宁夏贺家口子地区晚新生代地层序列及其构造意义

对宁夏贺家口子新生代剖面进行了详细的岩石地层和磁性地层研究，并重点标定了晚第三纪和早第四纪地层的年代。结合相应的地层接触关系和沉积相研究，获得了该剖面构造事件序列信息。认为：青藏高原东北边缘的海原－同心弧形构造束地区强烈的新生代构造变形开始于10MaBP左右，并经历了多个变形阶段。贺家口子剖面所揭示出来的这种构造变形特征，在青藏高原东北边缘地区具有区域意义。     

中天山科克苏河地区隆升剥蚀历史——来自(U-Th)/He年龄的制约

天山是中亚造山带重要组成部分,其中-新生代构造热演化及隆升剥露史研究是认识中亚造山带构造变形过程与机制的关键.本文应用磷灰石(U-Th)/He技术重建中天山南缘科克苏河地区中-新生代构造热演化及隆升剥蚀过程.磷灰石(U-Th)/He数据综合解释及热演化史模拟表明该地区至少存在晚白垩世、早中新世、晚中新世3期快速隆升剥蚀事件,起始时间分别为~90Ma、~13Ma及~5Ma,且这3期隆升剥蚀事件在整个天山地区具有广泛的可对比性.相对于磷灰石裂变径迹,磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄记录了中天山南缘地质演化史中更新和更近的热信息,即中天山在晚中新世(~5 Ma)快速隆升剥蚀,其剥蚀速率为~0.47mm·a~(-1),剥蚀厚度为~2300m.总体上,中天山科克苏地区隆升剥蚀起始时间从天山造山带向昭苏盆地(由南向北)逐渐变老,表明了中天山南缘隆升剥蚀存在不均一性,并发生了多期揭顶剥蚀事件.     

塔里木盆地东北缘晚新生代钻孔岩心磁性地层年代学及其构造意义

塔里木盆地的高分辨率沉积记录对于理解青藏高原隆升、亚洲内陆干旱化乃至全球气候变化至关重要.建立可靠的地层年代标尺对于研究塔里木盆地晚新生代沉积环境演化、构造运动及古气候变化具有重要意义.本文对塔里木盆地东北缘库尔勒地区的两个全取心钻孔ZK3（深500 m）、ZK5（深300 m）进行详细的磁性地层学研究,结果表明,ZK3孔中更新统底界为54.8 m,下更新统底界为167.0 m,上新统底界为432.0 m,钻孔底部年龄约为6.2 Ma,属上中新统上部;ZK5孔中更新统底界为64.7 m,下更新统底界为241.5 m,钻孔底部年龄约为3.2 Ma,属上上新统.基于上述磁性地层年代标尺,通过沉积速率分析发现ZK3孔在3.0—3.6 Ma之间沉积速率明显增大,反映了塔里木盆地北部天山在此期间的快速隆升.通过东西部多个盆地地质剖面沉积速率的对比分析发现,这期构造活动在区域上具有准同期活动特征,在时代上与晚中新世以来青藏高原快速隆升的时代一致,可能与青藏高原的隆升扩展效应有关.     

西沙群岛西科1井晚中新世-上新世生物礁沉积的磁性地层学初步结果

本文对西沙群岛西科1井钻孔岩心晚中新世-上新世生物礁沉积进行了详细的岩石磁学、磁性扫描与磁性地层学研究.结果显示,西科1井生物礁相沉积中的载磁矿物主要是磁铁矿.我们推测,这些磁铁矿的微小颗粒主要来自海水中含有的陆源物质,在生物生长过程中通过珊瑚体或其它寄生生物对海水的过滤与吸附作用保存在生物礁沉积中.进一步的磁性地层学研究及其与地磁极性年表的对比发现,在上新统莺歌海组、上中新统黄流组内部可获得多个年龄控制点,并对莺歌海组和黄流组的底界位置给出了初步制约.其中,莺歌海组记录了C2An.3n和C3n.4n,黄流组记录了C3An.2n至C5n.2n.虽然这一对比方案存在一定不确定性,但是在现阶段生物地层年代及其它年代学资料相对匮乏的情况下,我们认为本项研究的磁性地层学结果能为西沙群岛晚中新世以来的生物礁沉积提供更多可靠的年龄控制点,并为今后的区域地层对比提供磁性地层年代学依据.     

钱塘江河口周边钻孔磁性地层学研究及意义

长江三角洲地区的沉积历史和特征,是揭示我国东部沿海区域新生代以来构造演化与地理格局形成过程的重要窗口.本文基于磁性地层学方法,结合AMS14 C和光释光测年数据以及该地区硬质黏土标志层,对分布于钱塘江河口两侧的五个钻孔建立年代地层框架.结果表明,除河口北部一个钻孔底部年龄至高斯正极性期外,其余钻孔显示南部地区约200ka BP以来才开始沉积,最南端晚至约60ka BP.与该地区已有钻孔磁性地层学资料进行对比,认为长江三角洲部分区域沉积年龄超过百万年和"北厚南薄、东厚西薄"的特征,主要是受早期区域构造背景的影响,而长江三角洲大范围的沉积发生自约200ka BP以来,受构造缓慢沉降和海平面变化控制的细颗粒(黏土-粉砂粒级)从晚更新世才开始沉积,约60ka BP以后扩大至整个三角洲区域.     

晚新生代黄土高原风尘堆积序列的磁性地层年代与古气候记录

对黄土高原较完整的晚新生代风尘堆积序列的磁性地层研究表明 ,风尘堆积成壤序列开始发育的时代约为 7.2Ma,如果认为亚洲季风气候的起源与青藏高原的高度密切相关的话 ,风尘堆积在 7.2Ma的出现则可能意味着青藏高原在此时达到了有意义的高度 ,东亚古季风环流基本建立 .黄土高原的红粘土序列由 7个显著的红色黄土层以及与其相间的 7个古土壤组合组成 ,它们记录了 7.2～ 2 .6Ma的晚第三纪东亚古季风演变的历史 .     

天山南北前陆盆地新生代变形与天山造山带的波动耦合

天山南北前陆盆地变形及与天山构造变动的关系一直备受关注.通过地震资料解释和地面地质调查,对它们的构造特点、构造样式、变形主控因素、变形时间和关系等进行了对比研究.两个前陆盆地新生代变形都表现出南北分带、东西分段和上下分层的特点.变形样式以压性为特点,既有基底卷入式变形,也有盖层滑脱式变形.这种变形的复杂性与软性地层的存在有密切关系.从变形时间上看,新生代两个盆地都经历了多期变形,且变形表现为从天山造山带向盆地内部逐渐变新.天山南北前陆盆地的变形动力学可用造山楔动力学模型代表,但其构造又明显表现出波的特点,据此提出了波动造山楔的概念,建立了天山两侧双波动楔模型.     

延吉地区晚中生代火山岩的Ar-Ar年代学及其大地构造意义

延吉地区晚中生代-新生代火山岩的高精度Ar-Ar年代学研究表明，前人划分为三叠-侏罗系火山岩 (包括三仙岭组、屯田营组、天桥岭组、金沟岭组和火山岩组)的喷发时期为早白垩世 (118-106 Ma)，略晚于中亚造山带东段及邻区的大规模岩浆活动的主体形成时代；而与古太平洋板块 (Izanagi-Farallon 板块)俯冲作用有成因联系的泉水村组adakite岩石的喷发时间为55 Ma左右。根据新的火山岩年代学资料，我们重建了区域晚中生代-新生代的火山-沉积地层格架     

南天山欧西达坂岩体热演化历史与隆升过程分析——来自Ar-Ar和(U-Th)/He热年代学的证据

天山造山带晚古生代以来的隆升剥露过程与带内矿床形成后的保存潜力密切相关.本文报道了新的角闪石/斜长石Ar-Ar年龄和锆石/磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄,为重建南天山中段地区欧西达坂岩体完整的构造-热演化历史提供年代学基础,结合前人研究成果分析了冷却速率及剥蚀速率变化特征,对南天山中段晚古生代以来的热演化历史及隆升剥蚀历史进行了探讨.同位素定年结果显示,角闪石Ar-Ar坪年龄为(382.6±3.6)Ma,斜长石Ar-Ar加权平均年龄为(265.8±4.9)Ma,锆石与磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄分别为(185.8±4.3)和(31.1±2.9)Ma.热演化历史及模拟结果表明,南天山中段地区晚古生代至今的构造-热演化历史可以大致分为5个阶段:(1)志留纪末至晚泥盆世岩体平均冷却速率约7.84℃/Myr;(2)晚泥盆世至中二叠世末期,岩体的平均冷却速率约2.07℃/Myr;(3)中二叠世末到始新世中期岩体平均冷却速率降至0.68℃/Myr,此期间总体地质运动较为平缓;(4)新生代始新世期间(约46~35Ma)南天山中段地区发生了一期快速隆升剥蚀事件,岩体冷却速率突升至5.00℃/Myr,剥蚀量达到1.83km,平均剥蚀速率0.17mm/a;(5)始新世中期(约35Ma)至今,平均冷却速率约为1.14℃/Myr,隆升速度仍然较快,剥蚀量约为1.33km,平均剥蚀速率约0.04mm/a.新生代以来天山的剧烈隆起抬升受控于印亚碰撞的远程效应,远程作用在天山的响应具有一定的滞后效应.     

天山中新世早期快速剥露：磷灰石裂变径迹与（U-Th）／He低温热年代学证据

天山造山带新生代剥露过程与构造演化历史一直是国内外地学界关注的热点．本文联合运用磷灰石裂变径迹（AFT）和（u—Th）／He（AHe）低温热年代学技术,重建了新疆天山巴仑台剖面基岩山体的热演化历史,分析了剥露速率的变化特征,结合前人研究成果进一步探讨了新生代天山地区剥露作用过程的基本特点．结果表明,巴仑台剖面磷灰石样品的裂变径迹年龄集中在40～60Ma,（U—Th）／He年龄为10～40Ma;裂变径迹时间一温度史模拟结果表明巴仑台地区中新世早期以来剥露作用明显增速,剥露速率由之前的〈30mMa-1增大为〉1001TIMa-1;基于AFT与AHe年龄,利用年龄～封闭温度法以及矿物对法计算得到的剥露速率也表明该地区新生代剥露作用自中新世早期开始加速,并且在晚中新世剥露作用进一步增强．本文所揭示的快速剥露过程也存在于天山造山带其他地区．从整个天山造山带来看,开始于中新世早期的快速剥露是新生代天山地区一次重要的剥露作用过程．     

西南天山隆起时代的河床砂岩屑磷灰石裂变径迹证据

现代的天山山脉是在古生代造山基础上,于新生代强烈抬升而形成.其新生代造山和隆升过程,造就了现今的天山地貌格局.本文选取西南天山作为研究区域,采用河床砂岩屑裂变径迹测年分析,从统计角度限定西南天山的隆升-剥露过程.样品采集于特克斯河支流阿克雅孜河、夏特河、木扎河以及特克斯河干流的沉积河床.磷灰石裂变径迹测试和统计分析表明,存在代表源区热史演化不同阶段的年龄峰值.尽管不同样品的年龄众数分布有少许差别,颗粒年龄众数的去褶积分析获得了西南天山山体新生代冷却的三个基本一致的阶段：6~8 Ma,12~19 Ma以及32~40 Ma.结合山脉隆起的地质地貌模型,无论是整体抬升或掀斜抬升,以及压扭性背景的花状挤出抬升,根据磷灰石裂变径迹封闭温度推断的抬升量与现今天山高度基本相当的事实,都可以确认西南天山山体是6~8 Ma以来形成的.天山这三期快速抬升冷却事件与青藏高原及其周边的主要隆升时期有较好的对应,证明了天山隆升和印度-欧亚板块碰撞远程效应的关系.另外,6~8 Ma的冷却事件与沉积地层学研究揭示的6 Ma左右的气候显著变化相互印证,显示了研究区域山脉隆升和气候变化之间存在的密切关系.     

Nonlinear coupling between 100 ka periodicity of the paleoclimate records in loess and periodicities of precession and semiprecession

It is apparent that there are three periods in various Quaternary paleoclimate records, the pe-riod of the Earth抯 orbital eccentricity cycles, ~100 ka, the period of the Earth抯 obliquity cycles, 41 ka, and the periods of the precession cycles, 23 ka and…     

兰州地区晚第三纪磁性地层与古环境意义

兰州地区位于黄土高原和青藏高原的过渡带,其第三纪地层对研究风尘沉积发育和青藏高原隆升都有着特殊的意义.本研究以0.5 m间距对兰州盆地皋兰山剖面240 m的晚第三纪地层进行古地磁样品采集,古地磁样品共计422个;以50 ℃为间隔从室温至500 ℃用热退磁仪和超导磁力仪完成了皋兰山剖面样品的系统热退磁和剩磁测量.结果表明皋兰山剖面上部地层的实测极性柱出现2个负极性大段中间夹着4个正极性小段,其特点与Gilbert时的典型特征完全一致,并且两端未完全出露的正极性分别与Chron2A.3n和Chron3An.1n相对应,最终确定皋兰山剖面的年代为6～3.5 Ma.由此推断,皋兰山剖面顶部的五泉砾岩形成大约开始于3.5 Ma,五泉砾岩底界年代的确定,为青藏高原的A幕运动提供了地质证据.皋兰山剖面深度602 m处出现由河湖相砂岩向以风成红粘土为主常夹有薄层砂岩的地层转变,通过岩性地层及年代的推断,兰州地区的风尘序列堆积发育的年代至少为7 Ma,与黄土高原风尘序列堆积底界8～7 Ma基本一致,说明了兰州地区与黄土高原在风尘序列堆积过程中具有统一性.     

Two-dimensional finite element modeling on the crustal shortening and the surface erosion-sedimentation process across northern piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains

The Tianshan Mountains,located in the northwestern China,are bounded by the Tarim Basin to south and the Junggar Basin to north.In the north piedmont of this mountain range,ongoing thrusting and folding forms a set of roughly parallel anticlines.Geological observations predicted that averaged over last~1 Ma time scale,the shortening rates of these anticlines are about2.1–5.5 mm/a;However by averaged over about 10±2 kyr,their shortening rates reduce to merely about 1.25±0.5 mm/a.The slow shortening of the anticlines in the last~10±2 kyr is coarsely concurrent in time with the last global deglaciation.Here,we use a two-dimensional finite element model to explore crustal deformation across north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains under various erosion-sedimentation conditions that are assumed to represent the climate-controlled surface process.Numerical experiments show that with a relatively weak erosion-sedimentation strength,the crustal shortening is accommodated mainly by north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains,similar to the high shortening rate of anticlines averaged over the last~1Ma.By increasing erosion-sedimentation strength,the resultant crustal shortening is transformed gradually toward the Tianshan Mountains,resulting in the shortening rate in its north piedmont being decelerated to what is observed as averaged over the last~10±2 kyr.This result suggests that erosion and sedimentation could play an important role mechanically on strain localization across an intra-continent active tectonic belt.Hence,if the climate change around the last global deglaciation could be simply representative to the enhancement of surface erosion and sedimentation across the pre-existed Tianshan Mountains and its foreland,our models indicate that the observed shortening-rate variations averaged over~1 Ma and~10±2kyr time scales around north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains should be resulted from climate changes.     

FAULTED LANDFORM AND SLIP RATE OF THE JINGHE SECTION OF THE BOLOKENU-AQIKEKUDUKE FAULT SINCE THE LATE PLEISTOCENE

The Bolokonu-Aqikekuduke fault zone(Bo-A Fault)is the plate convergence boundary between the middle and the northern Tianshan. Bo-A Fault is an inherited right-lateral strike-slip active fault and obliquely cuts the Tianshan Mountains to the northwest. Accurately constrained fault activity and slip rate is crucial for understanding the tectonic deformation mechanism, strain rate distribution and regional seismic hazard. Based on the interpretation of satellite remote sensing images and topographic surveys, this paper divides the alluvial fans in the southeast of Jinghe River into four phases, Fan1, Fan2, Fan3 and Fan4 by geomorphological elevation, water density, depth of cut, etc. This paper interprets gullies and terrace scarps by high-resolution LiDAR topographic data. Right-laterally offset gullies, fault scarps and terrace scarps are distributed in Fan1, Fan2b and Fan3. We have identified a total of 30 right-laterally offset gullies and terrace scarps. Minimum right-lateral displacement is about 6m and the maximum right-lateral displacements are(414±10)m, (91±5)m and(39±1)m on Fan2b, Fan3a and Fan3b. The landform scarp dividing Fan2b and Fan3a is offset right-laterally by (212±11)m. Combining the work done by the predecessors in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains with Guliya ice core climate curve, this paper concludes that the undercut age of alluvial fan are 56~64ka, 35~41ka, 10~14ka in the Tianshan Mountains. The slip rate of Bo-A Fault since the formation of the Fan2b, Fan3a and Fan3b of the alluvial-proluvial fan is 3.3~3.7mm/a, 2.2~2.6mm/a and 2.7~3.9mm/a. The right-lateral strike-slip rate since the late Pleistocene is obtained to be 3.1±0.3mm/a based on high-resolution LiDAR topographic data and Monte Carlo analysis.     

The thermal history and uplift process of the Ouxidaban pluton in the South Tianshan orogen: Evidence from Ar-Ar and (U-Th)/He

The uplift and exhumation process in the Tianshan orogen since the late Paleozoic were likely related to the preservation of ore deposits. This study involved reconstructing the whole tectonic thermal history of the Ouxidaban pluton in central South Tianshan Mountains based on hornblende/plagioclase Ar-Ar and zircon/apatite(U-Th)/He methods. The thermal history and uplift process of central South Tianshan Mountains since the late Paleozoic were analyzed according to the results of previous works and cooling/exhumation rate features. The hornblende yields a plateau age of 382.6±3.6 Ma, and the plagioclase yields a weighted mean age of 265.8±4.9 Ma. The Ouxidaban pluton yields weighted mean zircon(U-Th)/He age of 185.8±4.3 Ma and apatite(U-Th)/He age of 31.1±2.9 Ma, respectively. Five stages of tectonic thermal history of South Tianshan Mountains since the late Paleozoic could be discriminated by the cooling curve and modeling simulation:(1) from the latest Silurian to Late Devonian, the average cooling rate of the Ouxidaban pluton was 7.84°C/Ma;(2) from the Late Devonian to the latest Middle Permian, the average cooling rate was about 2.07°C/Ma;(3) from the latest Middle Permian to the middle Eocene, the cooling rate decreased to about 0.68°C/Ma, suggesting that the tectonic activity was gentle at this time;(4) a sudden increase of the cooling rate(5.00°C/Ma) and the exhumation rate(0.17 mm/a), and crustal exhumation of ~1.83 km indicated that the Ouxidaban pluton would suffer a rapid uplift event during the Eocene(~46?35 Ma);(5) since the middle Eocene, the rapid uplift was sustained, and the average cooling rate since then has been 1.14°C/Ma with an exhumation rate of about 0.04 mm/a and an exhumation thickness of 1.33 km. The strong uplift since the Cenozoic would be related to a far-field effect from the Indian and Eurasian plates' collision. However, it was hysteretic that the remote effect was observed in the Tianshan orogenic belt.     

华南二叠系卡匹敦阶高分辨率浮点年代标尺

基于详细的生物地层学研究,以磁化率为古气候替代指标,对广西来宾铁桥剖面卡匹敦阶地层开展时间序列分析,建立高分辨率浮点年代标尺(FPTS).结果表明,磁化率记录了铁桥剖面中二叠世晚期沉积序列中的米兰科维奇旋回,卡匹敦阶上部磁化率突然增加与峨眉山玄武岩喷发和卡匹敦晚期全球性海退有关,这些事件导致同期沉积物中碎屑物质增加.铁桥剖面瓜德鲁普—乐平统界线附近磁化率和蓬莱滩剖面(乐平统底界GSSP)表现出一致的变化趋势,具可对比性.利用多窗谱法(MTM)和傅里叶变换(FT)从磁化率序列中识别出五个米兰科维奇周期:长偏心率周期(E2,405ka)、短偏心率周期(E1,100ka)、长地轴斜率周期(O2,44.1ka)、长岁差周期(P2,20.95ka)和短岁差周期(P1,17.7ka).对比基于E2周期建立的磁性地层磁化率(MSS)带和标准参考带(SRZ),建立整个沉积序列的高分辨率(200ka)FPTS,提出卡匹敦阶的时限为3.85 Ma(存在+0~0.28 Ma误差),整段沉积序列的平均沉积速率为2.91cm·ka-1.同时计算出卡匹敦阶内部七个牙形石带的时限,从最短26.6ka到最长2.3 Ma.另外,估算出峨眉山大火成岩省喷发启动时间为262.67 Ma,位于瓜德鲁普—乐平统界线之下1.42 Ma.     

STUDY ON QUATERNARY MAGNETIC STRATIGRAPHY IN WUHAN AREA,CHINA

With the lateral and vertical expansion of cities, urban geology becomes critical for urban construction. Wuhan City, as one of the largest cities in China, was chosen by China Geological Survey as pilot city to study multiple elements of urban geological survey. 90% of Wuhan area is covered by Quaternary strata, which means that most of the city is built on Quaternary sediments. The study of Quaternary stratigraphic structure of Wuhan area is a crucial groundwork for the urban geological survey of Wuhan. Due to the badly lagging of research on Quaternary stratigraphy of Wuhan area, this study selects four boreholes from hundreds of cores in this area in the project of Wuhan Urban Geological Survey for magnetic stratigraphic study and paleomagnetic analysis. This work mainly focuses on the borehole SK2 which possesses well-developed strata and is representative for magnetic strata division. Wuhan is located in the eastern Jianghan Basin where the Quaternary sediment has a fluctuant bottom edge, forming a half-graben shape boundary in large scale, as revealed by a large amount of boreholes. The borehole SK2 is located in the western Dongxi Lake depression. SK2 reveals continuous deep Quaternary sediment except for a short gap of late Pleistocen-early Holcene. Moreover, the grain size of drill core is generally smaller than other cores nearby, which is more suitable for paleomagnetic study. In this study, we collected 117 samples with an interval of 0.25~0.30m from relative fine grain layers in the borehole for paleomagnetic study. Demagnetization and sample measurement were conducted in State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS. By comparing with other well dated cores nearby, Wuhan's Quaternary magnetic stratigraphic chronology framework is initially established. Our data show that:1)the Brunhes-Matsuyama boundary(B/M)of borehole SK2 is clear, locating at 29.6m, and sediment at 1.2~29.6m belongs to Bmnhes normal polarity chron; 2)Two polarity drifts at 9.3~9.6m and 14.1~15.0m are observed in Brunhes. These samples collected from the Xiashu Loess yield two polarity drifts, which can be compared with the Xiashu Loess at Nanjing. The comparison between Xiashu Loess from borehole SK2 and that at Nanjing suggests that negative polarity drift at 14.1~15.0m is the Blake reverse polarity subchron(0.104~0.128Ma BP)and the polarity drifts at 9.3~9.6m(0.07~0.08Ma BP)is Norwegian-Greenland Sea reversal-polarity subchron; 3)Three polarity drifts were observed in Matsuyama, which is comparable with the borehole at Zhoulao and the borehole R25 in the center of the Jianghan Basin. They are at 38.2~39.8m(Jaramillo:0.99~1.07Ma BP), 66.5~71.9m(Olduvai:1.77~1.95Ma BP)and 75.8m(Reunion:2.01Ma BP); 4)Based on the forementioned paleomagnetic data, the depositional age structure of this borehole is:1.2~14.1m(late Pleistocene), 15~29.6m(middle Pleistocene)and 29.6~78.8m(early Pleistocene); 5)Our data show that deposition rate increased during 1.47~1.57Ma BP(54.9~61.3m)and 1.07~1.21Ma BP(39.8~47.3m)because they are fluvial sediments. This study builds the Quaternary stratigraphy and timescale for Wuhan area for the first time. However, because of the complex Quaternary sediment type in Wuhan area and the coarse sediment in the Matuyama, more comprehensive study is needed in the future to test whether our Quaternary stratigraphy and timescale is the best.     

New contributions to Chinese Plio-Pleistocene magnetostratigraphy

A new collection of over 500 orientated hand-samples (of which 180 are red clays) from a 195 m loess/red clay section near Xian (109° 12′ E, 34° 12′ N), China, has been dated by magnetic stratigraphy. Biostratigraphic and previous magnetostratigraphic investigations gave a maximum age for the Chinese loess of 2.4 Ma, implying that the underlying Red Clay Formation is Pliocene in age. The present study yields a clearly defined magnetic polarity stratigraphy in good agreement with a polarity time scale developed by earlier workers. An interpretation of this magnetostratigraphy suggests a basal age for the loess series in this region of 2.5 Ma, and a minimum age for the base of the Red Clay Formation, which is also the base of the section, of 5.0 Ma.