Problems of a Late Palaeozoic glaciation in Australia and subsequent climate in the Permian

The most recent information suggests two periods of glaciation separated by a considerable time interval. The first is found in the Namurian (Early Carboniferous) and may extend into the beginning of the Late Carboniferous. Evidence for the Carboniferous glaciation is largely or entirely redeposited, striated clasts known only from the New England area of northeastern New South Wales. These are considered to represent montane type glaciation associated with a developing alpine chain. a long interval, glacial deposits are then found in many parts of Australia in the Asselian, the lowest stage of the Permian, and the glaciation may extend into the beginning of the Sakmarian, the following stage. In Western Australia a number of major fluctuations are recorded in the Asselian. The end of the glaciation seems to be associated with a worldwide eustatic rise in sea-level in the Tastubian (the lower stage of the Sakmarian). After the Tastubian no direct, verifiable evidence, indicates glaciation in the Permian in Australia or any other part of the world. In Australia there is no clear evidence on the climate in the interval between the two glacial periods but in South America and other parts of the world, a warm interval is reported at this time. Most of the glacial debris is now found in sedimentary basins which were developing contemporaneously with the glaciation and is of a wet-based type. Glaciers were active on steep hinterland carrying debris in adjacent water-covered basins but how far the ice may have spread over lower lying land areas in not clear. There is no real evidence of a thick dry-based ice-sheet like that of present Antarctica. the Tastubian there are a number of major fluctuations in climate during the rest of the Permian. At times seasonal ice and/or perhaps icebergs may have been active, but fluctuations which were cool or warm-temperate or in some places, in Australia, even subtropical or tropical are found in the Sterlitamakian (Upper Sakmarian), beginning and end of the Baighenzhinian (Upper Artinskian), Kungurian, Kazanian and Dzhulfian, all separated probably by colder and in some cases considerably colder periods. ison of the marine faunas of the Carboniferous and Permian suggests that the Levipustula fauna may not represent as cold sea water as the Eurydesma fauna.