Study on Carbonate Sequence Stratigraphy of Ordovician in Northern Ordos Basin

The formation of carbonates is different from that of siliciclastics. The controlling factors, such as the in-situ production of carbonates the transport, local variation in depositional processes and the way of dispersal are unique to carbonates systems, and have resulted in the formation of a wide variety of stratal patterns. The authors believe that all the factors influencing the formation of carbonates, such as the evolution of carbonate platform, transgression and regression, drowning and exposing of the platform, should be taken into consideration during the study of carbonate sequence stratigraphy.This paper attempts to summarize the study procedure in outcrop sequence stratigraphy and to describe the integrated identification of condensed section, first flooding surface and maximum flooding surface, so that the framework of high-resolution sequence stratigraphy can be constructed. During the Sandokan in early Ordovician, a carbonate-siliciclastic ramp was developed in northern Ordos, which changed into a carbonate rimmed shelf or a distally steepened ramp during the Zhuozishan and Kelimoli. It was the break in the Wulalike and Middle Ordovician,changing the sedimentary setting into an aulacogen According to the basin evolution, the authors have established some different idealized models for depositional sequences and systems tracts.