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Orientador: Mario Luis Assine / Banca: Rosemarie Rohn Davies / Banca: Almério Barros França / Resumo: A Formação Rio Bonito é a unidade inferior do Grupo Guatá, Eopermiana da Bacia do Paraná. Compreende, da base para o topo, os membros Triunfo, Paraguaçu e Siderópolis. No Estado do Paraná, a espessura da Formação Rio Bonito diminui para norte, principalmente em conseqüência do adelgaçamento e acunhamento do Membro Triunfo, que desaparece no sul do Estado de São Paulo. Para investigar estas variações de espessura e de fácies na Formação Rio Bonito, foi escolhida uma área no nordeste do Estado do Paraná onde a unidade apresenta bons afloramentos e poços para correlação, além de existirem importantes ocorrências de carvão. Para atingir os objetivos propostos, foram levantados perfis estratigráficos verticais e confeccionadas seções estratigráficas, levantados dados de paleocorrentes, caracterizadas associações de fácies sedimentares, correlacionados dados de superfície com os de perfis de poços, interpretados os paleoambientes de sedimentação e comparado o empilhamento estratigráfico da área estudada com o de áreas adjacentes. Cinco associações de fácies foram caracterizadas, permitindo constatar que a parte inferior da Formação Rio Bonito no nordeste do Estado do Paraná apresenta espessuras variáveis por ser o produto de preenchimento sedimentar uma sobre superfície deposicional irregular. Devido à existência de paleovales na superfície do topo do Grupo Itararé, de estruturas sedimentares produzidas por correntes de maré e de paleocorrentes bipolares para norte e sul, a parte inferior da Formação Rio Bonito foi interpretada como produto de preenchimento de vales incisos por depósitos aluviais e de canais de maré (associações de fácies 1 e 2, Membro Triunfo), sobrepostos retrogradacionalmente por lamitos e arenitos de canais de maré da zona central do estuário (associação de fácies 3)...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The Rio Bonito Formation is the lowermost unit of the Guatá Group, Early Permian of the Paraná Basin. It comprises from the bottom to the top, the Triunfo, Paraguaçu and Siderópolis Members. In the State of Paraná, the thickness of the Rio Bonito Formation decreases northwards, mainly because of the thinning and wedging out of the Triunfo Member, which disappears in the south of the State of São Paulo. To investigate thickness and facies variations in the Rio Bonito Formation, an area in the northeast of the State of Paraná was chosen wherein the unit presents good outcrops and wells for correlation, besides the existence of important coal beds. To reach the proposed objectives, vertical stratigraphic profiles and stratigraphic sections were made, paleocurrents data were obtainded, sedimentary facies were characterized, correlation between surface and well profile data were performed, sedimentation paleoenvironments were interpreted and the local stratigraphic succession correlated with adjacent areas. Five facies associations were characterized, being possible to observe that the thickness variations of the Rio Bonito Formation in the northeast of the State of Paraná resulted from sedimentation on an irregular depositional surface. Due to the existence of paleovalleys and the sedimentary structures produced by tide currents and bipolar paleocurrents towards the north and south, the lower portion of the Rio Bonito Formation was interpreted as a product of incised-valleys filled-up by estuarine alluvial and tidal channels deposits (facies associations 1 and 2, Triunfo Member). The succession is retrogradational and the basal section is overlayed by mudstones and sandstones of tidal-channels from the innermost portion of the estuary (facies association 3)...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Sedimentation rates in sediment cores from Lavaca Bay have been high within the last 1-2 decays within the central portion of the bay, with small fluctuations from river input. Lavaca Bay is a broad, flat, and shallow (<3 m) microtidal estuary within the upper Matagorda Bay system. Marine derived sediment enters the system from Matagorda Bay, while two major rivers (Lavaca & Navidad) supply the majority of terrestrially derived sediment. With continuous sediment supply the bay showed no bathymetric change until the introduction of the shipping channel. Processes that potentially lead to sediment transport and resuspension within the bay include wind driven wave resuspension, storm surges, wind driven blowouts, and river flooding. These processes were assessed using X-radiographs, grain size profiles, and 210Pb and 137Cs geochronology of sediment diver cores. In six cores the upper 10 cm of the seabed has been physically mixed, where as the rest showed a continuous sediment accumulation rate between 0.84-1.22 cm/yr. Sidescan sonar and subbottom chirp sonar data coupled with sedimentological core and grab samples were used to map the location and delineate the sedimentary facies within the estuarine system in depths >1 m. Five sedimentary facies were identified in Lavaca Bay and adjacent bays, they are: 1) estuarine mud; 2) fluvial sand; 3) beach sand; 4) bay mouth sand; and 5) oyster biofacies. Of the five facies, Lavaca Bay consists primarily of estuarine mud (68%). Pre-Hurricane and post-Hurricane Claudette cores were obtained to observe the impact to the sedimentary processes. The north and south Lavaca Bay were eroded by 10 cm and 2-3 cm, respectively. Cox Bay and Keller Bay saw a net deposition of 2-3 cm.

The Upper Devonian-Lower Carboniferous Bakken Formation is present in the subsurface of the Williston Basin in northeastern Montana, North Dakota, southwestern Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan. In the southeastern corner of Saskatchewan, the Bakken Formation either conformably overlies the Upper Devonian Big Valley Formation or unconformably overlies the Torquay Formation, and is conformably overlain by the Lower Carboniferous Souris Valley (Lodgepole) Formation. The Bakken Formation typically includes three members: the lower and upper organic-rich black shale, and the middle calcareous/dolomitic sandstone and siltstone, which makes a “perfect” petroleum system including source rock, reservoir, and seal all within the same formation. According to detailed core analysis in the southeastern corner of Saskatchewan, the Bakken Formation is divided into eight facies, and one of which (Facies 2) is subdivided into two subfacies: Facies 1 (planar cross-stratified fine-grained sandstone); Facies 2A (wavy- to flaser-bedded very fine-grained sandstone); Facies 2B (thinly parallel-laminated very fine-grained sandstone and siltstone); Facies 3 (parallel-laminated very fine-grained sandstone and muddy siltstone); Facies 4 (sandy siltstone); Facies 5 (highly bioturbated interbedded very fine-grained sandstone and siltstone); Facies 6 (interbedded highly bioturbated sandy siltstone and micro-hummocky cross-stratified very fine-grained sandstone); Facies 7 (highly bioturbated siltstone); and Facies 8 (black shale). Our integrated sedimentologic and ichnologic study suggests that deposition of the Bakken occurred in two different paleoenvironmental settings: open marine (Facies 4 to 8) and brackish-water marginal marine (Facies 1 to 3). The open-marine facies association is characterized by the distal Cruziana Ichnofacies, whereas the brackish-water marginal-marine facies association is characterized by the depauperate Cruziana Ichnofacies. Isochore maps shows that both open-marine and marginal-marine deposits are widely distributed in this study area, also suggesting the existence of a N-S trending paleo-shoreline. The Bakken strata in this study area represent either one transgressive systems tract deposits or two transgressive systems tracts separated by a coplanar surface or amalgamated sequence boundary and transgressive surface. This surface has been identified in previous studies west-southwest of our study area, therefore assisting in high-resolution correlation of Bakken strata.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-07-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:54:20Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 zacharias_aa__me_rcla.pdf: 13755139 bytes, checksum: 4926147f9c0352f4aa2b425673d963b5 (MD5) / Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) / A Formação Rio Bonito é a unidade inferior do Grupo Guatá, Eopermiana da Bacia do Paraná. Compreende, da base para o topo, os membros Triunfo, Paraguaçu e Siderópolis. No Estado do Paraná, a espessura da Formação Rio Bonito diminui para norte, principalmente em conseqüência do adelgaçamento e acunhamento do Membro Triunfo, que desaparece no sul do Estado de São Paulo. Para investigar estas variações de espessura e de fácies na Formação Rio Bonito, foi escolhida uma área no nordeste do Estado do Paraná onde a unidade apresenta bons afloramentos e poços para correlação, além de existirem importantes ocorrências de carvão. Para atingir os objetivos propostos, foram levantados perfis estratigráficos verticais e confeccionadas seções estratigráficas, levantados dados de paleocorrentes, caracterizadas associações de fácies sedimentares, correlacionados dados de superfície com os de perfis de poços, interpretados os paleoambientes de sedimentação e comparado o empilhamento estratigráfico da área estudada com o de áreas adjacentes. Cinco associações de fácies foram caracterizadas, permitindo constatar que a parte inferior da Formação Rio Bonito no nordeste do Estado do Paraná apresenta espessuras variáveis por ser o produto de preenchimento sedimentar uma sobre superfície deposicional irregular. Devido à existência de paleovales na superfície do topo do Grupo Itararé, de estruturas sedimentares produzidas por correntes de maré e de paleocorrentes bipolares para norte e sul, a parte inferior da Formação Rio Bonito foi interpretada como produto de preenchimento de vales incisos por depósitos aluviais e de canais de maré (associações de fácies 1 e 2, Membro Triunfo), sobrepostos retrogradacionalmente por lamitos e arenitos de canais de maré da zona central do estuário (associação de fácies 3)... / The Rio Bonito Formation is the lowermost unit of the Guatá Group, Early Permian of the Paraná Basin. It comprises from the bottom to the top, the Triunfo, Paraguaçu and Siderópolis Members. In the State of Paraná, the thickness of the Rio Bonito Formation decreases northwards, mainly because of the thinning and wedging out of the Triunfo Member, which disappears in the south of the State of São Paulo. To investigate thickness and facies variations in the Rio Bonito Formation, an area in the northeast of the State of Paraná was chosen wherein the unit presents good outcrops and wells for correlation, besides the existence of important coal beds. To reach the proposed objectives, vertical stratigraphic profiles and stratigraphic sections were made, paleocurrents data were obtainded, sedimentary facies were characterized, correlation between surface and well profile data were performed, sedimentation paleoenvironments were interpreted and the local stratigraphic succession correlated with adjacent areas. Five facies associations were characterized, being possible to observe that the thickness variations of the Rio Bonito Formation in the northeast of the State of Paraná resulted from sedimentation on an irregular depositional surface. Due to the existence of paleovalleys and the sedimentary structures produced by tide currents and bipolar paleocurrents towards the north and south, the lower portion of the Rio Bonito Formation was interpreted as a product of incised-valleys filled-up by estuarine alluvial and tidal channels deposits (facies associations 1 and 2, Triunfo Member). The succession is retrogradational and the basal section is overlayed by mudstones and sandstones of tidal-channels from the innermost portion of the estuary (facies association 3)...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

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.

Ce travail pionnier porte sur l'étude de l'architecture stratigraphique du Bassin de la Cuanza à partir d'une approche conjuguée multi-échelle croisant la géomorphologie, l'interprétation sismique et la sédimentologie de faciès de l'intervalle Oligocène à Actuel. L'objectif est de préciser l'âge, le partitionnement de faciès, les milieux de dépôts de la zone littorale dans le but de dater et de caractériser les mouvements verticaux en relation avec le fluage du sel (tectonique gravitaire) et le soulèvement général de la marge en lien avec la déformation de la lithosphère. L'analyse détaillée des affleurements de la zone côtière permet de manière complémentaire de préciser les conditions de drainage de la paléo-Cuanza avec la mise en évidence d'un prisme deltaïque de type patte d'oiseau au Pliocène qui prograde sur un système éolien côtier. Par ailleurs, plus vers l'intérieur du bassin, à hauteur de BomJesus, une zone de haut-fond conduit à la mise en place d'un Gilbert delta alimenté par une possible proto-Cuanza, en marge de la plate-forme mixte du Miocène inférieur. Plus au large de cette plate-forme, dans le secteur de Cabo do São Braz à Barra do Cuanza, l'analyse détaillée de l'architecture stratigraphique sur les falaises permet de caractériser d'un point de vue faciès et processus de dépôt une succession de systèmes de chenaux-levées en compensation montrant localement des processus d'injection sableuse précoce en lien avec l'instabilité des bordures du chenal. Ces systèmes Oligocène à Pliocène sont étroitement contrôlés par la croissance des diapirs (Cabo Ledo) et alimentés à la fois par les apports fluviatiles, le démantèlement des plis diapiriques et des apports de la plate-forme mixte. A Sangano, les marges des chenaux turbiditiques contiennent des sables bioclastiques à bioturbations de type skolithos et Ophiomorpha qui indiquent l'instabilité gravitaire de la plate-forme qui borde les gouttières subsidentes, avec un potentiel de recolonisation du fond sableux par les faunes "turbiportées". En remontant vers le Nord on passe progressivement à des faciès de pente soulignés par des niveaux de black-shales qui marquent la fenêtre de productivité planctonique. Ces faciès sont surmontés par des marnes à intervalles de tempestites caractéristiques de l'offshore transition. Enfin, au Sud de Miradouro da Lua, on a pu mettre en évidence dans le Miocène supérieur des faciès contouritiques qui remontent la pente suivant une succession de cannelures d'érosion. Ces faciès sont tronqués par des dépôts sableux bioturbés typiques d'un environnement de shoreface. Depuis Cabo de Sao Braz jusqu'à Luanda on observe donc une succession à la fois temporelle et paléo-environnementale qui conforte le modèle de soulèvement différentiel/basculement de la série vers le Nord. Du Sud vers le Nord, on observe ainsi une évolution depuis des dépôts turbiditiquesinterdiapiriques oligocènes à miocènes inférieur dans le secteur de Cabo do São Braz/Cabo Ledo jusqu'à des faciès deltaïques de la paléo-Cuanza Pliocène et fluviatiles de braid-delta Pléistocène à hauteur de Miradouro da Lua. / This pioneering work, focuses on the study of the stratigraphic architecture of the Cuanza Basin, from a combined multi-scale approach crossing the geomorphology, seismic interpretation and sedimentologicalfacies from Oligocene interval to Present. The objective is to identify the age, the partitioning of facies, the environments of deposition of the coastal zone in order to date and characterize the vertical movements in relation to the salt creep (gravitational tectonic) and the general uplift of the margin related to the deformation of the lithosphere. Detailed analysis of the outcrops of the coastal zone allowed in a complementary manner specify the conditions of drainage of the paleo-Cuanza putting thus in evidence the identification of a deltaic prism type bird's foot in Pliocene which prograde on a coastal aeolian system. In addition, over to the basin, up to Bom Jesus, a shoal area led to the establishment of a Gilbert delta powered by a possible proto-Cuanza, in conjunction with the mixed platform of lower Miocene. Most off the shelf, in the area of Cabo de Sao Braz to Barra do Cuanza, a detailed analysis of the stratigraphic architecture of the cliffs allowed characterize in a viewpoint facies and depositional processes in a succession of channel-levee systems in compensation, showing locally early sandy injection processes related to the instability of the channel borders. These systems Oligocene to Pliocene are tightly controlled by the growth of diapirs (Cabo Ledo) and and sometimes they are fed by fluvial deposits, dismantling folds diapirs and contributions from mixed platform. In Sangano the turbidite channel banks contain the bioclastic sands with bioturbations type Skolithos and Ophiomorpha which indicate gravitational instability of the shelf that edge the subsidence incisions with a potential for colonization of the sandy bottom by Fauns "turbiportées". Going up to the north we pass gradually to slope facies highlighted by levels of black-shale that marks the window of planktonic productivity. These facies are overlain by marl with intervals of tempestites, characteristics of the offshore transition. Finally, to the South of Miradouro da Lua, we were able to put in evidence in upper Miocene contouritesfacies that climbs the slope following a series of grooves erosion. These facies are truncated by sandy deposits bioturbed typical of shoreface. From Cabo de Sao Braz until Luanda, sometimes is possible to obsreve a temporal and paleoenvironmental succession which reinforces the model of differential uplift or tilting of the series toward to the North. From South to the North, is observed an evolution of interdipiricturbiditic deposits of Oligocene to lower Miocene in the area of Cabo do Sao Braz / Cabo Ledo to deltaic facies of the paleo-Cuanza - Pliocene fluvial braid-delta of Pleistocene in Miradouro da Lua.

Small back-barrier sand islands are poorly known in terms of hydrogeology and have been overlooked in more extensive studies of coastal groundwater systems that include larger barrier island complexes. This study employs a three-fold sequential approach to aquifer characterisation in a back-barrier sand island. A three-dimensional stratigraphic model forms the foundation framework, being derived from a multidisciplinary approach to sedimentary analysis and the construction of a depositional chronology. A conceptual hydrostratigraphic model is formulated based on the translation of sedimentary facies to hydrofacies, combined with density dependent flow calculations and tidal oscillation measurements. Groundwater hydrochemical data and mineral geochemistry are integrated with the resulting hydrogeological model to examine water-rock interaction and solute transport mechanisms. The study area is Toorbul Island, a small back-barrier sand mass of ~5 km2 with a maximum surface elevation of ~3.5 m AHD, located in the Pumicestone Passage of Southeast Queensland. The island hosts a dual aquifer system consisting of an unconfined island freshwater lens, underlain by a semi-confined palaeovalley-fill aquifer. Groundwater in the semi-confined aquifer is hyper-saline, carrying high concentrations of dissolved metals, with iron, in particular, ranging from 40 to < 200 mg l-1. This is of significant interest for both human health and environmental management, because iron is an important nutrient source for toxic algal bacteria such as Lyngbya majuscula. Conceptual modelling demonstrates that iron oxides and hydroxides are the main source of iron in the semi-confined aquifer, with a contribution from ferruginous chlorite dissolution. Aqueous manganese and a proportion of the aqueous iron are derived from the dissolution of manganoan ilmenite. Ferric iron minerals also contribute a significant proportion of dissolved iron in the deeper regions of the unconfined aquifer. Aqueous iron in the shallow unconfined groundwater is limited by iron sulphides, which also regulate acidity and indirectly limit dissolved aluminium concentrations. Groundwater redox state governed by seasonal climatic fluxes is the most significant control on iron-bearing mineral phase stability. Transport of dissolved metals to the surrounding estuary and the adjacent barrier island groundwater system is limited by the rate of ion diffusion across transition zone boundaries. The overall conclusions derived from this research show that back-barrier islands should be evaluated as discrete hydrogeological entities. The stratigraphic complexity that may be apparent within these island landforms should not be underestimated and the model domain should not necessarily be treated as a homogeneous system. This complexity is exemplified by the relationship between the upper and lower aquifers on Toorbul Island and the associated distribution of groundwater compositional heterogeneity. The complex stratigraphy within the sedimentary pile is derived from the presence of a sub-surface palaeovalley and the sedimentary response to changing sea-level over time. Considering the current widespread distribution of estuarine systems, complex hydrogeology as exhibited by Toobul Island, may be common in many small back-barrier island groundwater systems. The aquifer characteristics and their influence on solute transport and delivery can have significant ramifications for the exploitation of the adjacent coastal plain and barrier island aquifers. The potential influence on the latter is of particular concern due to the pressure imposed on potable groundwater supplies by increasing population densities in coastal areas.

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.

Reservoir heterogeneity plays an important role in oil field economics and completion strategies. We herein characterize the reservoir heterogeneity of the Early Jurassic Navajo Sandstone in the Justensen Flat/Devils Canyon area of the San Rafael Swell, Utah. These outcrops are located approximately 60 kilometers (45 mi) east of the recently discovered Covenant oil field which is located in the central Utah thrust belt exploration play. The reservoir for the Covenant field is the Navajo Sandstone. This study can serve as an outcrop analogue for this developing play and other eolian reservoirs worldwide. There are eight facies within the Navajo Sandstone in the Justensen Flat/Devils Canyon area based on differences in primary and secondary sedimentary structures, sedimentary texture, petrology, porosity/permeability, and other macro-scale features of the outcrop. Three facies were deposited by eolian dunes. These serve as the primary reservoir facies of the Navajo in the Justensen Flat/Devils Canyon area, displaying relatively high porosity and permeability (approximately 28 percent porosity and 100 mD of permeability). Five interdune facies display finer grain size, more abundant cement, and relatively lower porosity and permeability (approximately 18 percent porosity and 29 mD of permeability). Four of the five inderdune facies have variable porosity and permeability or are not laterally extensive (tens of meters). These four facies act as baffles to fluid flow within the reservoir. One interdune facies, the Wavy Algal Matted facies (WAM), displays very low porosity (10 percent) and permeability (0.265 mD) based on 4 samples, and is laterally extensive in the field area (greater than 1 km2). There are nine facies in the Wolverine Federal 17-3 core from the Covenant Field, four of which are tidally influenced. This is unique compare to the Justensen Flat/Devils Canyon outcrop. Tidal influence was apparently present in western Utah but did not have a direct influence on sedimentation 60 kilometers (45 mi) to the east. The Large Trough Cross-stratified (LTC) facies, which serves as the primary reservoir of the Navajo Sandstone, was observed in both outcrop and core. The laterally extensive, low permeability WAM facies was also present in both core and outcrop, suggesting the possibility of reservoir partitioning within oil fields having eolian reservoirs similar to the Navajo Sandstone.