Multifractal characterization of the Coniacian–Santonian OAE3 in lacustrine and marine deposits based on spectral gamma ray logs

Limited to the Atlantic and its surrounding basins, the expression of the Coniacian–Santonian oceanic anoxic event (OAE3) was discovered in the non-marine Cretaceous Songliao Basin, Eastern Asia not long ago. In this study, based on spectral gamma ray logs data recorded in three basins, the self-similarity of the OAE3 was studied through the analysis of the scaling properties of thorium–potassium and thorium–uranium distributions both in marine and terrestrial environments using the multifractal detrending fluctuation analysis. The results indicate that, in both marine and terrestrial systems, the OAE3 intervals are characterized by their multifractal nature due to long-range correlation. However, the multifractal features of the studied OAE3 intervals are different in the three basins, although some common trends were observed. By comparing the degree of multifractality of the OAE3 deposits with the clay minerals and the redox conditions, it appears that the changes of the multifractal features are controlled by local changes such as clay mineralogy and redox conditions in both milieus under different sedimentation patterns. At all sites, the left side shortened spectrum of the thorium–potassium distribution suggests the presence of local fluctuations with minor amplitudes during the OAE3. Furthermore, the shortened singularity spectrum of the thorium–uranium distribution reflects the existence of small-scale fluctuations with large amplitudes at marine sites while in the non-marine Songliao Basin, the thorium–uranium distribution suggests the presence of local fluctuations with small amplitudes during the OAE3. Therefore, a more local behavior of the event is considered although the regional character is not neglected.