The Rossello composite: a Mediterranean and global reference section for the Early to early Late Pliocene

A high-resolution magnetostratigraphy (planktonic foraminiferal) biostratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy is presented for the Pliocene Trubi marls in the Punta di Maiata section on Sicily. The integrated stratigraphy of the Rossello composite section of Hilgen ([1], Newslett. Stratigr., 17, 1987) is thereby completed. This composite section provides an unprecedented high-quality reference section for the Early to early Late Pliocene, containing a continuous sequence ranging from below the Thvera Subchron into the Matuyama Chron (4.86-2.45 Ma).The Punta di Maiata section extends from the Sidufjall Subchron of the Gilbert into the Gauss Chron (4.50-3.30 Ma). Linear interpolation between paleomagnetic datum planes in this section yields first-order age estimates of 3.72 (±0.01) and 3.59 (±0.01) Ma for the last common occurrence (LCO) and the actual last occurrence (LO) of Globorotalia margaritae.In addition, this age of 3.59 Ma provides an accurate age for the Zanclean-Piacenzian (Z/P) boundary, provided the LO of G. margaritae is maintained as a criterion to define this boundary in the Mediterranean. Irrespective, however, of the criterion used, the Punta di Maiata and Punta Piccola subsections of the Rossello composite are at present the most suitable sections to be designated as stratotypes for the Z/P boundary. The global significance of the Rossello composite is further strongly enhanced by the establishment of an astronomically calibrated geomagnetic polarity time scale based on the correlation of the Trubi sedimentary cycles with the astronomical record.     

Periodicities of CaCO3 cycles in the Pliocene of Sicily: discrepancies with the quasi-periods of the Earth's orbital cycles?

A high-resolution CaCO₃ record in combination with a detailed magnetostratigraphy is presented for the rhythmically bedded marly sequence of the Pliocene Trubi Formation on Sicily (Italy).
Magnetostratigraphic age calibration and subsequent spectral analysis of the variatrions in CaCO₃ content yield a remarkably consistent discrepancy between the resulting periodicities and the corresponding quasi-periods of the Earth's orbital cycles. This discrepancy can only be explained by assuming that ages assigned to polarity reversal boundaries in the geomagnetic polarity time-scale lack sufficient precision.
A new polarity time-scale is presented for the major part of the Gilbert and Gauss Chron using the radiometrically dated Gilbert-Gauss Chron boundary at 3.40 Ma as an age reference point and extrapolating an average quasi-period of 21.7 kyr of the precession cycle as the periodicity of small-scale colour annex CaCO₃ cycles.     

Mio-Pliocene magnetostratigraphy in the southern Carpathian foredeep and Mediterranean–Paratethys correlations

A full understanding of the Mio-Pliocene palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental changes in the circum-Mediterranean region during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) is at present hampered by the lack of reliable chronostratigraphic correlations between the Mediterranean and Paratethys regions. Here, we present magnetostratigraphic ages for the Upper Miocene to Pliocene deposits of the southern Carpathian foredeep in Romania. These ages are in good agreement with those recently obtained from the eastern Carpathian foredeep and define a new chronology for the eastern Paratethys. The Meotian/Pontian boundary is not biostratigraphically constrained in our sections, but according to the geological map of the region arrives at ∼5.8 Ma. The Pontian/Dacian boundary is dated at c. 4.8 Ma and the Dacian/Romanian boundary at c. 4.1 Ma. The main part of the MSC (5.96–5.33 Ma) is thus represented by the Pontian Stage, but the observed palaeoenvironmental and biostratigraphic changes in our sections of the eastern Paratethys do not indicate any relation with the dramatic desiccation and reflooding events of the Mediterranean.     

Provenance analysis as a key to orogenic exhumation: a case study from the East Carpathians (Romania)

Provenance analysis of the sediments from foredeep basins is crucial in understanding the contemporaneous orogenic exhumation processes. We report in this paper complex sediment provenance analysis using sandstone petrography and mudstone geochemistry, combined with magnetic susceptibility of the Upper Miocene to Pliocene deposits from Focşani foredeep basin (Romania). Data show a change of source area between 5 and 6 Ma, from an active volcanic arc towards a recycled orogenic belt, concurrent with an important increase of accumulation rate. This change was triggered by exhumation and erosion of the outer nappes from East Carpathians.     

The age of the Miocene-Pliocene boundary in the Capo Rossello area (Sicily)

Detailed correlations of magnetostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy reveal that the basal Pliocene is equally complete in the Eraclea Minoa and Capo Rossello sections (Sicily) and the Singa section (Calabria), and that, in accordance with the model of the Pliocene flooding event in the Mediterranean, the deposition of the pelagic marls of the Trubi Formation started synchronously on Sicily and in adjacent Calabria. In addition, the data obtained from the Trubi in the Eraclea Minoa section allows the age of the Miocene-Pliocene boundary to be adjusted slightly from 4.83–4.84 [1] to 4.86 Ma because downward extrapolation of both sedimentation rate and average duration of small-scale sedimentary cycles in the Trubi yields this age for the boundary in this section. Linearly interpolated ages for the top of the Sphaeroidinellopsis acme and the first substantial increase in Globorotalia margaritae (the FOD of this species is non-existent in the Mediterranean Pliocene) at Eraclea Minoa arrive at 4.74 and 4.63 Ma respectively.Because of the detailed magnetostratigraphy and the very accurate dating of the Miocene-Pliocene boundary, it is preferable to select the Eraclea Minoa section as the boundary stratotype rather than the Capo Rossello section.Finally, this age of 4.86 Ma for the Miocene-Pliocene boundary suggests that the beginning of the Pliocene is connected with the termination of a series of latest Miocene glaciations and that the re-establishment of open marine conditions in the Mediterranean might be of glacio-eustatic origin.     

A pseudo-Thellier relative palaeointensity record, and rock magnetic and geochemical parameters in relation to climate during the last 276 kyr in the Azores region

In the pseudo-Thellier method for relative palaeointensity determinations (Tauxe et al. 1995) the slope of the NRM intensity left after AF demagnetization versus ARM intensity gained at the same peak field is used as a palaeointensity measure. We tested this method on a marine core from the Azores, spanning the last 276  kyr. We compared the pseudo-Thellier palaeointensity record with the conventional record obtained earlier by Lehman et al . (1996 ), who normalized NRM by SIRM. The two records show similar features: intensity lows with deviating palaeomagnetic directions at 40–45  ka and at 180–190  ka. The first interval is associated with the Laschamps excursion, while the 180–190  ka low represents the Iceland Basin excursion (Channell et al. 1997). The pseudo-Thellier method, in combination with a jackknife resampling scheme, provides error estimates on the palaeointensity.
  Spectral analysis of the rock magnetic parameters and the palaeointensity estimates shows orbitally forced periods, particularly 23  kyr for climatic precession. This suggests that palaeointensity is still slightly contaminated by climate. Fuzzy c -means cluster analysis of rock magnetic and geochemical parameters yields a seven-cluster model of predominantly calcareous clusters and detrital clusters. The clusters show a strong correlation with climate, for example samples from detrital clusters predominantly appear during rapid warming. Although both the pseudo-Thellier palaeointensity m _a and fuzzy clusters show climatic influences, we have not been able to find an unambiguous connection between the clusters and m _a .     

Analysis of paleomagnetic data: a tribute to Hans Zijderveld. Introduction

Geologie en Mijnbouw -