Volcanogenic Influx into the Epeiric Sea of the Russian Platform

The "camouflaged" pyroclastics composed of smectite, illite-smectite, and zeolite, in association with volcanic glass fragments was found in the Upper Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous strata of the northeastern Peri-Tethys (eastern Russian Platform). Variations in pyroclastic matter distribution are regarded to be associated with fluctuations in volcanic influxes into the study area. The Armavir basalt stratovolcano is among the main sources of volcanic ash clouds transported the pyroclastic material to the basin. In the middle Albian, the volcanic activity is thought to be the most intense, and pyroclastics from the Ciscaucasian backarc basin, including that from the Armavir Massif, was supplemented by ash clouds transported from the Crimean volcanic arc.