ISSN 0869-5938, Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation, 2016, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 464–485. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.

, 2016.
Original Russian Text © V.P. Rodionov, 2016, published in Stratigrafiya, Geologicheskaya Korrelyatsiya, 2016, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 28–49.

Magnetostratigraphy of the Middle–Upper Cambrian Verkhnyaya

Lena Group and Lower Ordovician Ust-Kut Formation
in the Southern Siberian Platform
V. P. Rodionov
All-Russian Petroleum Research Geological Exploration Institute (VNIGRI), Liteinyi pr. 39, St. Petersburg, 191014 Russia
e-mail: vpr1933@mail.ru
Received January 22, 2015; in final form, May 25, 2015

Abstract—The available paleomagnetic data on the Verkhnyaya Lena Group from different areas of the southern
Siberian Platform are revised. The group rests unconformably upon the Lower Cambrian strata and is overlain
by Lower Ordovician rocks, which determines conditionally the age of its red-colored deposits. Paleomagnetic
correlation of composite sections through the region using defined zones of normal and reversed magnetic
polarity serves as a basis for development of the magnetostratigraphic scale for the Verkhnyaya Lena Group. The
scale includes nine magnetic zones, which play the role of markers; seven of them are traceable in all the exam-
ined sections of the southern Siberian Platform. By the distribution of zones with normal (N) and reversed (R)
polarity, the magnetostratigraphic scale is subdivided into three parts. Its lower part is represented by reversed
polarity, which is characteristic of the second half of the Lower Cambrian. The middle part is characterized by
frequently alternating zones with normal and reversed polarity corresponding to the Middle Cambrian. The
upper part of the scale corresponds to the interval of reversed polarity characteristic of the Upper Cambrian and
Lower Ordovician. The Middle–Upper Cambrian boundary is located near the last N–R reversal of the geo-
magnetic field in the Cambrian. The magnetostratigraphic scale includes nine orthozones united into three
superzones, which are attributed to two hyperzones of magnetic polarity.

Keywords: Siberian Platform, Cambrian, Verkhnyaya Lena Group, scale, magnetostratigraphy, hyperzone,
superzone, orthozone
DOI: 10.1134/S0869593816040079

INTRODUCTION For global correlation of Cambrian sequences, a

The progress in development of the Lower Paleo-
zoic stratigraphy is hampered by the absence of com-
plex substantiation of time marker levels required for
global correlation of geological events. A particular
role in the solution of this problem belongs to the mag-
netostratigraphic method. It is established (Khramov
et al., 1982) that the geomagnetic field repeatedly
changed its polarity through the Phanerozoic, which is
reflected in the magnetostratigraphic record by alter-
nation of intervals with normal and reversed polarity.
Inasmuch as the geomagnetic field represents a plane-
tary phenomenon, boundaries between magneto-
stratigraphic units may serve as a framework for global
correlation of geological events. It should be noted,
however, that only boundaries of hyper- and super-
zones, which mark initiation and termination of long
periods with normal and reversed polarity of the geo-
magnetic field, are useful for this purpose. Boundaries
of low-rank units (orthozone and subzone) are hardly
traceable at the global scale because of hiatuses in sed-
imentary sections and, correspondingly, the possibil-
ity of making mistakes in their identification.
new magnetostratigraphic scale which would take into
consideration all recent paleomagnetic data is needed.
In this connection, the Siberian Platform with wide-
spread Precambrian and Lower Paleozoic deposits,
which are perfectly exposed and easily accessible for
investigation, is one of the regions most favorable for
development of such a scale. At present, the main
problem consists in the absence of a relatively well sub-
stantiated regional Lower Paleozoic magnetostrati-
graphic section for the Siberian Platform. Selection of
such section is required for development of a more
advanced magnetostratigraphic scale. This task is
hampered by the fact that Lower Paleozoic deposits of
the Siberian Platform are represented by a variety of
lithological–facies types. Their age and position of
stratigraphic boundaries are frequently poorly sub-
stantiated by organic remains. This may be exempli-
fied by the Verkhnyaya Lena Group composed of red-
colored deposits, which encompasses almost the
entire southern part of the Siberian Platform. The
stratigraphic unit is practically barren of paleontologi-
cal remains and it is conditionally determined to be the
Middle–Late Cambrian in age on the basis of its posi-

464
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN 465

80° 100° 120° 140° E

70°
N
2 3
4
k R.
Olene

Po
dka
men
na
ya
Tu
aR
. 60°
n Len

.
6

aR
gu

nR
Angara sk

ay
aR

da
R.

M
.

Al
7
1

50°

0 320 640 km

Fig. 1. Schematic map of the study area. Numerals in squares correspond to Middle Cambrian stratigraphic sections: (1) Zmei-
novo, (2) Kulyumbe River, (3) Khorbusuonka River, (4) Olenek River; circled numerals designate sections of the Verkhnyaya
Lena Group: (5) Angara River, (6) Podkamennaya Tunguska River, (7) Nepa River.

tion between underlying Lower Cambrian and overly-
ing Lower Ordovician deposits. In this connection,
the construction of magnetostratigraphic sections and
scales for different lithological–facies zones is a topi-
cal task. The accomplishment of this task should make
it possible to establish relations of sections and scales,
which may serve a prerequisite for the construction of
a new version of the Lower Paleozoic paleomagnetic
scale for the Siberian Platform. The paleomagnetic
scale of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group, which corre-
sponds to a significant part of the Cambrian section
(Middle–Upper Cambrian), may play a special role in
such a paleomagnetic standard.
The work is dedicated to the solution of this prob-
lem, i.e., construction of the Lower Paleozoic magne-
tostratigraphic scale for the Siberian Platform.
Previously, paleomagnetic investigations of the
Cambrian Verkhnyaya Lena Group (Fig. 1) were car-
ried out by geologists from the All-Russian Research
Geological Exploration Institute (VNIGRI, St. Peters-
burg), Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (GIN, Moscow), East Siberian Research
Institute of Geology, Geophysics, and Mineral Raw
Materials (VNIIGGiMS, Irkutsk), and Institute of the
Earth’s Crust of the Siberian Branch of the Russian
Academy of Sciences (IZK, Irkutsk) (Rodionov and
Sidorova, 1963; Davydov and Kravchinskii, 1965, 1970;
Rodionov, 1966a, 1966b; Gurarii and Trubikhin, 1968;
Kravchinskii and Davydov, 1972; Rodionov and
Osipova, 1974, 1985; Kravchinskii, 1976; Khramov
et al., 1982; Rodionov et al., 1998; Aparin et al., 2009).
The paleomagnetic data on the Verkhnyaya Lena For-
mation are also available in summarizing publications
(Paleomagnitnye…, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1989). All of this
factual material is used in this work.
The paleomagnetic investigations revealed that
sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the differ-
ent areas of its distribution areas are represented by
alternating zones with normal and reversed polarity.
At the same time, the validity of these zones needs to
be confirmed by the results of complex investigations.
The stratigraphic position of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group was repeatedly specified.
REGIONAL MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
STRATIGRAPHIC SCALE OF INNER AREAS
OF THE SIBERIAN PLATFORM
The middle and upper series of the cambrian sys-
tem in these areas lack regional stratigraphic units
since neither regional stages nor local zones are defin-
able because of the absence of organic remains. There-

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

466 RODIONOV

GSS RSS

Regional stage
Lena area
System
Series Characteristic
Stage assemblages (Ogienko, 1974; Ordovik…, 1989; Resheniya…, 1989)
of fossil organisms

L en a R iver, d ow n s t r eam o f K i r en s k, n ea r t h e villa ge of Z m ein ovo

Trilobites: Ust-Kut Formation. Lower subformation.
Pseudoacrocephalites
Mansi–Loparian

Upper member. Dolomites, limy dolomites,

Ordovician

Tremadocian

Trilobites: frequently stromatolitic and oolitic

Lower

Dolgeuloma–Saukiella,
Dolgeuloma ordinara Og. Lower member. Dolomites, limy dolomites,
Brachiopods: sandstone intercalations.
Tetralobula sp.
Monoplacophora: The total thickness is 50–60 m
Lenaella octobinaria
Bjalu
Trilobites: Ilga Formation.
Upper

Kuraspis obscura Variegated sandstones with siltstone, mudstone,

N. Tchern., K. similis
N. Tchern., K. antiqua Ros. and limestone intercalations. The thickness is 31 m

Zmeinogorsk Formation.
Verkhnyaya L ena Gro u p

Upper subformation. Siltstone with sandstone intercalations,

alternating reddish brown, brown-red, brown,
and greenish gray siltstones, sandstones, and mudstons.
The thickness is 95–110 m
Mayaian

Lower subformation. Siltstones, red-colored with bluish

oval spots, massive, with greenish yellow marlstone
C a m b r i a n

intercalations, and brown siltstones

with mudstone intercalations.
Middle

The thickness is 70–75 m

Namanian Zeledeevian

Trilobites:
Amgaian

Proasaphiscus sibiricus
N. Tchern., P. clarus
N. Tchern., Deltocephalus
orietalis Og., Incheriella Litvintsevo Formation.
lata Og. Dolomites, limestone, anhydrites. The thickness is 40 m
Trilobites:
Toionian
Lower

Namanoia namanensis
Lerm.,
Bathynotus namanensis
Lerm.

Fig. 2. Cambrian and Lower Ordovician regional stratigraphic scale (RSS) of the Siberian Platform (Lena zone). (GSS) General
stratigraphic scale.

fore, changes in age of some lithostratigraphic units In the northwestern Tunguska syneclise of the
are based on the geological and geophysical data. At Turukhansk zone A1, the group is largely composed of
present (Resheniya…, 1989), the reference section of organogenic limestones and dolomites, locally bitu-
the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the Lena zone D2 cor- minose. The local stratigraphic sections were cor-
responds in the scale to the Middle Cambrian related using mainly geophysical data. The sole excep-
Mayaian Stage (Fig. 2). In this connection, the range tion is the basal part of the Middle Cambrian section,
of the Ilga Formation, which overlies the Zmeinogorsk where the Zeledeevo Formation in some drill holes is
Formation of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group, is widened. defined on the basis of paleontological finds (trilobites
The Middle–Upper Cambrian boundary is placed at of the genera Proasaphiscus, Schistocephalus, Itcheri-
the base of these formations, not within the ella, Tankhella, and others) (Fig. 3). In the facies
Verkhnyaya Lena Group, where it was in the scale of zones, the upper parts of the Kostino, Litvintsevo,
1983. Olenchima, Zeledeevo, and Meteger formations cor-

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN 467

GSS RSS Tunguska area A

Regional stage
System
Series
Characteristic

Stage
Turukhansk zone A1
assemblages (Resheniya…, 1989, fig. 1)
of fossil organisms
Neruchanda Formation O2
Trilobites:
Mansi–Loparian
Ordovician

Pseudoacrocephalites
Tremadocian

Trilobites:
Lower

Dolgeuloma–Saukiella,
Dolgeuloma ordinara Og.
Brachiopods:

S u k h o t u n g u s s k a y a - I
Tetralobula sp.
Monoplacophora:
Lenaella octobinaria
Bjalu
Trilobites:
Upper

Kuraspis obscura Ust-Pelyadka Formation (328–532 m)

N. Tchern., K. similis Regularly alternating limestones, frequently
N. Tchern., K. antiqua Ros. organogenic–detrital and dolomites,
gray-colored, locally bituminose, sulfatized,
clayey. Indications of underwater slumping
and currents, brecciation, oolitization;
algal, oncolytic, clotted–detrital textures
and structures.
Tilobites: Kuraspis obscura N. Tchern.,
K. similis N. Tchern., Brasicephalus jakuticus
Mayaian

Laz., B. planus Laz., Bolaspidina insignis Lerm.,

Pesaiella perfida N. Tchern., Akidaspides sp.,
C a m b r i a n
Middle

Parakoldinea sp.
Brachiopods: Pinkelnburgia sp., Obolus sp.
The thickness is 204 m
W e l l

Letninskaya Formation (532–765 m)

Silicified dolomites, greenish and yellowish
gray, limestones marbled, gray and dark gray,
with rare inclusions of bitumen.
The thickness is 233 m
Namanian Zeledeevian

Trilobites:
Amgaian

Proasaphiscus sibiricus
N. Tchern., P. clarus
N. Tchern., Deltocephalus Kostino Formation (765–2365 m)
orietalis Og., Incheriella
lata Og. Upper subformation (765–1115 m):
Trilobites:
dolomites, frequently limy, clayey, bituminose,
Toionian

gray, with abundant inclusions of anhydrite

Lower

Namanoia namanensis
Lerm., and gypsum, saliferous in the lower part;
Bathynotus namanensis in the uppermost part, member (45 m)
Lerm. of limestones, dolomitic, with abundant
anhydrite and gypsum, gray,
with sharp hydrogen sulfide odor.
The thickness is 350 m

Fig. 3. Regional Cambrian stratigraphic scale (RSS) of the Siberian Platform (Tunguska area, Turukhansk zone). (GSS) General
stratigraphic scale.

respond conditionally to the upper part of the Middle brian Ust-Pelyadka Formation is unconformably
Cambrian Amgaian Stage. The Middle Cambrian overlain by the Middle Ordovician Neruchand For-
Mayaian Stage in the scale comprises the Letnyaya mation (Well Sukhotungusskaya-1).
and Zmeinogorsk formations in their whole range. In
the Lena zone, the Upper Cambrian–Lower Ordovi-
cian boundary is placed between the Ilga and Ust-Kut METHODS OF PALEOMAGNETIC
formations, being marked by the first appearance of INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERPRETATION
trilobites from the Dolgeuloma–Saukiella Zone char- OF DATA
acteristic of the Lower Ordovician deposits (Ogienko, For paleomagnetic correlation of the Verkhnyaya
1992). In the Turukhansk zone A1, the Upper Cam- Lena Group sections in the southern Siberian Plat-

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

468
Table 1. Correlation between Jn in rocks and their coloration (Paleomagnetism…, 1974, p. 21, table 5c, modified)
Study area Rock coloration D° I°
Lena River, vil-
lage of Cher- Primary 165 10
tovskaya
Significant
The same change in rock 251 52
coloration
(D°, I°) Declination and inclination of vectors J an , respectively; (n) number of stratigraphic levels (samples, vectors); (K) precision pa-
rameter; (α°95 ) radius of the confidence circle for the mean vector (pole).
form, all the available paleomagnetic data obtained
since the 1960s were used.
Approximately until the 1980s, paleomagnetic
measurements of samples were conducted after their
exposure in an alternating magnetic field for the
removal of viscous magnetization. Further, converg-
ing remagnetization circle and other field methods
were used for defining the prefold component of natu-
ral remanent magnetization (Jn). At the next stage, the
residual secondary components were removed using
the inversion technique. The residual stable compo-
nent was considered as representing an old component
Jn in rocks of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group. The meth-
ods of demagnetization by an alternating field and
heating were also used for the removal of secondary
magnetization Jn and isolation of the presumably sta-
ble old component (Paleomagnetizm…, 1974). Inas-
much as most paleomagnetic measurements on the
Siberian Platform were obtained for red-colored
deposits, it is of extreme importance to consider the
genesis of these rocks in relation to the nature of their
magnetization.
Analysis of Relations between Natural Remanent
Magnetization of Rocks and Their Coloration
Most researchers of Upper Cambrian and Ordovi-
cian red-colored deposits believe that coloration of
these rocks is explained by the presence of hydroxides
in them (Maslov, 1954; Pavlovskii and Frolova, 1955;
Librovch, 1960). While this aspect is practically unde-
batable, their genesis is interpreted from principally
different points of view. Let us consider some of them.
On the basis of field observations and petrographic
investigations, Pavlovskii and Frolova, (1955) think
that hydroxides resulted from oxidation of ore miner-
als, whereas Maslov (1954) believes that red-colored
rocks were formed owing to eolian transport of red-
colored material into the sedimentation basin from the
continent. On the basis of many factual data,
Librovich (1960) rejects eolian origin of this material
and arrives at the conclusion that red-colored deposits
were formed owing to its transport by water streams.
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
RODIONOV
Jn × 10–3
n K α°95 A/m
Lithology
Clay, crimson red, mudstone-
8 25 11 5.3 like; clay, red; siltstones, red,
sandy
Clay, brownish red, locally
6 6.5 25 0.7 blue; clay, brownish red with
blue spots, d = 2 cm
The red color was preserved in both scenarios if the
basin contained a minimal quantity of organic matter.
In all probability, no vegetation existed at that time.
Transfer of these sediments into the basin and its high
turbidity hampered development of planktonic organ-
isms. Owing to this property, reduction of sediments
was completely excluded and they retained primary
coloration.
The primary nature of pigments in red-colored
rocks is also confirmed by original observations in nat-
ural outcrops. In most of them, red coloration is sus-
tained within a single layer without grading into over-
and underlying strata. Gray coloration of rocks within
red layers is usually confined to variably oriented cracks.
On both sides of cracks, surrounding sediments are blu-
ish gray in color for several centimeters. Locally, red-
dish brown clays and siltstones exhibit bluish gray round
spots on the fresh surface. All these features imply the
primary and secondary nature of red and gray color-
ation, respectively. Table 1 illustrates the dependence of
Jn in rocks on their coloration.
As follows from the table, the precision parameters
of Jn vectors and their moduli are significantly higher
for rocks with primary coloration than in rocks with
both primary (red) and secondary (gray and bluish
gray) coloration. This indicates that pigment in the rock
and its magnetization are related to the same Fe oxides.
Upon heating of red-colored rocks to 400°C, the Jn
direction remains practically unchanged, while
hydroxides are completely destroyed, although rock
coloration changes insignificantly. The natural rema-
nent magnetization is destroyed only at T = 650°C,
which corresponds to the Curie point of hematite.
Consequently, the pigment of red-colored rocks is
determined by both hydroxides and hematite, which
represents a NRM carrier. All these properties speak in
favor of synchronism in the formation of sediments
and natural remanent magnetization.
At the same time, as follows from experience, all
the aforesaid is true only of areas which avoided
regional heating. Intense trap magmatism was charac-
teristic of the Tunguska syneclise and Bratsk area
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
(Rodionov, 1969) as well as other areas, which are
mentioned in many publications (Goncharov, 1965;
Gusev et al., 1967; Veselovskii et al., 2003; Gurevich
et al., 2004).
The main difference of paleomagnetic measure-
ments conducted after the 1980s from earlier determi-
nations consists in the fact that they are based on the
component analysis of NRM (Zijderveld, 1967). This
method is the most effective one for isolating its old
component. The use of earlier paleomagnetic data
requires their correlation with the recent data obtained
by the method of the component analysis. For this pur-
pose, the paleomagnetic parameters obtained prior to
1980 were compared with similar data available for the
same or closely spaced sections. For example, the com-
parison between earlier and recent paleomagnetic data
(Table 2) on the direction of old magnetization ( J an )
and the position of paleomagnetic poles was performed
for sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the
Irkutsk amphitheater (upper reaches of the Lena River).
The distance in degrees between mean paleopoles
obtained before 1980 and subsequently is 3.1° (Table 2).
Another comparison of earlier (prior to 1980) and
recent paleomagnetic data is accomplished for the
southeastern part of the Siberian Platform (middle
reaches of the Lena River). In this area, the mean J an
direction in the Verkhnyaya Lena Group was deter-
mined by comparing the J an directions defined by dif-
ferent methods for the same outcrops (Table 3).
The results obtained by six methods mentioned in
Table 3 for sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group are
well consistent between each other. The field and lab-
oratory methods used for defining J an in Middle Cam-
brian rocks yield the similar results. Consequently, the
secondary component Jn in this area is likely repre-
sented also only by viscous magnetization.
Table 4 presents earlier (prior to 1980) and recent
paleomagnetic data on the southeastern part of the
Siberian Platform (middle reaches of the Lena River).
The good consistency between mean poles obtained
before 1980 and recently (the difference is only 1.7°)
confirms high reliability of paleomagnetic data
obtained without applying the component analysis.
According to the data obtained before 1980 for the
southwestern and southeastern parts of the Siberian
Platform, the paleolatitudes of poles are close to each
other, although their paleolatitudes are different. The
distance between these paleopoles is 5°. New paleop-
oles obtained for the southwestern and southeastern
parts of the Siberian Platform are close in their latitu-
dinal positions, differing somewhat in their longitudes.
The angular distance between these poles is 6.4°. Such
an insignificant difference in the position of poles
with respect of their longitudes for the southwestern
and southeastern parts of the Siberian Platform
implies rotation of one tectonic block relative to
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
469
another (Pavlov et al., 2000). Thus, the comparison of
J an directions and positions of poles, according to ear-
lier and recent paleomagnetic measurements, demon-
strates their good consistency.
At the next stage of paleomagnetic investigation,
paleopoles obtained for the Verkhnyaya Lena Group
and Middle Cambrian sections substantiated by
organic remains in the northwestern Siberian Platform
were compared between each other (Pisarevsky et al.,
1997; Pavlov et al., 2000; Gallet et al., 2003). The
angular distance between mean poles obtained for the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group and reference sections with
faunal fossils is 5.8°. The mean pole corresponds to
coordinates Φ = –40° N and Λ = 136° E; the precision
parameter is K = 305 and A95 = 4° (Table 5). This indi-
cates identity of paleomagnetic data on the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group and Middle Cambrian refer-
ence sections of the northern Siberian Platform. Similar
comparative analysis of paleopoles carried out for the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group and Middle Cambrian refer-
ence section along the Kolyumbe River (Pavlov et al.,
2000) also yielded good consistency of paleopoles.
For the definitive solution of the problem concern-
ing correlation of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group and
Middle Cambrian reference sections substantiated by
fossils, it is necessary to carry out paleomagnetic cor-
relation in different areas using zones of normal and
reversed polarity, construct a composite paleomag-
netic section of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group, and cor-
relate the latter with the paleomagnetic structure of
Middle Cambrian reference section in the northern
Siberian Platform.
LOCAL PALEOMAGNETIC SCALES
Irkutsk Amphitheater
The most complete section of the Cambrian
Verkhnyaya Lena Group located in the Irkutsk amphi-
theater 12 km downstream of Kirensk on the right side
of the Lena River opposite the village of Zmeinovo
was selected to serve as a reference one for construc-
tion of the local paleomagnetic scale. According to
(Resheniya…, 1989), this terrigenous largely red-col-
ored sequence is now subdivided in two stratigraphic
units: Middle Cambrian Zmeinogorsk and Upper
Cambrian Ilga (Khanda) formations (Kolesnikov and
Nikol’skii, 1988). The selection of this section as the
reference one for the Middle Cambrian (Mayaian
Stage) to Upper Cambrian (Ilga Formation) interval is
determined by its easy accessibility for investigation,
good exposure, and absence of visible indications of
hiatuses. In addition, the entire continuous section
may be studied in a single outcrop. The Verkhnyaya
Lena Group is underlain by the carbonate sequence of
the Lower–Middle Cambrian Litvintsevo Formation.
The Meteger and Ichera formations represent analogs
of the upper and lower parts of this stratigraphic unit,
respectively (Bobrov, 1962). The lower layers of the
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
 Table 2. Paleomagnetic measurements in rocks from the Vekhnyaya Lena Group of the Irkutsk amphitheater (before 1980)
470

Coordinates
of sampling Direction J an Paleomagnetic pole
Index Age Study object site Polarity Source

ϕ° N λ° E D°s I°s n K α°95 Φ° Λ° dp° dm°

12-04 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Rodionov, 1966a,

Group, Angara 54 102 162 –13 28 12 8 –40 126 4.2 8.2 1966b
River, Oka River

12-05 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Rodionov, 1966a,

Group, red clays, 54 106 160 2 35 6 12 –33 130 6 12 1966b
Lena River

12-06 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Gurarii and Tru-

54.3 104.6 157 –4 19 33 6 –34 133 3 6
Group bikhin, 1968

12-07 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Paleomagnitnye…,

Group, Lena 57 107 166 –14 36 8 9 –39 125 5 9 1971, p. 32
River
RODIONOV

12-17 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Davydov and

Group 54.5 105.5 158 –5 170 14 3 –35 132.7 1.5 3 Kravchinskii, 1965,
1970

12-18 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Rodionov, 1966b

59 106.5 163 –12 159 6 5 –35.5 127.4 2.6 5.1
Group

12-41 Є2 – Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena NR Kravchinskii and

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Group 55 105 159 8 15 13 11 –28.5 129 5.6 11 Davydov, 1972;
Kravchinskii, 1976

Average values Data obtained

Vol. 24
55.4 105.2 161 –5 84 5.8 –35 129 2.9 5.8
before 1980

Average values – – Recent data (Apa-

No. 5
159 –9 52 7.2 –37 132 3.7 7.3
rin et al., 2009)
(ϕ°, λ°) Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude, respectively) of the sampling point; (D°s, I°s) declination and inclination of vectors J an ; (n) number of stratigraphic levels

2016
(samples, vectors); (K) precision parameter; (α°95 ) radius of the confidence circle for the mean vector (pole); (Φ°, Λ°) latitude and longitude of the paleomagnetic pole; (dp°, dm°)
semiaxes of the confidence oval for the mean pole.
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN 471

Table 3. Comparison of results obtained by the method of defining ancient magnetization in the Verkhnyaya Lena Group
(Paleomagnetism…, 1974, p. 21, table 4, modified)
Deviation from the
Ordered number Method of defining J an D° I°
mean, in degrees

1 Reversion 169 –6 4
2 Displacement 168 –11 1
Intersection of three
3 166 –4 7
remagnetization circles
4 Leveling 171 –9 4
5 h = 48 kA/m 166 –17 7
6 T = 100°C 168 –12 2

Mean direction of J an K = 264

168 –10
obtained by six methods α95 = 3.5°

(D°, I°) Declination and inclination of vectors J an , respectively; (T) temperature; (h) alternating field; (K) precision parameter; (α°95 )
radius of the confidence circle for the mean vector (pole).

Table 4. Paleomagnetic data on the southeastern Siberian Platform

Ordered Coordinates
n D° I° K α°95 Φ°, N Λ°, E dp° dm°
number of sampling site

1 58° N 109° E 4 168 –10 264 3.5 –36.2 123 1.8 3.5

2 58.5° N 110° E 1/53 168.7 –13.6 18 4.5 –37.7 124 2.3 4.6

(1) Data obtained before 1980 (without component analysis), Table 3; (2) recent data derived from the study of magnetic reversal (N–R
polarity), middle reaches of the Lena River, village of Ichera (Rodionov et al., 1998). (n) Number of stratigraphic levels (samples, vec-
tors); (D°, I°) declination and inclination of vectors J an ); (K) precision parameter; ( α°95 ) radius of the confidence circle for the mean
vector (pole); (Φ°, Λ°) latitude and longitude of the paleomagnetic pole; (dp°, dm°) semiaxes of the confidence oval for the mean pole.

Litvintsevo Formation containing trilobites of the
genera Namanoia and Antagmella are defined as the
Lower Cambrian Naman biostratigraphic member.
Higher in the section, trilobites of the genus Proasa-
phiscus characterize the Middle Cambrian Zeledeevo
biostratigraphic member. The lower and upper parts of
the Ichera Formation yield trilobites of the genera
Namanoia of the Naman Member and Deltacephaus
characterizing the basal layers of the Middle Cam-
brian section. The upper boundary of the Lower Cam-
brian section is placed inside the interval of the Lit-
vintsevo and Ichera formations and their analogs on
the basis of the replacement of Naman trilobites by
their Zeledeevo forms.
The Zeledeevo biostratigraphic unit underlies the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the middle reaches of the
Lena River (left side downstream of the Ichera Creek
mouth). The reference section of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group near the village of Zmeinovo is underlain by
deposits of the Meteger Formation, which corre-
sponds to the upper part of the Amgaian Stage; they
contain rare faunal remains and are unconformably
overlain by red-colored deposits of the Zmeinogorsk
Formation of the Middle Cambrian Mayaian Stage.
This stratigraphic unit is subdivided into the lower and
upper subformations. The lower subformation is cor-
relative with the Balagan Formation and the upper one
corresponds to the Baitog Formation, the lower part of
which contains trilobite-like Yohoia sp. forms. The
lithological changes at the contact of the Upper Cam-
brian Ilga Formation with the underlying Zmeino-
gorsk Formation of the Mayaian Stage are gradual. A
distinctive feature of the Ilga Formation relative to the
underlying Zmeinogorsk Formation is wide carbonati-
zation of sediments and appearance of individual lime-
stone and dolomite intercalations, including their algal
varieties through the section of the former unit, in addi-
tion to its faunal remains. Its rocks are also character-
ized by slightly different coloration and a different com-
position of the heavy fraction (Skripin, 1974).

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

 472

Table 5. Positions of paleopoles obtained for the Verkhnyaya Lena Group and reference sections of the Middle Cambrian Mayaian Stage and assessment of their
accuracy

Ordered Measureme
Age Study object ϕ°, N λ°, E D° I° n K α°95 Polarity Ф° Λ° dp° dm° Source
number nt number

1 1 Є2–Є3 Verkhnyaya Lena 54 106 159 –9 170 52 7 NR –37 132 4 7 Aparin et al.,
Group, Mayaian Stage, 2009
upper reaches of the
Lena River

2 2 Є2 Upper part of the Laba- 68 88.8 324 42 71 29 3 NR –41 134 2 4 Pavlov et al.,
znaya Formation, 2000
Mayaian Stage, Kuly-
umbe River

3 3 Є2 Amgaian and Mayaian 71.5 129.9 167 –44 110 20 3 NR –44 140 2 3 Gallet et al.,
stages, Khorbusuonka 2003
RODIONOV

River

4 4 Є2 Yunkoyulyabit– 71 123 166 –33 76 26 5 NR –36 140 3 5 Pisarevsky et

Yuryakh Formation, al., 1997
Mayaian Stage, lower
reaches of the Olenek
River

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION

5 1-4 Є2 Mayaian Stage –40 136 К = 305 А95 = 4 Average value

Vol. 24
6 2-4 Є2 Mayaian Stage –40 138 К = 319 А95 = 5 Average value

No. 5
(ϕ°, λ°) Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude, respectively) of the sampling point; (D°, I°) declination and inclination of vectors J an ); (n) number of stratigraphic levels
(samples, vectors); (K) precision parameter; (α°95, A°95) radius of the confidence circle for the mean vector (pole); (Φ°, Λ°) latitude and longitude of the paleomagnetic pole; (dp°,
dm°) semiaxes of the confidence oval for the mean pole.

2016
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
In the Siberian Platform, the lower boundary of the
Upper Cambrian section is placed at the appearance
level of Kuraspis N. Tchrn. This point of view on the
position of the boundary is shared by most researchers
(Zharkov and Skripin, 1971), although the degree of
its substantiation is variable in different areas. The
upper boundary of the Ilga Formation is distinct,
being placed at the disappearance level of red-colored
feldspar–quartz sandstones, limestones, and dolo-
mites of the Ust-Kut Subformation. According to
(Ogienko, 1974, 1977, 1978), the upper boundary of
the Upper Cambrian should be placed at the lower dis-
tribution limit of the faunal assemblage from the Dol-
geuloma–Saukiella Zone characteristic of the lower
Ust-Kut Subformation in the Kirenga, Lena, Chechui,
and Malaya Chuya river valleys. The transition between
the Upper Cambrian Ilga Formation and carbonate
deposits of the Lower Ordovician Ust-Kut Formation
is gradual (Ogienko, 1992). This transition is readily
traceable in the reference section (Lena River, village
of Zmeinovo) and on the left side of the Lena River
opposite the Chechui River mouth.
The Verkhnyaya Lena Group was examined in two
closely spaced similar sections near the village of
Zmeinovo. The integral thickness of the section is
214 m (5, 179, and 30 m of the Meteger, Zmeinogorsk,
and Ilga formations, respectively). The magnetic
zones defined in these sections are distinctly correla-
tive with each other. In total, 12 zones of normal and
reversed polarity are defined in the section of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group (Fig. 4). The upper zone of
reversed polarity in the Upper Cambrian section con-
tinues also in the Lower Ordovician interval. Other
paleomagnetic sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group investigated on the right side of the Oka River
(tributary of the Angara River) near the village of
Krasnyi Yar and at the Lena River cropping out from
the settlement of Kachuga to Kirensk are incomplete.
Section I at the Oka River is a composite consisting of
two parallel sequences 65 m thick in total. It is com-
posed of red-colored rocks: sandstones, siltstones, and
clays with prevalence of sandy varieties. The section is
crowned by yellowish and greenish gray sandstones
with inclusions of Fe oxides. Sections II, III, and IV
were examined twice (Fig. 4). These magnetostrati-
graphic sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group are
located in the upper reaches of the Lena River down-
stream of the settlement of Kachug. They are repre-
sented by alternating brownish gray, medium- to fine-
grained sandstones and grayish brown siltstones and
clays with distinct prevalence of sandy rocks. Unlike
the above-mentioned sections, section V located on
the left side of the Lena River 1 km downstream of the
settlement of Verkhnee Markovo is dominated by red-
colored clayey rocks lithologically similar to rocks
from the middle part of the Zmeinogorsk Formation.
Section VI corresponding to the lower part of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group was examined on the left side
of the Lena River 9 km downstream of Kirensk. The
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
473
contact between the underlying Lower–Middle Cam-
brian Litvintsevo Group and overlying Verkhnyaya
Lena Group is unconformable. By its lithological–
facies composition, section VI corresponds to the
lower part of the Zmeinogorsk Formation.
The reference magnetostratigraphic section of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group and Ilga Formation is repre-
sented by 12 zones of normal and reversed polarity. Its
correlation with sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group was performed using their characteristic ortho-
zones with allowance for geological and lithological
data. According to the presented schematic correlation
between sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group on
the basis of paleomagnetic data, the section at the Oka
River corresponds to the upper part of this strati-
graphic unit and the one at the Lena River corre-
sponds to its middle part. Only the section located
near Bubnovka settlement is correlative with the lower
part of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group, which is also evi-
dent from their stratigraphic position in the magneto-
stratigraphic correlation model (Fig. 4).
Nepa Area
In this area, the Verkhnyaya Lena Group was
investigated in the middle reaches of the Nepa River,
the left tributary of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River. In
total, five of its sections were visited to construct the
composite section of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group for
the Nepa River area. The terrigenous red-colored
sequence attributed to this stratigraphic unit and
Cambrian Ilga Formation rest without apparent
unconformity upon the dolomite–limestone sequence
of the Litvinsevo Formation conditionally correlated
with the Lower–Middle Cambrian. The red-colored
sequence is overlain with cryptic unconformity by
rocks with Middle Ordovician fauna represented by
brachiopods Ceraurinus biformis and Evenkina lenaica
and nautiloids Armenoceras sp. and Actinoceras sp.
(Nikiforova and Andreeva, 1961). Therefore, the
stratigraphic position of the underlying red-colored
sequence remains unclear. In 1967, paleontological
investigations of Middle–Upper Ordovician deposits
at the Nepa River (5.5 km upstream of the Surinda
River mouth or 9 km upstream of the village of
Volokon) were continued by (Fomin et al, 1970). Silt-
stones of the lower subformation of the Krivolutskoe
Formation yielded Hesperorthis brachiophorus (Coop),
which provided grounds for placing the lower bound-
ary of this Middle Ordovician formation at the top of
the unconformably underlying sequence conditionally
attributed to the Lower Ordovician Ust-Kut Forma-
tion. The section of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group is
represented by uniformly alternating red-colored
sandstones and clays. Its lower and upper parts are
dominated by clayey and sandy rocks, respectively.
The reference lithostratigraphic members for correlat-
ing these sections are practically undefinable; there-
fore, the paleomagnetic method, which made it possi-
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
474
ble to define in sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group magnetic zones with normal and reversed
polarity, was used for their correlation. In the middle
and upper parts of the group, these zones exhibit fre-
quent alternation with each other, while its lower part
is dominated by reversed polarity (Fig. 5). When cor-
relating sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group, we
took into consideration both geological and paleo-
magnetic data. The succession of magnetic zones is
readily traceable in parallel sections. The composite
magnetostratigraphic section of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group in the Nepa area is represented by 12 zones. By
their distribution, this section differs somewhat from
its counterpart located at the Lena River near the vil-
lage of Zmeinovo, which corresponds to the Middle–
Upper Cambrian interval (Resheniya…, 1989) and
plays the role of the reference one for Cambrian red-
colored deposits of the Siberian Platform. Correlation
of these two sections reveals that the Lower Ordovi-
cian Ust-Kut and Upper Cambrian Ilga formations
are missing from the Nepa sections. The middle and
upper parts of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the
Nepa composite section are represented by frequently
alternating zones with normal and reversed polarity,
which are reliably correlated with zones of the Zmei-
nogorsk Formation in the type section at the Lena
River. The lower part of the Nepa section is largely
represented by a zone of reversed polarity, which is
missing from the Lena reference section, reflecting
inconsistency in the lower stratigraphic boundaries of
the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the Nepa and Lena
areas. The paleomagnetic correlation of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group in these two areas made it
possible to define indexed reference intervals (ortho-
zones) (Fig. 5).
Middle Reaches of the Lena River
and Northern Baikal Region
In this area, the paleomagnetic investigations of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group were conducted in sections
along the Lena River and its tributaries between the
settlement of Petropavlovskoe and the village of
Khamra. As in the Irkutsk amphitheater, deposits of
this group are overlain by the Lower Ordovician Ust-
Kut Formation. The contact of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group with the underlying carbonate sequence pre-
sumably the Early Cambrian in age is investigated in
the section cropping out on the right side of the Lena
River opposite the settlement of Peledui. All bank out-
crops along the Lena River and in its basin were exam-
ined with the level of detail corresponding to that of a
large-scale geological survey. This made it possible to
Fig. 4. Schematic magnetostratigraphic correlation of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group sections in the Lena and Angara river basins.
(I) Oka River (tributary of the Angara River), village of Krasnyi Yar; (II) Lena River, village of Kundui; (III) Lena River, village
of Tyumentsevo; (IV) Lena River, village of Shishkino; (V) Lena River, village of Markovo; (VI) Lena River, opposite settlement
of Bubnovka; (VII) Lena River, village of Zmeinovo (reference section of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group). For legend, see Fig. 7.
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
RODIONOV
trace, using paleomagnetic data, rock members of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group in different outcrops and
establish their succession. It appeared that the most
complete and continuous sections of the group, which
are accepted to serve as a basis for constructing the
local correlation model (Fig. 6), demonstrate the reg-
ular distribution of zones with normal and reversed
polarity, primarily the presence of thick such zones in
the lower and upper parts of the section. In addition,
the carbonate sequence of the Ust-Kut Formation
readily traceable through the entire southern part of
the Siberian Platform except for the Nepa area was
used as a reference interval. The composite sections of
the areas under consideration demonstrate polarity
reversal in the Middle Cambrian–Lower Ordovician
interval.
Correlation of the upper part of the Verkhnyaya
Lena Group and Ilga Formation using zones of nor-
mal and reversed polarity (Fig. 6) is relatively simple.
At the same time, judging from the most complete
sections in the middle reaches of the Lena River and
northern Baikal region, the middle part of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group is characterized by frequent
alternation of zones with normal and reversed polar-
ity, which is confirmed by the succession of paleomag-
netic zones in the sections of the Irkutsk amphitheater.
In this connection, the deposits of the Verkhnyaya
Lena Group examined near the settlements of Pet-
ropavlovskoe and Peledui are attributed to the middle
and basal parts of this stratigraphic unit, respectively.
The contact of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group with
underlying sequences is marked by red-colored layers
with spherical bedding. The underlying carbonate
sequence includes abundant thin conglomerate inter-
calations. The transition between overlying and
underlying strata is characterized by irregular color-
ation. All these features indicate changes in paleogeo-
graphic settings and the presence of a hiatus.
The composite paleomagnetic section of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the middle reaches of the
Lena River and northern Baikal region is represented
by 13 zones of normal and reversed polarity, being
identical in its structure to the section of this group in
the Irkutsk amphitheater. The defined indexed ortho-
zones, which represent reference intervals, are cor-
related with the Zmeinovo reference magnetostrati-
graphic section of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group. The
analysis of thicknesses of the last zone of reversed
polarity in sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group
and Ust-Kut Formation reveals its sustained position
in the Lena River area. The possible exception is rep-
resented by sections near the villages of Mironovo,
Ichera, and P’yanobykovskoe, demonstrating some
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
 2016 No. 5 Vol. 24 STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
Cambrian Ordovician System
Middle Upper Lower Series
Verkhnyaya Lena Group
Zmeinogorsk Ilga Ust-Kut Formation
R3nЄ2m N3Є2m R4nЄ2m N4rЄ2m R5nЄ2m–O1t Magnetozones
N2rЄ2am–m

Polarity
I

5
n

15

10
II

3
7
3
3
8
1
10 III

2
3
2
7
5

11
IV

3
4
9
4
2

10
V

7
6
6

VI

1
2
2
1
2

2
2
7
6

4
4
6
2
6
13
11
15
22
49
30

2
Polarity
L Lithology
VII

Litvin- Zmeinogorsk Ilga Ust-Kut Formation

tsevo
Verkhnyaya Lena Group

0
m
50
475 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
476 RODIONOV
reduction in the zone thickness, which sharply
increases only in the section along the Chuya River in
the Fore-Baikal Trough. This is probably explained by
either different sedimentation rates or different age of
the Ust-Kut Formation base.
Tunguska Syneclise
In this area, the Middle–Upper Cambrian Evenk
Formation and upper part of the Lower Ordovician
Proletarskaya Formation were investigated in three
outcrops (33–35) at the Podkamennaya Tunguska
River (Fig. 7). The section in outcrop 33 is exposed
only in its lower and upper parts, while the approxi-
mately 10-m-thick middle part is covered by talus
deposits and vegetation. The section in outcrop 34 is
built up higher in the section by section 35 and both of
them represent an analog of the lower part of section 33.
Taking into consideration the lithology of their rocks,
the lower part of section 33 and other sections (34, 35)
may be attributed to the Middle–Upper Cambrian
Evenk Formation and the upper part of section 33 may
be attributed to the Lower Ordovician Proletarskaya
Formation. The Evenk Formation is composed of
brown sandstone with rare intercalations of its reddish
gray varieties. Higher, these rocks are overlain by alter-
nating gray sandy limestones and yellowish platy sand-
stones. The upper part of outcrop 33 corresponding to
the Lower Ordovician Proletarskaya Formation is rep-
resented by yellowish gray and greenish gray sand-
stones with intercalations of their yellow and dark gray
varieties. The paleomagnetic measurements in rocks
of the Evenk and Proletarskaya formations revealed
that sections of outcrops 33 (lower part) and 34 are
identical in their structure, being represented by zones
of normal and reversed polarity, while the sections of
outcrops 33 (upper part) and 35 are characterized by
reversed magnetization. Figure 7 illustrates the cor-
relation between these sections and the composite
Middle–Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician
paleomagnetic section of the Tunguska syneclise with
the reference paleomagnetic section of the Verkhnyaya
Lena Group (Lena River, Zmeinovo settlement). The
paleomagnetic structure of the composite section of
the Evenk and Proletarskaya formations indicates that
its lower part is correlative with the upper part of the
reference Verkhnyaya Lena Group section, even
though the unstudied interval between them is taken
into account. All these considerations provide grounds
for the conclusion that the lower part of the composite
section of the Evenk Formation corresponds to the
Middle–Upper Cambrian interval and the upper part
Fig. 5. Schematic magnetostratigraphic correlation of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group sections in the Nepa River basin. (I) Nepa
River, upstream of the Shirokaya River mouth; (II) Nepa River, 2 km upstream of the Okichi River mouth; (III) Nepa River,
2 km downstream of the Okichi River; (IV) Nepa River, 2 km downstream of the Talaya River mouth; (V) Nepa River, 5 km
downstream of the Shirokaya River mouth; (VI) Lena River, village of Zmeinovo (reference section of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group). For legend, see Fig. 7.
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
of the Proletarskaya Formation corresponds to the
Lower Ordovician.
MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY
OF THE VERKHNYAYA LENA GROUP
OF THE SIBERIAN PLATFORM
The magnetostratigraphic scale is developed on the
basis of paleomagnetic correlation between composite
local sections, which are characterized by a succession
of traceable paleomagnetic zones with normal and
reversed polarity as well as by reference orthozones
used for correlation of red-colored sections of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group between each other and with
the Zmeinovo reference magnetostratigraphic section.
Indexation of these orthozones and their succession
served as a basis for development of the regional mag-
netostratigraphic scale for red-colored Cambrian
deposits of the Siberian Platform. Figure 8 demon-
strates the magnetostratigraphic scale developed for
the areas under consideration. It shows that their
examined sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group dif-
fer from each other in their stratigraphic ranges and
positions. The lower boundary of the group in these
areas is located at different stratigraphic levels. The
contact between underlying Lower–Middle Cam-
brian carbonate and overlying red-colored rocks in the
Nepa River basin is conformable without any indica-
tions of a hiatus. In the middle reaches of the Lena
River, the lower boundary of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group is placed stratigraphically slightly higher as
compared with its position in Nepa River section.
Moreover, the boundary between underlying carbon-
ate and overlying red-colored rocks in the Lena River
sections is unconformable. The Lower–Middle Cam-
brian carbonate rocks contain carbonate pebbles. The
lower boundary of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the
reference section examined in the upper reaches of the
Lena River is also unconformable, being located at a
substantially higher stratigraphic level as compared
with sections at the Nepa River and in the middle
reaches of the Lena River. The upper boundary of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group in sections of the upper and
middle reaches of the Lena River, northern Baikal
region, and the Podkamennaya Tunguska River is
most likely synchronous, being located in the lower
part of orthozone 9 (R5nЄ2m–O1t) near the upper
boundary of orthozone 8 (N4rЄ2m). Thus, it may be
stated that the onset of the sedimentation cycle in the
southern Siberian Platform was asynchronous and
prolonged. Judging from the structure of the regional
magnetostratigraphic scale under consideration, this
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN 477

Formation

Polarity
Group
System
Series
Orthozone

Ordovician

Ust-Kut
VI
Lower

R5nЄ2m–O1t
Upper

30
Ilga

III
I II
N4rЄ2m 49
11 13 7

5 5
7 22
1
3
R4nЄ2m 5 15
4
2 11

10
N3Є2m 13
3
2 6
10 2
6
Verkhnyaya Lena
C a m b r i a n

R3nЄ2m 6 2
Zmeinogorsk

2
2 4
Middle

2
4
2
N2rЄ2am–m

V
IV
3 2
5
R2Є1tn–Є2am

m
50

41

0
7
Lower

N1Є1tn 4
R1Є1tn 5

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

 478

XI

System
Series
Group
Orthozone
Polarity
V
I VI
n XII

Lower
Ust-Kut Formation

Ordovician
VII IX X 70 XV
30
28 10

Ilga
R5nЄ2m–O1t

Upper
5 8
XIV
8 9
8 4
3 2 7
IV 10 6
N4rЄ2m 49 16 2 VIII 16 23 9
12 1 4
3 5
II 19 6 5 8 8
22 2 6 5 4
6 3 4
R4nЄ2m 15 4 12 5 4
3 2
11 3 XIII 6
2 III 9 2
1 8 22
13 12 5 2
N3Є2m 9 2

Middle
RODIONOV

13 6 3
6 5 4

Zmeinogorsk
2 17 10 5 1

Cambrian
6 1 50 m

Verkhnyaya Lena
R3nЄ2m 2 62
4 1 28
4 1
N2rЄ2am–m 1
17
25

Lower
R2nЄ1tn–Є2am

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Vol. 24
Fig. 6. Schematic magnetostratigraphic correlation of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group sections in the middle reaches of the Lena River. (I) Lena River, village of Zmeinovo;
(II‒IV) Lena River, settlement of Petropavlovskoe; (V) Lena River, opposite the Chechui River mouth; (VI) Lena River, tributary of the Chaya River; (VII) Lena River, village
of Mironovo; (VIII) Lena River, 5 km upstream of the village of Ichera; (IX) Lena River, village of Ichera; (X) Lena River, village of P’yanobykovskaya; (XI) Malaya Chuya
River; (XII) Lena River, village of Polovinka; (XIII) Lena River, village of Peledui; (XIV) Lena River, village of Khamra; (XV) Lena River, Mt. Khadar. For legend, see Fig. 7.

No. 5
2016
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN 479

Lena River,
village of Zmeinovo

Orthozone
Formation

Formation
Podkamennaya Tunguska River,

Lithology

Lithology
Polarity

Polarity
System

Group
1
Series

downstream of settlement
n of Baikit (Vel’mo River mouth area)
2
Outcrop 33
3
3

Proletarskaya
4
Ordovician

5
Lower

R5nЄ2m-O1t

6
Ust-Kut

30
7
Outcrop 35
8
3
Outcrop 34 9
Evenk
Ilga

2 ~~
1 ~~~ 10
4 3 11
1
4 12
N4rЄ2m 49
13
14
15
Verkhnyaya Lena
C a m b r i a n

Zmeinogorsk

22 16
Upper

R4nЄ2m n 17
15 m
50
11

N3Є2m 13

R3nЄ2m 6
0
2

Fig. 7. Schematic magnetostratigraphic correlation of Middle–Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician sections in the Lena and
Podkamennaya Tunguska river basins. (1) Clay; (2) sandy clay; (3) sandstone; (4) concretions; (5) limestone; (6) sandy lime-
stone; (7) dolomite; (8) marlstone; (9) siltstone; (10) mudstone; (11) stromatolitic limestone; (12) intervals with normal polarity;
(13) intervals with reversed polarity; (14) silty clay; (15) boundaries of paleomagnetic zones; (16) stratigraphic boundaries;
(17) number of levels, samples.

process lasted from the terminal Early Cambrian REGIONAL MAGNETOSTATIGRAPHIC SCALE
Toionian Age until the end of the Middle Cambrian FOR MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
Amgaian Age. This sedimentation cycle terminated at AND LOWER ORDOVICIAN RED-COLORED
the beginning of the Ust-Kut time. Inasmuch as the DEPOSITS OF THE SIBERIAN PLATFORM
upper part of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the Nepa
section is overlain by the Middle Ordovician strata The magnetostratigraphic scale developed for the
without visible indications of a hiatus, it may be Middle–Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician
assumed that this area was occupied by shallow-water Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the southern Siberian Plat-
basin at that time, where sedimentary material was form meets all the requirements of the stratigraphic
subjected to continuous reworking. code in (Dopolneniya…, 2000, pp. 29–43; Stratigrafi-

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

2016 No. 5 Vol. 24 STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
Cambrian Ordovician System
Lower Middle Upper Lower Series
Namanian Zeledeevian Mansi–Loparian Regional stage
V e r k hn y a y a L e n a Group
Zmeinogorsk Ilga Ust-Kut Formation
Sibirskaya (NR) Baikal’skaya (Rn) Hyperzone
Burskaya (Rn) Irkutskaya (NR) Khadarskaya (Rn) Superzone
R5nЄ2m-O1t Orthozone
R1Є1tn
N1Є1tn
N3Є2m
N4rЄ2m

R3nЄ2m
R4nЄ2m

R2Є1tn–Є2am
N2rЄ2am–m

Polarity
Evenk Proletarskaya Formation
Polarity
Podkamennaya
Tunguska River,
Vel’mo River mouth

Verkhnyaya Lena
Nepa River

Zmeinogorsk Ilga Ust- Formation

Kut
Polarity
Upper reaches
of the Lena River

Verkhnyaya Ust-
Lena Ilga Sura
Kut
Northern Baikal region,

0
m

50
Lena, Chaya, Limpeya rivers

100

Fig. 8. Magnetostratigraphic scale of composite Cambrian and Lower Ordovician sections in the central and southern Siberian Platform.
4
C a m b r i a n Ordovician
Middle Upper Lower
Verkhnyaya Lena Ilga Tochil’nino

Middle reaches
of the Lena River
RODIONOV 480
 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
cheskii…, 2006, pp. 45–51). The general magnetostrati-
graphic scale should be based on the analysis of rela-
tions between biostratigraphic and magnetostrati-
graphic units and synthesis of the results of their
comparison. The magnetostratigraphic scale of the
Cambrian Verkhnyaya Lena Group in the region under
consideration covers the interval corresponding to the
terminal Toionian Stage of the Lower–Upper Cam-
brian. The composite magnetostratigraphic section of
this interval includes the following orthozones (from
the base upward): (1) R1Є1tn, (2) N1Є1tn, (3) R2Є1tn–
Є2am, (4) N2rЄ2am–m, (5) R3nЄ2m, (6) N3Є2m,
(7) R4nЄ2m, (8) N4rЄ2m, (9) R5nЄ2m–O1t. The first
two orthozones (R1Є1tn and N1Є1tn) need additional
data for their more complete substantiation. The other
orthozones are stratigraphically sufficiently well sub-
stantiated (Fig. 8) to play the role of reference intervals
and were used at the first stage for correlating sections
of the Vekhnyaya Lena Group and developing local
magnetostratigraphic scales for the southern Siberian
Platform. At the next stage, all composite paleomag-
netic sections available for different areas were cor-
related with the reference paleomagnetic section of the
Cambrian Verkhnyaya Lena Group (village of Zmei-
novo, right side of the Lena River). At the last stage,
the composite sections of different areas were sub-
jected to regional correlation to construct the regional
magnetostratigraphic section, which served as a basis
for developing the magnetostratigraphic scale for the
Cambrian Verkhnyaya Lena Group. The structure of
the regional paleomagnetic section is represented in its
middle part by alternating zones with normal and
reversed polarity; its lower and upper parts are charac-
terized by reversed polarity. This structure of the
paleomagnetic section constructed for the Cambrian
Verkhnyaya Lena Group allows magnetostratigraphic
units of higher rank such as superzones and hyperzones
to be defined (Fig. 8). The lower part of this section with
reversed polarity corresponds to the superzone
Burskaya R (Є1tn–Є2am) and its upper part corre-
sponds to the superzone Khadarskaya Rn (Є2m–O2l).
The middle part of the section with frequently alter-
nating zones of normal and reversed polarity is
attributed to the superzone Irkutskaya NR (Є2m).
The superzones Burskaya R (Є1tn–Є2am) and
Irkutskaya NR (Є2m) are subordinate to the hyper-
zone Sibirskaya NR (Є1tn–Є2m), while the super-
zone Khadarskaya Rn (Є2m–O2l) is subordinate to
the hyperzone Baikal’skaya Rn (Є3–S1l).
The paleomagnetic units were defined on the basis
of cyclicity in the magnetic field polarity. Initially, the
first half of the cycle was most likely characterized by a
stable field polarity, which gave way to alternating nor-
mal and reversed polarity in its second half. Subsequent
stabilization of the geomagnetic field marked the begin-
ning of the next cycle. Thus, the cycles in the geomag-
netic field polarity correspond to large magnetostrati-
graphic units of the hyperzone rank, the beginning of
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
481
which is represented by a stable field and the second half
by alternating normal and reversed polarity.
In this connection, the boundaries of the hyper-
zones Sibisrkaya Rn and Baikal’skaya Nr of the stan-
dard scale were changed. In the new scale, the hyper-
zones Sibirskaya Rn and Baikal’skaya NR correspond
to the Є1b–Є2m and Є3–S1l intervals, respectively.
The magnetostratigraphic scale developed for the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group of the southern Siberian
Platform in the interval spanning from the upper part
of the Toionian Stage of the Lower Cambrian to the
Mayaian Stage of the Middle Cambrian differs con-
siderably in its polarity structure from the standard
scale in (Dopolneniya…, 2000, pp. 29–43). This is pri-
marily explained by the reiterated changes in the
stratigraphic position of the Verkhnyaya Lena Forma-
tion: according to (Resheniya…, 1983), it belonged to
the Middle–Upper Cambrian interval; subsequently
(Resheniya…., 1989), its upper part was defined as the
Ilga Formation and attributed to the Upper Cambrian,
while the remaining part received a higher rank to
become the Verkhnyaya Lena Group corresponding to
the Middle Cambrian Mayaian Stage. The compari-
son of the magnetostratigraphic scale developed for
the Verkhnyaya Lena Group with the regional biostra-
tigraphic scale shows that this unit corresponds in its
range to the uppermost part of the Lower Cambrian
Toionian Stage–Middle Cambrian interval. Figure 8
presents the paleomagnetic structure of the Verkhnyaya
Lena Group and Ilga Formation.
In the standard magnetostratigraphic scale, the
upper part of the Verkhnyaya Lena Formation with
reversed polarity corresponds to the lower part of the
Tremadocian Stage of the Lower Ordovician. Down
the section, the formation is represented by the super-
zone Irkutskaya NR corresponding to the upper part of
the Upper Cambrian and superzone Burskaya R corre-
sponding to the basal part of the Upper Cambrian and,
partly, to the uppermost Middle Cambrian. They are
underlain by the superzone Ulakhanskaya NR, which
covers the lower part of the Mayaian and upper part of
the Amgaian stages.
The superzones Irkutskaya NR and Burskaya R are
identical in their structure and succession to similar
superzones defined in the new scale (Fig. 8), differing
only in their stratigraphic positions.
The superzone Ulakhanskaya NR of the standard
magnetostratigraphic scale is missing from the newly
developed scale (Fig. 8). It seems that this NR super-
zone corresponds to another stratigraphic level. At the
moment, its stratigraphic position is indeterminable.
In the new scale, the names of magnetostrati-
graphic units and their succession are preserved when-
ever possible: changes concern only positions of unit
boundaries. The new scale is of particular importance
for developing the local and regional stratigraphic
scales, offering the opportunity for global correlation
of Cambrian sections on other continents.
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
482 RODIONOV

GSS RSS RMSS

Regional stage

Hyperzone
Orthozone
Formation

Superzone
Polarity
Characteristic

System

Group
Series
Stage
assemblages
of fossil organisms

Trilobites:

Mansi–Loparian
Ordovician
Pseudoacrocephalites

Tremadocian

Khadarskaya (Rn)
Baikal’skaya (Rn)
Ust-Kut
Lower
Trilobites:
Dolgeuloma–Saukiella,
Dolgeuloma ordinara Og.
Brachiopods: R5nЄ2m–O1t
Tetralobula
Monoplacophora:
Lenaella octobinaria
Bjalu
Trilobites: Kuraspis
Upper

Ilga
obscura N. Tchern.,
K. similis N. Tchern.,
K. antiqua Ros.

N4rЄ2m

Zmeinogorsk

Irkutskaya (NR)
Verkhnyaya Lena

R4nЄ2m
Mayaian
C a m b r i a n
Middle

Sibirskaya (NR)
N3Є2m

R3nЄ2m

N2rЄ2am–m
Trilobites:
Namanian Zeledeevian
Amgaian

Proasaphiscus sibiricus
Burskaya (Rn)

N. Tchern., P. clarus
N. Tchern.,
Deltocephalus orietalis R2Є1tn–Є2am
Og., Incheriella lata Og.
Trilobites: Namanoia
Toionian

namanensis Lerm.,
Lower

Bathynotus namanensis N1Є1tn

Lerm. R1Є1tn

Fig. 9. Correlation between regional biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic scales of the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician inter-
val in the central and southern Siberian Platform. (GSS) General stratigraphic scale; (RSS) regional stratigraphic scale, (RMSS)
regional magnetostratigraphic scale.

CORRELATION OF REGIONAL CAMBRIAN– Cambrian is poorly substantiated because of scarce

LOWER ORDOVICIAN BIO- faunal remains. The interval from the middle part of
AND MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHIC SCALES the Amgaian Stage to the Ilga Formation is defined
IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PARTS conditionally on the basis of the underlying and over-
OF THE SIBERIAN PLATFORM lying sequences. This interval includes red-colored
rocks of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group barren of fossils.
Figure 9 demonstrates the correlation between
regional bio- and magnetostratigraphic scales. In the The regional magnetostratigraphic scale (RMSS)
Lower Cambrian–Lower Ordovician interval of the for the Lower Cambrian–Lower Ordovician interval is
biostratigraphic scale, reliable substantiation is avail- represented by alternating zones of normal and
able only for the Lower Cambrian, basal strata of the reversed polarity. The lower (Toionian Stage and
Amgaian Stage, and Lower Ordovician. The Upper lower part of the Amgaian Stage) and upper (Upper

STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION Vol. 24 No. 5 2016

 MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE–UPPER CAMBRIAN
Cambrian Ilga and Lower Ordovician Ust-Kut forma-
tions) portions of the scale are characterized by
reversed polarity. The middle part of the scale is repre-
sented by frequently alternating zones of normal and
reversed polarity. The high resolution of the scale is
obvious. In addition, the scales are characterized by
close positions of magnetostratigraphic units. It may
be unambiguously stated that the upper boundary of
the Irkutskaya NR superzone of the regional magneto-
stratigraphic scale is located slightly below the Mid-
dle–Upper Cambrian boundary in the regional strati-
graphic scale (RSS). The lower boundary of this
supezrone in the RSS passes below the boundary
between the Middle Cambrian Amgaian and Mayaian
stages. In addition, according to paleomagnetic data,
the Verkhnyaya Lena Group is subdivided into six ref-
erence orthozones. As follows from Figure 9, there is
no direct coincidence of boundaries in the RSS and
RMSS. At the same time, when the positions of bio-
stratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic boundaries are
taken into consideration during correlation with other
regions, the validity of the latter may be estimated. The
sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group and reference
Middle–Upper Cambrian sections in the Kolyumbe,
Khorbusuonka, and Olenek (lower reaches) river
basins were correlated taking into consideration paleo-
magnetic poles (1–4) in Table 5. The consistency in
the positions of these paleopoles determined for the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group of the Irkutsk amphitheater
and Middle Cambrian reference sections of the north-
ern Siberian Platform is confirmed by the high preci-
sion parameter value (K = 305) and small radius of the
confidence circle (A95 = 4°), which indicates identity
and synchronism of these sections. The difference
between the mean values of positions of paleopoles 1
and 2–4 determined for these sections is 5.8° (Table 5).
CONCLUSIONS
By its paleomagnetic structure, the section of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group is subdivided into three parts.
Its lower and upper parts are characterized by reversed
polarity, while the middle portion is represented by
frequently alternating zones of normal and reversed
polarity. The Verkhnyaya Lena Group rests uncon-
formably upon the Middle–Upper Cambrian strata
and the base of this unit is asynchronous. The most
complete sections of the group are located in the mid-
dle reaches of the Lena and at the Nepa River (tribu-
tary of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River). Its lower
boundary in these sections is located within the upper
part of the Lower Cambrian Toionian Stage. The tran-
sition between the Ilga and carbonate Lower Ordovi-
cian Ust-Kut formations is gradual (Ogienko, 1992).
The base of the Dolgeuloma–Saukiella Zone is
accepted to represent the upper boundary of the Ilga
Formation (Ogienko, 1974, 1977, 1978). The sole
exception is the section of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group in the Nepa River area, which is overlain by the
STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGICAL CORRELATION
483
Middle Ordovician strata. According to paleomag-
netic data, the Lower Ordovician and Upper Cam-
brian Ilga Formation deposits are missing from this
section. The largest part of the Verkhnyaya Lena
Group corresponds to the Middle Cambrian. After
thorough correlation of this part of its section with
Middle–Upper Cambrian reference sections of Sibe-
ria, the isochronous levels represented by boundaries
of hyperzones, superzones, and orthozones may serve
as a basis for specifying the stratigraphic age of the
Verkhnyaya Lena deposits.
The data presented in this investigation made it
possible
(1) to develop the magnetostratigraphic scale for
the Verkhnyaya Lena Group and correlate it with the
regional Middle–Upper Cambrian biostratigraphic
scale of the southern and central Siberian Platform;
(2) to determine the stratigraphic range of the
Verkhnyaya Lena Group corresponding to the
Lower–Middle Cambrian Toionian Stage and estab-
lish the asynchronous position of the lower boundary
of the group;
(3) to arrive at the conclusion that the Irkutskaya
NR superzone with alternating polarity readily recog-
nizable in the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician sections
of the Siberian Platform represents an important
stratigraphic reference level at the global scale;
(4) to establish that the Middle–Upper Cambrian
boundary in sections of the Verkhnyaya Lena Group is
located near the last Middle Cambrian normal-polar-
ity magnetic zone;
(5) to reveal that the carbonate sedimentation in
the southern Siberian Platform was replaced by red-
colored facies in the terminal Toionian–initial Amga-
ian ages.
The future investigations should include correla-
tion of Cambrian sections of different lithological–
facies compositions between each other and with the
biostratigraphic type section using magnetozones and
development of the regional Cambrian magnetostrati-
graphic scale for the Siberian Platform.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to Professor A.N. Khramov (recently
deceased) for his valuable recommendations and con-
sulting during preparation of the manuscript, Profes-
sor A.I. Kirichkova for discussion of biostratigraphic
scales, and N.V. Sal’naya and V.A. Mikhailova for their
help in preparing the manuscript (all from VNIGRI).
I also thank the reviewers A.Yu. Guzhikov and
N.M. Chumakov for constructive notes and positive
assessment of this work.
Reviewers A.Yu. Guzhikov and N.M. Chumakov
Vol. 24 No. 5 2016
484 RODIONOV
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