Turonian-santonian sediments in the tatricum of the považský Inovec Mts. (Internal western carpathians, Slovakia)

Abstract

The first description of Upper Cretaceous (“Senonian”) mass flow deposits discovered in the Striebornica section, in the central part of the Považský Inovec Mts. (Tatricum, Western Carpathians) is provided. The studied section is situated above the Poruba Formation (Albian-Lower Cenomanian) of the Tatricum tectonic unit (the Inovec succession) and below the Fatricum tectonic unit represented by the Triassic sediments. The mass flow deposits which are here classified as the Hubina Formation (new name) can be divided into three parts. The basal part is formed by calcareous pebbly mudstones and polymictic conglomerates. The middle part of the succession is composed predominantly of claystone or shale with minor sandstone interbeds. The upper part represents thickening-upward sandstone beds. The preserved post-early Turonian association of planktonic foraminifers extracted from the basal and middle part of the succession refer to a latest middle Turonian-Santonian age. The position of the Hubina Formation indicates post-Santonian emplacement of the Fatricum in the western segment of the Western Carpathians. The Hubina Formation is interpreted to be a part of the wedge-top basin overlapping the Tatricum.