Preliminary magnetostratigraphic dating of Paleogene lacustrine sediments from the Shandong Province, East China

A detailed magnetostratigraphic and rock magnetic study was conducted on Tertiary lacustrine/fluvial sediments from Jiyang, Shandong, East China. High temperature susceptibility variation and thermal demagnetization show that magnetite is the main magnetic remanence carrier. The characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) was isolated above 150 °C by thermal demagnetization, and a detailed magnetic polarity sequence was established. The lacustrine/fluvial sediments were dated from polarity chron C18n.1r to polarity chron C15n, i.e., within the interval 39.631–34.655 Ma. The results of this study indicate the likelihood that either no hydrocarbon-bearing fluids were present after 34.655 Ma or, if there was any such fluid flow, the fluids must have gone through the section very quickly, without having any significant influence on the magnetic signal.