Fig. 14

Palaeogeographic evolution of the southern Central European Basin (CEB) during the deposition of the Upper Muschelkalk. Modified from Adams and Diamond (2017). The box around the transgressive–regressive (T–R) hemicycles refers to the time interval shown in the corresponding figure, in relation to the third-order T–R cycle of the Upper Muschelkalk deposition. a During the transgressive 3rd-order hemicycle, crinoid shoals and small bioherms develop and retrograde (denoted by arrows) towards the Vindelician High. Some tempestites are deposited on the open ramp and in the backshoal lagoon. b Shelly shoals develop in eastern Switzerland and begin to prograde (denoted by arrows). Nodular mudstones are deposited on the open ramp of the southern CEB and are subsequently covered by tempestite sheets during the regressive 3rd-order hemicycle. c Oolitic shoals develop in the backshoal and prograde westwards (denoted by arrows). Backshoal washover deposits begin to cover the now hypersaline backshoal lagoon. A coastal sabkha develops on the shoreline of the Vindelician High. d After the coastal sabkha has prograded far into the basin, it is subsequently overlain by retrograding oolitic shoals (denoted by red arrows) in northern Switzerland during a late marine transgression (light blue arrows). Meteoric groundwaters are seen percolating into the basin (dark blue arrows; Adams and Diamond; 2017)