Sediment Dynamics and Stratigraphic Architecture of a Lower Silurian Storm-Dominated Carbonate Ramp, Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada

The upper Llandovery succession across the Jupiter-Chicotte formational contact on Anticosti Island, Québec, allows us to study the sediment dynamics and stratigraphic architecture of a storm-dominated, carbonate ramp. The Anticosti paleotropical ramp was slowly subsiding and recording significant changes in sea level in a far field glacial setting during the early Telychian. Three facies associations, grouping nine facies, are recognized along the E-W outcrop belt, and from top to bottom as the: (FA-1) encrinitic carbonate facies, (FA-2) mixed siliciclastic and carbonate facies, and (FA-3) non-encrinitic carbonate facies. These mid to outer ramp sediments represent deposition mostly from episodic, high-energy storm events as evidenced by hummocky cross-stratification, large wave ripples, gutter casts, and wave-enhanced sediment-gravity flow deposits.;Spatial and temporal changes in siliciclastic content imply basin margin depositional environments in the eastern sections and change in climate regime from arid to humid conditions. The Chicotte deposition marks a major faunal change with the domination of crinoids triggered by increasing siliciclastic supply, rapid sea level fluctuations and change in substrates. The recognition of one major transgressive-regressive (TR) sequence subdivided in distinct meter-scale cycles allows a high resolution E-W correlation. The development of the TR sequence and meter-scale cycles is driven by glacio-eustacy where the main sequence is 4th order (∼400 Ky) with superimposed meter-scale cycles that are 5th and/or 6th order (∼100 Ky). Nevertheless, erosional capping surfaces within the more proximal tempestites represent ancient rocky shorelines that developed during forced sea level falls. In order to explain this stratigraphic architecture, a carbonate open-ramp model is proposed with a concave-up profile and a narrow and steep inner ramp in equilibrium with a high-energy coastline.