The sulfur and strontium isotopic compositions of Permian evaporites from the Zechstein basin, northern Germany

The sulfur isotopic composition of stratigraphically well constrained samples from five evaporitic cycles of the German Zechstein (upper Permian) displays no systematic lateral variation and no significant temporal trend. With an average δ^sup 34^S value close to 11[per thousand], results confirm the previously determined sulfur isotope minimum for Phanerozoic seawater. Least radiogenic ^sup 87^Sr/^sup 86^Sr ratios for these sulfates define a clear temporal variation with a minimum value at 0.707008. A conclusive assessment of this temporal trend in comparison with other data sets for upper Permian seawater is not possible due to substantial differences in (bio)stratigraphic assignments.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]