Integrated stratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar chronology of early Middle Miocene sediments from DSDP Site 42-372 in the western Mediterranean Sea

An integrated magneto-biostratigraphic framework is presented for Middle Miocene sediments of DSDP Site 372 located in the Western Mediterranean. Detailed biostratigraphic analysis shows a nearly complete sequence of early Middle Miocene calcareous plankton bioevents in the Mediterranean, including the LCO (Last Common Occurrence) of the nannofossil Sphenolithus heteromorphus which has been astronomically dated in the Ras il Pellegrin (RIP) section on Malta Island [Abels, H.A., Hilgen, F.J., Krijgsman, W., Kruk, R.W., Raffi, I., Turco, E., Zachariasse, W.J., 2005. Long-period orbital control on middle Miocene global cooling: integrated stratigraphy and astronomical tuning of the Blue Clay Formation on Malta, Paleoceanography, 20, PA4012. doi:10.1029/2004PA001129. 11 pp]. Thermal demagnetization of discrete samples revealed a characteristic low-temperature component with dual polarities despite a weak paleomagnetic signal. The resultant magnetostratigraphic record, combined with the calcareous plankton biostratigraphy, is straightforwardly correlated to the geomagnetic polarity time scale (CK95) of Cande and Kent [Cande, S.C., Kent, D.V., 1995. Revised calibration of the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale for the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 6093-6095] and the Astronomical Tuned Neogene Time Scale (ATNTS04) of Lourens et al. [Lourens, L.J., Hilgen, F.J., Laskar, J., Shackleton, N.J., Wilson, D., 2004. The Neogene Period. In: Gradstein F.M., Ogg J.G., Smith A.G. (Eds.), A Geologic Time Scale, Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 409-440]. The subchrons recorded in Site 372 succession range from C5Br up to C5AAr. To confirm the magnetostratigraphic calibration, 40Ar/39Ar dating was performed on feldspar of two volcanic ash layers. The radio-isotopic dating indicates a younger age for these two ash layers compared to the magnetostratigraphic calibrated ages according to the CK95 and ATNTS04 age models. However, if the astronomically calibrated age of 28.21 +/- 0.04 Ma is used for the Fish Canyon standard (FCs), the age for the older ash layer exactly matches its ATNTS04 age. Ages for bioevents were calculated assuming constant sedimentation rates between magnetostratigraphic age-tie points. The S. heteromorphus LCO has an age of 13.54 Ma and 13.63 Ma according to CK95 and ATNTS04, respectively, which is consistent with the astronomical tuned age of 13.65 Ma determined at RIP section [Abels, H.A., Hilgen, F.J., Krijgsman, W., Kruk, R.W., Raffi, I., Turco, E., Zachariasse, W.J., 2005. Long-period orbital control on middle Miocene global cooling: integrated stratigraphy and astronomical tuning of the Blue Clay Formation on Malta, Paleoceanography, 20, PA4012. doi:10.1029/2004PA001129. 11 pp]. We therefore conclude that the magnetostratigraphic calibration of DSDP Site 372 is correct and that, for the time being, this site can be considered as a reference section for the early Middle Miocene of the Mediterranean region.

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Abdul Aziz, Hayfaa, Di Stefano, Agata, Foresi, L M, Hilgen, Frederik J, Iaccarino, Silvia Maria, Kuiper, Klaudia F, Lirer, Fabrizio, Salvatorini, G, Turco, Elena (2008). Dataset: Integrated stratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar chronology of early Middle Miocene sediments from DSDP Site 42-372 in the western Mediterranean Sea. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.693594

DOI retrieved: 2008

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Imported on November 30, 2024
Last update November 30, 2024
License CC-BY-3.0
Source https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.693594
Author Abdul Aziz, Hayfaa
Given Name Hayfaa
Family Name Abdul Aziz
More Authors
Di Stefano, Agata
Foresi, L M
Hilgen, Frederik J
Iaccarino, Silvia Maria
Kuiper, Klaudia F
Lirer, Fabrizio
Salvatorini, G
Turco, Elena
Source Creation 2008
Publication Year 2008
Resource Type application/zip - filename: Abdul_Aziz-etal_2008
Subject Areas
Name: LandSurface

Name: Lithosphere

Name: Paleontology

Related Identifiers
Title: Integrated stratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar chronology of early Middle Miocene sediments from DSDP Leg 42A, Site 372 (Western Mediterranean)
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.09.013
Type: DOI
Relation: IsSupplementTo
Year: 2008
Source: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Authors: Abdul Aziz Hayfaa , Di Stefano Agata , Foresi L M , Hilgen Frederik J , Iaccarino Silvia Maria , Kuiper Klaudia F , Lirer Fabrizio , Salvatorini G , Turco Elena .