DEEP SEA SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS REVEALED IN CRNJAK COVE TURBIDITES (MIDDLE EOCENE-MIOCENE), SOUTHERN MONTENEGRO

About 750 m long outcrop of Middle Eocene-Miocene turbidite in Crnjak Cove (Southern Montenegro) is exposed in an asymmetrical syncline. Various lihologies (Bouma sequence Ta,b,c,d,e members) in seven distinct packages represent four deep sea environments in this 300 m thick sequence. Basal package (T₁: 0-35 m), made of dark green, massive calcareous marl (Te), which contains several thin beds of laminated (Td) siltstone, represents distal basin floor. The packages T₂ (30-145 m), T₄ (160-190 m), and T₇ (230-300 m) are dominated by thin to medium thick olive green greywackes and grayish green lithic wackes most commonly stacked in Tb,c,d sets, separated by thin, massive or platy bluish-green marls (Te). The sandstone (Tb) soles contain flute casts, prod casts, and scour marks indicating proximal submarine fan environment. The third (T₃; 140-160 m) and sixth (T₆; 200-230 m) packages consist of thin olive green greywackes (Tc,d) intercalated with marls (Te). The greywacke (Tc) soles contain abundant and diverse Nereites ichnofacies (Paleodictyon, Tephrelminthopsis, Helminthoida, Megagrapton), suggesting distal submarine fan environment. The fifth package (T₅; 190-200 m) is thinnest but contains the coarsest clasts. Three sets of Ta,b packages reach 1-2 m thickness and contain large (20-50 cm) clasts of rippled (Tc) and laminated (Td) graywackes within gravelly to sandy matrix derived from coastal parts of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. Grayish-blue gravel contains large benthic forams (Nummulites and Discociclyna) while brownish sandy matrix is full of smaller benthic forams (Miliolids). This package represents channel deposits derived by extraordinary forces of hurricanes or tsunamis.