The Triassic–Jurassic boundary event from an equatorial carbonate platform (Ghalilah Formation, United Arab Emirates)

The Ghalilah Formation, UAE provides a complete and continuous equatorial shallow-water carbonate sequence through the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic interval. In higher latitudes, this interval is frequently associated with widespread ocean acidification evidenced by a lack of carbonates or a hiatus in deposition. The data presented here in contrast show evidence for aragonite supersaturation at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary in the equatorial Tethys. –13C_carb shows a characteristic negative excursion with values as low as –2.8‰ just below the boundary. Deposition of fossiliferous limestones in this location persisted into the latest Rhaetian through the initial negative carbon isotope excursion.