Abstract:

 By systemically summarizing geological data, we have identified the following types of continental special deposits that may indicate the climate characteristics, namely, the calcareous deposit, flammable organic rock, evaporite, desert sedimentary system, lateritic weathering crust, ferruginous deposit, copperbearing deposit, volcanic deposit, limestone, dolostone, and bentonite. On the basis of distribution maps of 6 periods of the Early Cretaceous, we are able to discuss the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of different special deposits. Combined with climate significance of continental special deposits, we summarized the climate indexes as follows: the flammable organic rock, the pyrite and siderite associated with black shale, and the bentonite reflect warm and humid climate; the lateritic weathering crust and ferric deposit reflect humid and hothot climate; the gypsum and limestone reflect warm and dry climate; the rock salt, glauberite, desert sedimentary system and dolostone reflect hot and dry climate; the volcanic deposits reflect high temperature climate; the calcareous deposit and copperbearing deposit reflect aridsemiarid climate. On the basis of distribution and assembly characteristics of special deposits, six climate types can be classified: (1)warm and humid climate; (2)warm and humidwarm and dry climate; (3)warm and dry climate; (4)hot and dryarid climate; (5)hot and drywarm and dry climate; (6)hot and dry climate. The distribution of different climate areas was latitudinal zoning from the Berriasian to the Barremian. The distribution manner changed to the overlapping of latitudinal distribution with meridional distribution in the Aptian and the Albian, and at the same time, the types of climate area increased in the East. The climate was hottest and driest in the Hauterivian and was most humid in the Albian.

Key words: Key words: Early Cretaceous; continental special deposits; distribution characteristics; climate ty