Bypass margins, basin−restricted wedges and platform−to−basin correlation, Upper Devonian, Canadian Rocky Mountains: implications for sequence stratigraphy of carbonate plat− form systems

ABSTRACT: Carbonate platforms can commonly keep up with relative sea-level rise because of high rates of sediment accumulation and plat-form aggradation. Surrounding basinal environments are commonly starved but can receive variable extrabasinal siliciclastic input and ep-isodically deposited carbonate sediment. If accumulation rates in ba-sinal settings lag behind those of the platform, a bypass or erosional margin can develop. Under these circumstances platform and basin depositional sequences become physically detached and direct corre-lation of basinal and platform sequences is hindered. We report here the results of high-resolution stratigraphic analyses of two Upper Devonian isolated carbonate platforms in western Al-berta that provide insight into the sequence stratigraphy of bypass margins and criteria for accurate correlation of platform and basinal sequences. The slope and basin sequences surrounding the Miette and Ancient Wall platforms consist of basin-restricted, onlapping wedge