Distribution of Late Silurian (?) and Early Devonian grey-green sandstones in the Liefdefjorden-Bockfjorden area, Spitsbergen

Abstract

Lithologic, petrographic and paleontologic data for the various areas of late Silurian (?) and early Devonian grey-green sandstones (greywackes) in the Liefdefjord area of northern Spitsbergen are evaluated. A number of new localities with fossil fauna have been detected in these sandstones, both to the north and south of Liefdcfjordcn. It is shown that vertebrate and invertebrate fossils occur at lower levels than hitherto believed. Differences in the amounts of plagioclase and potash feldspar in the sandstones north and south of the fjord, as well as the finds of fossils, suggest that the Siktefjellet Sandstone is restricted to the type area north of Liefdefjorden. The grey-green sandstones south of Liefdefjorden are correlated with the Andreebrecn Sandstone Formation of the Red Bay Group.