Wetterstein limestone

Wetterstein limestone
Stratigraphic range: MiddleLate Triassic
Ladinian–Carnian
Type Geological formation
Thickness 600 m
Lithology
Primary Limestone
Location
Region Alps, Central Europe
Country Austria, Germany, Switzerland

Wetterstein limestone (German: Wettersteinkalk) and Wetterstein dolomite (Wettersteindolomit) are the most common names for a carbonate rock from the Middle Triassic epoch of the Ladinian stage, comparable to the German stage in which Muschelkalk rock strata were formed.

The rock gets its name from the Wetterstein Mountains, because the Wetterstein limestone is the bedrock of large mountains here. The center of its distribution, however, is in the Karwendel Mountains. It occurs in the Northern and Southern Limestone Alps and in the Western Carpathians.

Geology

Transgression of the Paleogene sediments over the Wetterstein Limestone of the Silicic Superunit, Western Carpathians.

The rock is found in the whole of the Alps, in many places as limestone (calcium carbonate), in many others as dolomite. In many areas there is a frequent alternation of limestone and dolomite facies.

Subunits

Its subunits include:

Fossils

Because, during dolomitisation, traces of fossils are largely lost as a result of recrystallisation, fossils in the Wetterstein dolomite are harder to distinguish, and even in thin sections may be barely recognizable. Wetterstein dolomite is rarely as bituminous as typical Main Dolomite and therefore tends to be much more pure and brighter-coloured. Otherwise, there are no fundamental differences with the Wetterstein limestone.

See also

References

External links

Triassic Period
Lower/Early Triassic Middle Triassic Upper/Late Triassic
Induan |Olenekian Anisian | Ladinian Carnian | Norian
Rhaetian
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