Solar Affinity of Sedimentary Cycles in the Late Precambrian Elatina Formation

Abstract

Climatic cyclicity is recorded by regular variations in the thickness of siltstone-fine sandstone laminae interpreted as annual deposits (varves) within the Elatina Formation, a late Precambrian ( - 680 million years old) periglacial lake deposit in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Earlier conclusions, based on the study of limited rock outcrop, that the climatic cycles reflect solar variability are strongly supported by a complexity of periods revealed through study of drill cores of the - 10 m thick varved sequence. The wealth of new data generated by the drilling program, which was CSIRO-sponsored largely because of the support of R. G. Giovanelli, has application to solar physics and solar-planetary science.