The Permian-Triassic boundary and the Early Triassic in Transcaucasian and Central Iranian pelagic sections

• Applicant: Privatdozent Dr. Dieter Korn
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2010 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 161034056

The exposures of Permian-Triassic (P-Tr) boundary beds in North-western (vicinity of Julfa) and Central Iran (vicinity of Abadeh) belong to the classic outcrops in which pelagic sediments can be studied with respect to the most severe mass extinction event in Earth History. Both regions show continuous successions of Permian and Triassic pelagic limestone, only interrupted by the boundary clay with the extinction horizon at the base. The simultaneous investigation of the fossil content (particularly of cephalopods and conodonts) as well as geochemistry (delta13Ccarb, delta13Corg, delta18O, and delta15N) and carbonate microfacies shows that these sections bear the potential for a deep insight in the kill mechanisms at the turn from the Palaeozoic into the Mesozoic. The discovery of hitherto undescribed, very fossiliferous P-Tr sections in the Baghuk Mountains (Central Iran) allow a detailed correlation with the sections of Julfa and complement the results gained in this area.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Michael M. Joachimski; Professorin Dr. Simone A. Kasemann; Professor Dr. Christoph Korte; Dr. Heinz Kozur (†); Professor Dr. Wolf Uwe Reimold; Professor Dr. Harald Strauß; Professor Dr. Ulrich Struck