Integration of sedimentology and ground-penetrating radar for high-resolution imaging of a carbonate platform

Abstract

Ground-penetrating radar has not been applied widely to the recognition of ancient carbonate platform geometries. This article reports the results of an integrated study performed on an Upper Jurassic outcrop from the south-east Paris basin, where coral bioherms laterally change into prograding depositional sequences. Ground-penetrating radar profiles illustrate the different bedding planes and major erosional unconformities visible at outcrop. A ground-penetrating radar profile conducted at the base of the cliff displays a palaeotopographic surface on which the outcropping bioherms settled. The excellent penetration depths of the ground-penetrating radar (20m with a monostatic 200MHz antenna) images the carbonate platform geometries, ranging between outcrop workscale (a few metres) and seismic scale (several hundreds of metres). This study supports recent evidence of icehouse conditions and induced sea-level fluctuations controlling the Upper Jurassic carbonate production. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation.