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The volcanic rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province, in Brazil, are grouped in the Serra Geral Group. The province can be chemically divided into low-TiO 2 , and high-TiO 2 . In southern Brazil, the low-TiO 2 lava pile reaches a thickness of ~ 1 km and is formed of heterogeneous lava packages here divided into four lava formations. Torres Formation (TF) is characterized by chemically more primitive basaltic (> 5 wt% MgO) compound pahoehoe flow fields; these lavas stratigraphically overly aeolian sandstones of Botucatu Formation and represent the onset of the volcanic activity. Vale do Sol Formation (VSF) groups vertically stacked sheet-like rubbly pahoehoe basaltic andesites (SiO 2 > 51 wt%; MgO 2 lava sequence. Sedimentary interbeds are preserved throughout the whole lava pile and were deposited during quiescence periods of volcanic activity, and represent important stratigraphic markers (e.g. TF-VSF contact). The newly proposed stratigraphy provides promptly recognized stratigraphic units in a regional framework of fundamental importance for future correlations and provide vital information in the understanding of how the Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province evolved through time.

In the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, the volcanic sequence of the Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province consists of pahoehoe and rubbly pahoehoe lava flows with basaltic and basaltic andesitic composition respectively, overlaid by acidic volcanic rocks. The acidic volcanic rocks of the Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province exhibit textures and structures that can be related to effusive and/or explosive eruptions generating predominantly rheoignimbrites. The huge lava volume related to the emplacement of large igneous provinces implicates on efficient feeder systems that are more commonly observed in continental environments. In the Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province, feeders of basaltic rocks are exposed in several dyke swarms (Ponta Grossa NW trending, Florianopolis/Skeleton Coast (NW Namibia) N-S trending, Serra do Mar NE trending and Henties Bay/Outjo NE trending). In contrast, the only feeder system proposed to the acidic rocks of the Parana-Etendeka Igneous Province is the Messum complex in Namibia (Milner et al. 1995). In the study area, the opening of three quarries for the extraction of dimension stones has exposed impressive structures/textures that show the effusive emplacement and the ductile to fragile-ductile magma transition along the acidic feeder dykes. Besides that, magma mixing/mingling processes between two acidic magmas are observed along the dykes. Here we describe new occurrences of acidic feeder dykes, correlate the dykes with acidic flows and discuss their importance to understand the emplacement of the Palmas type acid units in southern Brazil.

Here, the Lower Permian, post-glacial fossiliferous Lontras black shales from the Parana Basin (southern Brazil) are studied using integrated palynological, geochemical and petrographic methods for the first time in order to decipher the prevalent palaeoenvironmental conditions during their sedimentation. These black shales were deposited in a restricted marine environment. Inorganic geochemical data (U/Th ratios, authigenic uranium, molybdenum), organic geochemical data (total organic carbon, biomarkers) and framboid pyrite size distributions point to predominantly anoxic/euxinic bottom-water conditions. Moreover, the presence of aryl isoprenoids and maleimide biomarkers indicates that euxinia in the water column was intermittently present in the photic zone. The onset of anoxic conditions was caused by elevated productivity in the basin, which was related to deglaciation, marine transgression and the increased delivery of terrestrial nutrients. The presence of a positive organic carbon isotope excursion indicates that the black shale deposition resulted from increased productivity and the expansion of anoxic and nitrogen- and phosphate-enriched waters into the shallow photic zone. The high values of δ 15 N (exceeding 9‰) may be related to the deglaciation-driven sea-level rise and advection of denitrified water mass from the Panthalassic Ocean to the intracratonic Parana Basin. Prolonged periods of sea-floor anoxia/euxinia excluded potential scavengers and bioturbators, thus enhancing the preservation of numerous fossil taxa, including fish, sponges, insects and their larval cases, and conodont apparatuses. The intermittent photic zone euxinia may also have contributed to the mass mortality of fish populations, the fossils of which are very well-preserved in these black shales.

The Parana-Etendeka Volcanic Province records the volcanism of the Early Cretaceous that precedes the fragmentation of the South-Gondwana supercontinent. Traditionally, investigations of these rocks prioritized the acquisition of geochemical and isotopic data, considering the volcanic stack as a monotonous succession of tabular flows. Torres Syncline is a tectonic structure located in southern Brazil and where the Parana-Etendeka basalts are well preserved. This work provides a detailed analysis of lithofacies and facies architecture, integrated to petrographic and geochemical data. We identified seven distinct lithofacies grouped into four facies associations related to different flow morphologies. The basaltic lava flows in the area can be divided into two contrasting units: Unit I - pahoehoe flow fields; and Unit II - simple rubbly flows. The first unit is build up by innumerous pahoehoe lava flows that cover the sandstones of Botucatu Formation. These flows occur as sheet pahoehoe, compound pahoehoe, and ponded lavas morphologies. Compound lavas are olivine-phyric basalts with intergranular pyroxenes. In ponded lavas and cores of sheet flows coarse plagioclase-phyric basalts are common. The first pahoehoe lavas are more primitive with higher contents of MgO. The emplacement of compound pahoehoe flows is related to low volume eruptions, while sheet lavas were emplaced during sustained eruptions. In contrast, Unit II is formed by thick simple rubbly lavas, characterized by a massive core and a brecciated/rubbly top. Petrographically these flows are characterized by plagioclase-phyric to aphyric basalts with high density of plagioclase crystals in the matrix. Chemically they are more differentiated lavas, and the emplacement is related to sustained high effusion rate eruptions. Both units are low TiO2 and have geochemical characteristics of Gramado magma type. The Torres Syncline main valley has a similar evolution when compared to other Large Igneous Provinces, with compound flows at the base and simple flows in the upper portions. The detailed field work allied with petrography and geochemical data are extremely important to identify heterogeneities inside the volcanic pile and allows the construction of a detailed lithostratigraphical framework.

The Cambirela Silicic Volcanic Sequence is the only Neoproterozoic volcanic manifestation in the Florianopolis Batholith. The sequence is associated with the late stages of the post-collisional magmatism emplaced in the Dom Feliciano Belt during the Brazilian/Pan-African Orogenic Cycle that was responsible for the amalgamation of the West Gondwana supercontinent. Distinct from other ignimbrite occurrence, that are generally associated with caldera and sedimentary sequences, the Cambirela Silicic Volcanic Sequence is associated with shallow granitic bodies in a plutono-volcanic system. The sequence is arranged along a high geomorphological feature with NNE-SSW orientation, distributed in a total area of 88 km2, and is constituted by effusive and pyroclastic units. The pyroclastic unit is dominant in the sequence and characterized by ignimbrites with 15–50% of quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase crystals, crystal and lithic fragments immersed in a tuffaceous matrix, presenting incipient eutaxitic to parataxitic structure. Due to its geotectonic structure and the absence of associated caldera and sedimentary sequences, these ignimbrites were classified as fissure ignimbrites. The effusive unit is composed by rhyolites with 3% of quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase phenocrysts immersed in an equigranular fine matrix. These units were divided into five lithofaceis: porphyritic rhyolite (pR), lapilli-tuff with low-crystal content and eutaxitic structure (lceLT), lapilli-tuff with high-crystal content and eutaxitic structure (hceLT), lapilli-tuff with parataxitic structure (pLT) and crystal-rich lapilli-tuff (crLT). Based on geochemical data, these were classified as high-silica rhyolites, related to the high-K calc-alkaline series, close to the shoshonitic series. The sequence has a slightly metaluminous to peraluminous character and high contents of alkalis, FeOt/(FeOt + MgO) and agpaitic indexes. These characteristics are associated to the A-type magmatism in post-collisional settings in southern Brazil. Regarding to the rheology, the sequence present glass transition temperatures ranging from 731 to 781 °C, liquidus temperatures from 940 to 968 °C and viscosities from 7.72 to 8.90 log Pa.s. These values are similar to the chronocorrelated Ilha Granite, but slightly different from the Ana Dias Rhyolite. The rheological and geochronological similarities between the Cambirela Silicic Volcanic Sequence and the Ilha Granite, together with the contact relationships and interaction observed in the field between these units, indicate that these melts probably belonged to the same magma chamber constituting a magma mush located in the shallow portion of the crust.

The Torres Syncline is a large structure that constitutes the eastmost outcrop of the Parana–Etendeka CFB in South American side, and this work focuses the stratigraphy and facies architecture of the volcanic pile in the syncline. The volcanic sequence along the study area permits the division of three regions: main valley, intermediate zone and south hinge, each of them with distinct stratigraphy, which probably reflects the structural evolution of the syncline. The stratigraphy of the Torres Syncline is composed by: 1 — Botucatu palaeoerg; 2 — Basic volcanic episode I; 3 — Basic volcanic episode II, 4 — Acidic volcanic I, 5 — Basic volcanic episode III and 6 — Acidic volcanic episode II. The five volcanic episodes recognized in study area can be related to five volcanic facies architecture: compound-braided, tabular-classic, tabular/lobate escoriaceous, dome-field (acidic lavas) and tabular flows (acidic lavas). The basic episode I is composed by pahoehoe flows with a compound-braided facies architecture that covered the Botucatu palaeoerg. The basic episode II is a tabular-classic facies architecture predominantly composed by simple flows (10–20 m thick) reaching the total thickness of ~ 500 m in main valley. The acidic episode I is exposed in main valley and south hinge, and is composed by acidic lavas forming lava dome-field facies architecture with a thickness of ~ 150 m. The basic episode III is predominantly constituted by ‘ a ’ ā flows with tabular/lobate escoriaceous facies architecture. The acidic episode II is constituted by tabular flow volcanic facies (acidic flows) and outcrops all along the study area. The Torres Syncline constitute the eastmost on-shore exposures of the Parana–Etendeka CFB in South American side and detailed stratigraphic, volcanological and structural studies in these area, coupled with correlation with Huab Basin (NW Namibia, Africa) will aim the understanding of the Gondwana breakup process and the early stages of the South Atlantic margin opening.

Burial of active aeolian dunes by lava flows can preserve the morphology of the dunes and generate diverse features related to interaction between unconsolidated sediments and lavas. In the study area, located in southern Brazil, burial of aeolian deposits by Cretaceous basaltic lava flows completely preserved dunes, and generate sand-deformation features, sand diapirs and peperite-like breccia. The preserved dunes are crescentic and linear at the main contact with basalts, and smaller crescentic where interlayered with lavas. The various feature types formed on sediment surfaces by the advance of the flows reflect the emplacement style of the lavas which are compound pahoehoe type. Four feature types can be recognized: (a) type 1 features are related to the advance of sheet flows in dune–interdune areas with slopes > 5°, (b) type 2 is formed where the lava flows advance in lobes and climb the stoss slope of crescentic dunes (slopes 8–12°), (c) type 3 is generated by toes that descend the face of linear dunes (slopes 17–23°) and (d) type 4 occurs when lava lobes descend the stoss slope of crescentic dunes (slopes 10–15°). The direction of the flows, the disposition and morphology of the dunes and the ground slope are the main factors controlling formation of the features. The injection of unconsolidated sand in lava lobes forms diapirs and peperite-like breccias. Sand diapirs occur at the basal portion of lobes where the lava was more solidified. Peperite-like breccias occur in the inner portion where lava was more plastic, favoring the mingling of the components. The generation of both features is related to a mechanical process: the weight of the lava causes the injection of sand into the lava and the warming of the air in the pores of the sand facilitates this process. The lava–sediment interaction features presented here are consistent with previous reports of basalt lavas with unconsolidated arid sediments, and additional new sand-deformation features formed by lava breakouts and sand diapir injections are presented.

Pahoehoe flows interbedded with sediments have been identified in the superior portion of Parana Continental Flood Basalts (PCFB), west portion of Parana State, southern Brazil. In the study area peperites are generated by the interaction between lava flows and wet lacustrine sediments (silt and clay). Evidence that the sediments were unconsolidated or poorly consolidated and wet when the lava flowed over them includes vesiculated sediment, sediment in vesicles and fractures in lava flow and in juvenile clasts in the peperite and soft sediment deformation. Hydrodynamic mingling of lava and wet sediments (coarse mingling) is predominant and volcanic rocks and textures related to explosive phase of Molten Fuel Coolant Interaction (MFCI) are not observed in study area. Locally centimeter-sized areas display direct contact between ash-sized juvenile clasts and sediments formed by the collapse of a vapor film. The textures of fluidal peperites in the central PCFB indicate that the relevant factors that led to a coarse mingling between lava/sediment are (1) lava properties (low viscosity); (2) fine grained, unconsolidated or poorly consolidated wet sediment; and (3) a single episode of interaction between lava flows and sediment.