Stable-isotope mapping in Messinian evaporative carbonates of central Sicily

Mapping stable-isotope isolines in both modern and ancient evaporative carbonate formations demonstrates that regional variations of δ¹⁸O values exist. In the case of the Messinian Central Sicilian Basin, an ancient evaporite basin, the distribution pattern of the δ¹⁸O isolines can be related to the paleogeometry and paleohydrology of the basin. Isolines of equal δ¹³C values also show large regional variations possibly reflecting the domination of different bacterial processes (oxidation, sulfate reduction, or methanogenesis) in different regions. The potential application for stable-isotope mapping in evaporative carbonate formations deposited in both marine and lacustrine environments lies in its ability to predict the location of depositional centers in ancient evaporite basins.