampled. These relationships, in conjunction with observations of previous studies, suggest the eastern Uinta Mountain Group was deposited in a half-graben style rift, a strike-slip basin, or some combination of the two.