ESR and OSL dating of fossil-bearing deposits from Naracoorte Cave Complex palaeontological sites,south Australia

Little work has been undertaken on combined dating of sedimentary quartz grains using electron spin resonance (ESR) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques in Australia. This study aims to assess the suitability of a combined ESR and OSL dating approach for establishing improved chronologies of Middle-Late Pleistocene deposits within the Naracoorte Cave Complex (NCC), South Australia. Here, we apply ESR and OSL dating in tandem to a series of samples collected from three different NCC sites: Whale Bone, Specimen and Alexandra cave. ESR quartz dating focuses on the multi-centre (MC) approach, which involves comparative evaluations of Al and Ti centre signals, while paired luminescence dating focuses on single-grain OSL analysis and includes examination of multi-grain averaging effects. The comparative ESR-OSL dating results exhibit broad agreement for deposits spanning 50–150 thousand years, with either the Ti–H or Al centre ages overlapping with paired OSL ages at 2σ in nearly all cases. MC ESR evaluations (Al v Ti–Li v Ti–H age assessments) indicate incomplete resetting of the bleachable Al centre signal for a small number of samples. Two-thirds of samples exhibit Ti–Li ages that are significantly older than corresponding Al centre ages, which is unexpected from a bleaching kinetics perspective and may indicate a broader reliability issue for Ti–Li palaeodose evaluation with these particular samples. Our findings: (i) support the applicability of both palaeodosimetric dating methods in this depositional setting; (ii) highlight the merits of applying combined ESR-OSL analyses in tandem, and; (iii) provide one of the first reliable evaluations of quartz ESR MC dating for samples with natural dose ranges as low as only a few tens of Gy. These results show that the Whale Bone, Specimen and Alexandra cave sites are temporally related and can be used to derive multi-site reconstructions of faunal assemblages and palaeoenvironmental history.     

IR-OSL dating of uranium-rich deposits from the new late Pleistocene section at the Voka site, North-Eastern Estonia

This paper presents a series of results obtained from the 22 m thick deposits of the late Pleistocene section at the Voka site, NE Estonia. The section has been intensively studied during the past few years to elucidate the dynamics of the late Weichselian palaeoenvironmental changes in the Baltic region. According to the results obtained, the sediments at the Voka site were deposited in presumably freshwater sedimentary basin, which existed at least during the whole pre-Late Glacial Maximum (LGM) period of late Pleistocene (MIS 5 to 3). One of the characteristic features of the deposits is the high uranium content (up to 23 ppm) in the upper part of the section studied. This study aimed to focus on the influence of potentially unstable environmental radioactivity on dosimetric dating results due to possible disequilibrium in the U decay chain. It was found that despite the high uranium content in the deposits, the dispersion of the dates obtained is surprisingly low. At the depths with the highest uranium content, only a moderate increase of the dispersion of the ages is observed.     

Gases and water isotopes in a geochemical section across the Larderello,Italy, geothermal field

Steam samples from six wells (Colombaia, Pineta, Larderello 57, Larderello 155, Gabbro 6, and Gabbro 1) in a south to north section across the Larderello geothermal field have been analyzed for inorganic and hydrocarbon gases and for oxygen-18 and deuterium of steam. The wells generally decrease in depth and increase in age toward the south. The steam samples are generally characterized by

1. Total gas contents increasing south to north from 0.003 to 0.05 mole fraction;
2. Constant CO₂ (95±2 percent); near constant H₂S (1.6±0.8), N₂ (1.2±0.8), H₂ (2±1), CH₄ (1.2±1), and no O₂ in the dry gas;
3. Presence of numerous, straight chain and branched C₂ to C₆ hydrocarbons plus benzene in amounts independent of CH₄ contents with highest concentrations in the deeper wells;
4. Oxygen-18 contents of steam increasing south to north from ?5.0‰ to ?0.4‰ with little change in deuterium (?42±2‰).

These observations are interpreted as showing:

1. Decreasing gas contents with amount of production because the proportion of steam boiled from liquid water increases with production;
2. Synthesis of CH₄ from H₂ and CO₂ with CO₂ and H₂ produced by thermal metamorphism and rock-water reactions;
3. Extraction of C₂ to C₆ hydrocarbons from rock organic matter;
4. Either oxygen isotope exchange followed by distillation of steam from the north toward the south (2 plates at ～220°C) or mixture of deeper more-exchange waters from the north with shallow, less-exchanged recharging waters from the south.

     

Identification of calanco,a badland landform in the northern Apennines,Italy

Calanco (plural, calanchi) is a term widely used in the northern Apennines, Italy, to define a type of badland formed in clayey bedrock. However, no precise geomorphological definition of calanco has been established and a variety of map symbols are used to indicate the presence of calanco landforms. With the aim of developing an improved approach to identifying calanchi, a group of experienced surveyors identified 24 catchments with calanco characteristics among 67 catchments located between Bologna and Faenza in the northern Apennines. The morphology of each catchment was classified using traditional quantitative geomorphic approaches including fieldwork, map interpretation, hypsometric curve construction and computation of the annual sediment yield. Consideration of the parameters produced by these approaches indicated that none was capable of representing the presence of calanchi unequivocally and the basins were grouped into five classes on the basis of number and type of calanco criteria that they met. A characteristic of calanchi that is evident on topographic maps is crenulation of the contour lines and in this study a new topographic parameter was developed to represent the degree of contour crenulation. This parameter, LO/LF, is defined as the ratio of the actual length of a contour line (LO) to the length of the same line smoothed by an algorithm based on a moving average (LF). Calculated values of LO/LF ranged from 1·05 to 1·38. To test whether high values of the contour crenulation parameter were associated with calanchi, LO/LF values were added to other criteria for the five classes of catchment. Class 1 catchments, consisting of 14 of the 24 calanchi catchments identified in the field, displayed all of the criteria defining calanchi, and were characterized by the highest values of LO/LF (mean value 1·27 ± 0·15). It is proposed, therefore, that the contour crenulation ratio (LO/LF) may be useful in identifying the calanco landform. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lavini di Marco (Trentino,Italy): 36Cl exposure dating of a polyphase rock avalanche

The Lavini di Marco rock avalanche deposit (“Marocca di Marco”) is located along the left side of the middle Adige Valley, south of the town of Rovereto (NE Italy). The deposit is estimated to have a volume of ∼2 × 10⁸ m³ and cover an area of ∼6.8 km². It comprises Jurassic Calcari Grigi limestones that detached from the western slope of Mt. Zugna Torta. The Lavini di Marco is composed of at least two different rock avalanche bodies, the main deposit known as Lavini di Marco (the principal) and the much smaller Costa Stenda deposit. Costa Stenda deposits overlie Lavini di Marco deposits. Samples for ³⁶Cl exposure dating were collected from boulders within the deposits, from sliding plane bedrock and from the bedrock wall at the head scarp. Exposure ages range from 800 ± 210 to 21310 ± 1000 years. The latter age stands as a notable outlier suggesting that that Costa Stenda boulder was exposed for a considerable amount of time in the pre-slide bedrock. Lavini di Marco and Costa Stenda boulder ages are 2600 ± 200, 2700 ± 200, 3100 ± 300, 3300 ± 300, 3400 ± 300, 4400 ± 290, 5300 ± 300, and 5400 ± 300 years. The latter three are Costa Stenda boulders which we also interpret to contain inherited nuclide concentrations. The five remaining boulder ages cluster around 3000 years. We calculate a mean age for the Lavini di Marco and Costa Stenda rockslides of 3000 ± 400 years. Within the uncertainties of our data the two slides were simultaneous. For the bedrock sliding plane we obtained significantly younger ages, 1600 ± 100 and 1400 ± 100 years, and for the head scarp 800 ± 200 years. The sliding plane ages record small-scale reactivation which seems to overlap in time with a catastrophic flood event of the Adige River in Verona, as reported in the Fulda Annales, in 883 AD. Only the single age of 800 ± 210 years suggests activity at Lavini di Marco coincident with the well-known Verona earthquake (1117 AD).     

Noble gases in a section across the vapor dominated geothermal field of Larderello,Italy

Noble gases were studied in six wells, located on a 4.5 km south to north section across the Larderello field. Depth of wells, flow and gas/steam ratios are known to increase from south to north. Exploitation progressed in the same direction. The following noble gas patterns are observable: (a) Atmospheric Ar, Kr and Xe reflect productions of gas-depleted water at Colombaia 2 and progressively more gas-enriched steam towards the Gabbro wells. (b) Radiogenic⁴He and⁴⁰Ar are observed in increasing concentrations from south to north. (c) The radiogenic and atmospheric gases reveal a positive correlation, indicating that the recharging water enters deep into the system, and gets well mixed with the radiogenic gases prior to the steam separation. (d) Gas contents and relative abundances of radiogenic argon decrease with production, thus supplying markers for the degree of exploitation in a well and a guide for optimum well spacing. (e) Excess neon over argon is observed and discussed in terms of crustal origin versus possible fractionation of atmospheric noble gases due to pertial steam separation.     

Middle and early cretaceous magnetic stratigraphy from the Cismon section,northern Italy

The pelagic limestones exposed in the valley of the Cismon river (near Feltre) appear to represent continuous deposition from Valanginian to Campanian, apart from a short hiatus in the Early Albian. Detrital magnetite is the carrier of remanence in these predominantly white-grey limestones, and a well-defined magnetic stratigraphy has been obtained. The Cretaceous quiet zone at Cismon is totally normal in polarity and stretches from Early Aptian to Early Campanian. Below the Lower Aptian, the Early Cretaceous mixed polarity interval is tentatively correlated with the sequence of geomagnetic reversals derived from the oceanic magnetic anomalies.     

Paleomagnetism of the type Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary section at Santa Maria de Catanzaro,Italy, and the problem of post-depositional precipitation of magnetic minerals

In order to assist in global correlation of the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, a paleomagnetic survey has been made of the world type section for the boundary, in Calabria, Italy. A total of 116 specimens from 36 sites were collected from the section, which as sampled is about 30 m thick. All sites possess stable remanent magnetism and northern hemisphere virtual geomagnetic poles, consistent with deposition during a period of normal polarity. If this period was during the Gilsa event, a minimum sedimentation rate of 17 cm per 1000 years would be required. Since a normal polarity chemical overprint, acquired during the last 0.69 m.y. could also explain the data, thermomagnetic analyses were made of selected samples. The results show the presence of highly unstable superparamagnetic material, which is most likely a product of post-depositional chemical precipitation. This observation enhances the possibility that any longer-duration precipitation could have created coarse and thus magnetically more stable components, the effects of which could not be readily distinguished from the original remanent magnetism.The difficulties of distinguishing between original depositional remanent magnetism and post-depositional chemical remanent magnetism, in outcropping marine sediments, as well as the large range of possible natural causes of the latter, is summarized in the form of a discussion of feasible Eh and pH changes occurring between original deposition at upper bathyal dephts and final sampling above sea level. It is considered that, in the absence of experimental means to distinguish the roles of original and chemically overprinted paleomagnetic signals, similarity of magnetic polarity stratigraphy between sections of sediments representing different paleoenvironments and sedimentation rates is a necessary if insufficient requirement for diagnosis of real geomagnetic behavior during deposition, as opposed to posidepositional effects.     

Multi-method radiometric dating of volcano-sedimentary layers from northern Italy: Age and duration of the Priabonian stage

A comparison between conventional KAr (biotite) ages and fission track (zircon and apatite) and UPb (zircon) ages obtained from stratigraphically well-constrained Priabonian (Late Eocene) volcano-sedimentary deposits of northern Italy is presented. Two sections at Priabona (one level) and Possagno (two levels) were dated. The application of fission track dating appears fruitful for obtaining reasonably precise (±4 to 5% 2σ errors) ages useful for time-scale calibration. The concordancy of apatite and zircon fission track ages, and the reproducibility of results provide the time of volcanic eruption and deposition. The UPb analysis of the zircons has not been unsuccessful, but discordancy does not permit accurate dating. Significant dates obtained from Possagno are: KAr method, 35.0 ± 0.5 Ma (duplicate analysis on K-rich biotite from the same level); fission track dating method, 35.8 ± 1.4 Ma (weighted mean age on 2 apatite and 3 zircon separates from the same level); UPb method, 36.7 ± 1.0 Ma (maximum age of discordant zircons from the same level). The comparison between the present results and recent multi-method and multi-laboratory results obtained from time equivalent Priabonian (Late Eocene) biotite-rich layers from the Apennines shows perfect agreement and supports the location of a Priabonian stage between about 37.5 Ma and about 33.7 (±0.5) Ma; the alternative ages preferred by the Decade of North American Geology convention should be abandoned and a large portion of this scale revised accordingly.     

Multi-method approach to dating glass: The case of Basiluzzo Islet (Aeolian archipelago,Italy)

A rhyolitic lava flow from Basiluzzo islet (Aeolian Islands), has been analysed with the Fission tracks (FT) and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar methods on glass, and with the U/Th method on whole rock to constrain its age and to compare the behaviour of different dating methodologies on glass samples late Quaternary in age. Laser ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar total fusion analyses were performed on populations of grains. Due to the low yields of radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar the age data are characterised by very high errors. The weighted average of the ages of the whole population is 55.7 ± 8.7 ka (MSWD = 0.7). The isochron age calculated on all points is 40.6 ± 11.4 ka (MSWD = 0.6), with an initial ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio of 297.8 ± 1.8; the isochron is characterised by very little spread among points. The procedure named ‘point-counting technique’ was adopted in FT dating. Spontaneous track mean size resulted reduced by around 20% compared to induced tracks, which indicates that the determined FT age, 28.6 ± 3.6 ka, is a reduced age, due to a certain amount of track annealing. For this reason the plateau technique for correcting thermally lowered ages was applied. We determined a plateau age (commonly assumed as a reliable estimate of the glass formation age) of 43.4 ± 7.1 ka. Four sub-samples of whole rock from Basiluzzo lava flow have been analysed using U/Th isochron method. The ²³⁸U/²³²Th and ²³⁰Th/²³²Th activity ratios of sub-samples have been determined by alpha counting and plotted on an isochron diagram. The resulting age is 46 ± 8 ka and the ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios are always close to one, demonstrating that no significant processes of alteration have occurred. The relatively high error associated with the age is due to a low fractionation of U/Th ratio in the analysed whole rocks. The ages obtained with different methods, 43.4 ± 7.1 ka (FT plateau age), 40.6 ± 11.4 ka (⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar isochron age of all grains), and 46 ± 8 ka (U/Th isochron) agree at the 1σ level, excluding a Holocene age for this sample. This could be valuable information for the Department of Civil Protection because it seems to mitigate the potential risk for present volcanic activity in the area. All ages are affected by very high analytical errors, which are due to the characteristics of the material analysed. Young ages result in low tracks numbers (FT dating) and barely detectable amounts of radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar in the presence of high atmospheric contamination (⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dating). Stratigraphic successions without strict chronologic constraints might however benefit even from age data with low precision.     

Map of the geoidal ondulations in Italy and the cross section Como-Otranto

Summary Astronomic and geodetic values of all observations made in Italy from 1868 to the present days are used to draw the geoidal ondulations-map in Italy.The geoidal ondulation along a cross section from Como to Otranto (for 1160 km length) is then traced.     

Underestimation of fine grain quartz OSL dating towards the Eemian: Comparison with palynostratigraphy from Azzano Decimo,northeastern Italy

Palynostratigraphical records have been used to understand the response of vegetation to climate change, and benefit from independent dating to ensure a robust correlation with global climate and sea-level change. In order to constrain the pollen chronology of a long sedimentary core taken at Azzano Decimo in the Friulian foreland of northeastern Italy, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) has been applied to fine grain quartz. The samples meet all the standard performance criteria set to test the reliability of the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol, and still show increasing dose response at 500 Gy. OSL ages are in good agreement with radiocarbon dating and the pollen interpretation down to 70 ka, and with D_e values of ～140 Gy, but below this point, they display an increasing age underestimation towards the Eemian and beyond. The comparison of D_e values measured using both a SAR and single-aliquot regeneration and added-dose (SARA) protocol, confirmed that both were successfully correcting for sensitivity changes in the quartz during measurement of the burial dose, and this was not the reason for the age underestimation. The quartz OSL dose response curve for all samples is best described by a saturating exponential plus linear (SEPL) function. Although all underestimated ages are derived from D_e values that fall on the high dose linear region of this curve, it is unclear if this is the cause of the underestimation.     

Optical luminescence dating of a loess section containing a critical tephra marker horizon,SW North Island of New Zealand

A new IRSL dataset is presented for the age and setting of a critical Late Glacial Maximum tephra isochron marker. The rhyolitic tephra, known as the Kawakawa Tephra, occurs as a 14 cm thick layer within a 5.9 m thick loess section overlying alluvial gravels in the Rangitikei River valley, SW North Island of New Zealand. Ages range from 21 at the base to 5 ka near the top of the loess and bracket an age of 17.0 ± 2.2 for the tephra. The new IRSL ages are in agreement with published and unpublished luminescence ages from other localities of loess, sand and ash above and below the tephra and of the tephra itself, that indicate an age of ca. 19 ka for the Kawakawa Tephra. This age is considerably younger than the generally accepted ¹⁴C 27.1 ka cal yrs BP age of the Kawakawa Tephra and highlights an unresolved discrepancy between the two dating systems.     

The origin of the White Beds below the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Gubbio section, Italy

Immediately below the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary clay layer in Umbrian pelagic limestone sections is a 0.5 m thick interval of white limestone beds. Geochemical and rock magnetic studies have been carried out to investigate the origin of these beds. Fe/Si ratios suggest that the iron abundance is a constant proportion of the detrital component in the red marlstone above the boundary and the pink limestone below the white beds. The stratigraphic variations of initial susceptibility and the IRM intensities acquired in different fields behave similarly to the Fe/Si ratio, and reflect primarily the changing concentrations of the ferromagnetic minerals caused by sedimentary fluctuations. The Fe/Si ratio, overall Fe abundance and the intensities of the magnetic parameters are all anomalously low in the white beds. The differing magnetic properties of the samples are due mainly to differing proportions and grain-size distributions of pigmentary hematite and detrital magnetite. The coercivity spectra of samples from the white beds are very similar to those of the pink beds, but are clearly distinct from those of the red beds. The white beds were probably deposited under the same conditions as the underlying pink beds. The anomalously low intensities in the white beds result from reduction of hematite in originally pink beds and subsequent removal of the Fe²⁺ ions. The reduction may be a consequence of downwards infiltration of reducing waters resulting from the large quantity of organic matter produced by the extinctions at the K-T boundary.     

Ground shaking scenarios at the town of Vicoforte,Italy

Vicoforte is a small town in Northern Italy, which hosts a Cathedral with the world's largest elliptical dome. The name of the Basilica is “Regina Montis Regalis” and it is of extraordinary architectural and structural importance. The main objective of this study is the definition of the seismic hazard at the site of Vicoforte following a deterministic approach. Although Vicoforte is located in an area of moderate seismicity, the calculation of the most unfavourable seismic ground shaking scenarios is of great interest due to the importance of the Basilica and its vulnerability to even a moderate seismic excitation.The closest active faults to Vicoforte were identified in order to simulate the potentially most severe ground shaking scenarios compatibly with the tectonic and seismic setting of the region. Subsequently, numerical simulations were conducted through finite faults numerical models using two different approaches: the extended kinematic source model of Hisada and Bielak [24] and the stochastic method of Motazedian and Atkinson [38]. They, respectively, simulate the low and high frequency ranges of predicted ground motion. The numerical models used for the simulations were calibrated by a comparison between synthetic results and recorded data. A parametric study was finally carried out to identify the most critical fault rupture mechanisms.     

Palaeomagnetic analysis of plunging fold structures: Errors and a simple fold test

The conventional corrections for bedding dip in palaeomagnetic studies involve either untilting about strike or about some inclined axis—the choice is usually governed by the perceived fold hinge orientation. While it has been recognised that untilting bedding about strike can be erroneous if the beds lie within plunging fold structures, there are several types of fold which have plunging hinges, but whose limbs have rotated about horizontal axes. Examples are interference structures and forced folds; restoration about inclined axes may be incorrect in these cases. The angular errors imposed upon palaeomagnetic lineation data via the wrong choice of rotation axis during unfolding are calculated here and presented for lineations in any orientation which could be associated with an upright, symmetrical fold. This extends to palaeomagnetic data previous analyses which were relevant to bedding-parallel lineations. This numerical analysis highlights the influence of various parameters which describe fold geometry and relative lineation orientation upon the angular error imparted to lineation data by the wrong unfolding method. The effect of each parameter is described, and the interaction of the parameters in producing the final error is discussed. Structural and palaeomagnetic data are cited from two field examples of fold structures which illustrate the alternative kinematic histories. Both are from thin-skinned thrust belts, but the data show that one is a true plunging fold, formed by rotation about its inclined hinge, whereas the other is an interference structure produced by rotation of the limbs about non-parallel horizontal axes. Since the angle between the palaeomagnetic lineations and the inclined fold hinge is equal on both limbs in the former type of structure, but varies from limb to limb in the latter, a simple test can be defined which uses palaeomagnetic lineation data to identify rotation axes and hence fold type. This test can use pre- or syn-folding lineations and could be useful in areas of non-coaxial folding.     

Rare-gas dating,III. Evaluation of a double-spiking procedure for potassium-argon dating

A double-spike method for KAr dating is described. Use of long-lived³⁹Ar in addition to the usual³⁸Ar in the spike permits argon isotopic discrimination occurring after insertion of the spike to be monitored at the same time as ages are determined. A “bootstrap” (self-contained) method of calibrating the spike for isotopic composition is described which, when used appropriately, gives final ages which are independent of the published isotopic composition of the terrestrial atmospheric argon used as a comparison gas. The method calls for a mass spectrometer which resolves adjacent isotopes to a high degree. We have tested the method nevertheless with a mass spectrometer of relatively low resolving power, the AEI MS-10, and found it to be successful in part and without any disadvantages with respect to conventional techniques in those instances where the method fails because of insufficient resolution. That is, we find the discrimination factor inferred in runs on young rocks and blanks to be valid and useful. That factor changes by as much as 1.3% over the life of a filament in the ion source of the MS-10, proving that close control of the discrimination factor is essential for analytical precision with the instrument. These assertions are documented graphically with a compilation of data which represents more than two years experience with the method. We also report measurements of the mass discrimination of the MS-10 and its linearity with mass which indicate that the latter quantity is acceptable when the repeller voltage for the ion source is close to +1 V and is unacceptable otherwise. The spike material is available, upon request, to those laboratories which decide firmly to undertake further testing of the method.     

Multiple sector collapses at stromboli volcano, Italy: how they work

This paper demonstrates that four large sector collapses have affected the NW flank of the Stromboli volcano in the past 13 ka, alternating with growth phases, in order to contribute to the evaluation of the critical conditions which trigger lateral collapses, a reconstruction of the geometry of each collapse of the volcano edifice in the four stages that preceded the relative collapse events is also presented, and a computation of the landslide volume. This reconstruction is based on new field data plotted in three dimensions. Prior to the initial 13-ka collapse, the volcano was 1125±100 m high above sea level. The collapse had a volume of 2.23±0.87 km³, whereas the pre-collapse volcano volume was 218.8±7.7 km³. The next edifice that failed was 900±70 m high a.s.l. The collapse volume was 1±0.54 km³, with a precollapse volcano volume of 201.4±5.4 km³. The edifice then grew to 1000±60 m a.s.l. The third collapse had a volume of 1.08±0.39 km³ and occurred within a volcano with a volume of 209.1±4.6 km³. This was followed by a new growth phase followed by the last collapse with a volume of 0.73±0.22 km³. The volcano volume was about the same as the present one. The present active crater zone is at 780 m a.s.l. in the first three collapses, sliding surfaces cut the main magma conduit. In the last collapse, the upper scarp coincided with the conduit location. Dyking along a main NE-trending weakness zone across the volcano summit exerted a lateral force for collapse inception. The decrease of the landslide volumes with the age, and the concentric scarps of the four collapses, suggest that the younger sliding planes tended to become more superficial and to decrease the areal extent. This is interpreted as due to: (a) successively weaker eruptive products from dominantly lavas to dominantly pyroclastics; and (b) the feedback effects between collapses and dykes that injected along the lateral segments of the first collapse slide plane.     

Palaeomagnetic timing of the rotation and translation of Cyprus

The geological evolution of the Mesozoic Troodos Ophiolite Complex in Cyprus, and the tectonic nature and timing of the palaeomagnetically indicated anticlockwise rotation of Cyprus of some 80° and ca. 15° northward translation, have been open for debate for some time. New palaeomagnetic data from 18 sites ( 180samples) in the post-ophiolite sediments, ranging in age from Upper Cretaceous to Upper Miocene, are presented. Most of the sites are of normal geomagnetic polarity, but indications of reversed polarity have been found in an older group of sediments (the Lefkara Formation of Upper Palaeocene age).Six sites from the older group of sediments (Upper Cretaceous to Eocene in age) give a site mean direction of the AF cleaned sediments of (D, I) = (323°, 29°) with α₉₅ = 18°, while 5 sites from a younger group of sediments (Oligocene to Miocene in age) give a cleaned site mean direction of (D, I) = (334°, 58°) with α₉₅ = 9°. These and published data suggest that an anticlockwise rotation of Cyprus of 60 ± 10° occurred early during the post-igneous evolution of the Cyprus oceanic crust between 90 and 50Ma, leaving only a minor anticlockwise rotation of 20 ± 10° to occur during the last 50 Ma. It is furthermore concluded that the northward translation of Cyprus of 15° mostly took place during the last 30Ma.It thus appears that a fairly rapid rotation of the Cyprus microplate first took place in the Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary time with an average angular velocity of 1–2°/Ma, during which the northward translation was minor or negligible. In the latter half of the Tertiary, the sense of movement appears to have radically changed, the northward translation now being dominant with an average velocity of 5–6cm/yr. This temporal evolution is found to be in good agreement with the Mesozoic and Tertiary movements of the African lithospheric plate relative to Europe, as evidenced from the Atlantic sea-floor magnetic anomaly spreading history.