(Table 2) Stratigraphic position of midpoints of reddish and beige layers of lithologic cycles in the Loulja-A Section and their astronomical ages after tuning to the ETP and Summer Insolation Curves of the La2004 solution

An integrated high-resolution stratigraphy and orbital tuning is presented for the Loulja sections located in the Bou Regreg area on the Atlantic side of Morocco. The sections constitute the upward continuation of the upper Messinian Ain el Beida section and contain a well-exposed, continuous record of the interval straddling the Miocene-Pliocene (M-P) boundary. The older Loulja-A section, which covers the interval from ~5.59 to 5.12 Ma, reveals a dominantly precession-controlled color cyclicity that allows for a straightforward orbital tuning of the boundary interval and for detailed cyclostratigraphic correlations to the Mediterranean; the high-resolution and high-quality benthic isotope record allows us to trace the dominantly obliquity-controlled glacial history. Our results reveal that the M-P boundary coincides with a minor, partly precession-related shift to lighter "interglacial" values in d18O. This shift and hence the M-P boundary may not correlate with isotope stage TG5, as previously thought, but with an extra (weak) obliquity-controlled cycle between TG7 and TG5. Consequently, the M-P boundary and basal Pliocene flooding of the Mediterranean following the Messinian salinity crisis are not associated with a major deglaciation and glacio-eustatic sea level rise, indicating that other factors, such as tectonics, must have played a fundamental role. On the other hand, the onset of the Upper Evaporites in the Mediterranean marked by hyposaline conditions coincides with the major deglaciation step between marine isotope stage TG12 and TG11, suggesting that the associated sea level rise is at least partly responsible for the apparent onset of intermittently restricted marine conditions following the main desiccation phase. Finally, the Loulja-A section would represent an excellent auxiliary boundary stratotype for the M-P boundary as formally defined at the base of the Trubi marls in the Eraclea Minoa section on Sicily.

Sediment thickness and distribution of facies types in the Kara Sea

We studied the impact of the last glacial (late Weichselian) sea level cycle on sediment architecture in the inner Kara Sea using high-resolution acoustic sub-bottom profiling. The acoustic lines were ground-truthed with dated sediment cores. Furthermore we refined the location of the eastern LGM ice margin, by new sub bottom profiles. New model results of post-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) isostatic rebound for this area allow a well-constrained interpretation of acoustic units in terms of sequence stratigraphy. The lowstand (or regressive) system tract sediments are absent but are represented by an unconformity atop of Pleistocene sediments on the shelf and by a major incised dendritic paleo-river network. The subsequent transgressive and highstand system tracts are best preserved in the incised channels and the recent estuaries while only minor sediment accumulation on the adjacent shelf areas is documented. The Kara Sea can be subdivided into three areas: estuaries (A), the shelf (B) and (C) deeper lying areas that accumulated a total of 114 * 10**10 t of Holocene sediments.

Sediments and tephra layers from the southern Tyrrhenian abyssal plain near Marsili Seamount

From the south-eastern Tyrrhenian deep-sea floor, four sediment cores of "Meteor" cruise 22 (1971) are described. These cores were taken in the basin between the Aeolian Islands and the Marsili Seamount, an elevation of more tha 3000 m above the sea floor. The sedimentation of the deep-sea basin is distinguished by a sequence of turbidites with a high sedimentation rate. The composition of the clastic material and the position of the cores in the mouth area of the morphologically very pronounced Stromboli Canyon suggest an interpretation of the turbidite sequence as fan of this canyon onto the deep-sea floor. A white rhyolitic pumice-tephra at the base of the 4 m thick sequence of turbidites in core M22-102 has been correlated with the Pelato eruption of the island of Liparo in the 6th century A.D. At the foot of the Marsili Seamount - apparently in morphologically elevated positions - the influence of the turbidite sedimentation increases, the rate of sedimentation is lower and stratigraphic omissions are probable. Here, rather compacted globigerina marls have been found in only 15 -25 cm depth. In addition, volcanic material in the form of lapilli layers, palagonitized ashes and detrital volcanic sands of the Marsili Seamount have been encountered in this area. An up to 3 cm thick layer of completely palagonitized basaltic ash intercalates with the marls at the base of two cores. Layers of very fresh olivine basaltic lapilli in core 103 and palagonitized lapilli of latitic composition in core 104 testify to an explosive submarine volcanism of the Marsili Seamount. According to the stratigraphy of core 103, the latest manifestations of this basaltic volcanism belong to the late Pleistocene (Emiliana huxleyi-zone of Nannoplankton stratigraphy) The basaltic lapilli are glassy to perhyaline with phenocrysts or microphenocrysts predominantely of olivine. The petrological character of the basaltic volcanites with high MgO, Ni, Cr and high MgO/FeO- and Ni/Co-ratios exhibits primitive basaltic features. These basalts clearly differ from basalts of the ocean floors, mid-ocean ridges and marginal basins. Prominent features are a missing iron-enrichment trend and low TiO2. Al2O3 tends to be high, as well as K2O and related trace elements (Ba, Sr). In spite of silica undrsaturation and high color index, the Marsili basalt exhibit some analogies with the calcalkaline basalts of the Aeolian arc, as well as the undersaturated basalts of some other circumoceanic areas.

Chemistry and accumulation rates of Jurassic to early Cretaceous sediments from the central equatorial Pacific

Sedimentation in the central Pacific during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous was dominated by abundant biogenic silica. A synthesis of the stratigraphy, lithology, petrology, and geochemistry of the radiolarites in Sites 801 and 800 documents the sedimentation processes and trends in the equatorial central Pacific from the Middle Jurassic through the Early Cretaceous. Paleolatitude and paleodepth reconstructions enable comparisons with previous DSDP sites and identification of the general patterns of sedimentation over a wide region of the Pacific. Clayey radiolarites dominated sedimentation on Pacific oceanic crust within tropical paleolatitudes from at least the latest Bathonian through Tithonian. Radiolarian productivity rose to a peak within 5° of the paleoequator, where accumulation rates of biogenic silica exceeded 1000 g/cm**2/m.y. Wavy-bedded radiolarian cherts developed in the upper Tithonian at Site 801 coinciding with the proximity of this site to the paleoequator. Ribbon-bedding of some radiolarian cherts exposed on Pacific margins may have formed from silicification of radiolarite deposited near the equatorial high-productivity zone where radiolarian/clay ratios were high. Silicification processes in sediments extensively mixed by bioturbation or enriched in clay or carbonate generally resulted in discontinuous bands or nodules of porcellanite or chert, e.g., a "knobby" radiolarite. Ribbon-bedded cherts require primary alternations of radiolarian-rich and clay-rich layers as an initial structural template, coupled with abundant biogenic silica in both layers. During diagenesis, migration of silica from clay-rich layers leaves radiolarian "ghosts" or voids, and the precipitation in adjacent radiolarite layers results in silicification of the inter-radiolarian matrix and infilling of radiolarian tests. Alternations of claystone and clay-rich radiolarian grainstone were deposited during the Callovian at Site 801 and during the Berriasian-Valanginian at Site 800, but did not silicify to form bedded chert. Carbonate was not preserved on the Pacific oceanic floor or spreading ridges during the Jurassic, perhaps due to an elevated level of dissolved carbon dioxide. During the Berriasian through Hauterivian, the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) descended to approximately 3500 m, permitting the accumulation of siliceous limestones at near-ridge sites. Carbonate accumulation rates exceeded 1500 g/cm**2/m.y. at sites above the CCD, yet there is no evidence of an equatorial carbonate bulge during the Early Cretaceous. In the Barremian and Aptian, the CCD rose, coincident with the onset of mid-plate volcanic activity. Abundance of Fe and Mn and the associated formation of authigenic Fe-smectite clays was a function of proximity to the spreading ridges, with secondary enrichments occurring during episodes of spreading-center reorganizations. Callovian radiolarite at Site 801 is anomalously depleted in Mn, which resulted either from inhibited precipitation of Mn-oxides by lower pH of interstitial waters induced by high dissolved oceanic CO2 levels or from diagenetic mobilization of Mn. Influx of terrigenous (eolian) clay apparently changed with paleolatitude and geological age. Cyclic variations in productivity of radiolarians and of nannofossils and in the influx of terrigenous clay are attributed to Milankovitch climatic cycles of precession (20,000 yr) and eccentricity (100,000 yr). Diagenetic redistribution of biogenic silica and carbonate enhanced the expression of this cyclic sedimentation. Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments were deposited under oxygenated bottom-water conditions at all depths, accompanied by bioturbation and pervasive oxidation of organic carbon and metals. Despite the more "equable" climate conditions of the Mesozoic, the super-ocean of the Pacific experienced adequate deep-water circulation to prevent stagnation. Efficient nutrient recycling may have been a factor in the abundance of radiolarians in this ocean basin.

Paleomagnetic, stable oxygen isotope ratios, and U/Th activities of ODP Site 172-1062

Geomagnetic excursions are recognized as intrinsic features of the Earth's magnetic field. High-resolution records of field behaviour, captured in marine sedimentary cores, present an opportunity to determine the temporal and geometric character of the field during geomagnetic excursions and provide constraints on the mechanisms producing field variability. We present here the highest resolution record yet published of the Blake geomagnetic excursion (~125 ka) measured in three cores from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1062 on the Blake-Bahama Outer Ridge. The Blake excursion has a controversial structure and timing but these cores have a sufficiently high sedimentation rate (~10cm/ka) to allow detailed reconstruction of the field behaviour at this site during the excursion. Palaeomagnetic measurements of the cores reveal rapid transitions (<500 yr) between the contemporary stable normal polarity and a completely reversed state of long duration which spans a stratigraphic interval of 0.7 m. We determine the duration of the reversed state during the Blake excursion using oxygen isotope stratigraphy, combined with 230Th excess measurements to assess variations in the sedimentation rates through the sections of interest. This provides an age and duration for the Blake excursion with greater accuracy and with constrained uncertainty. We date the directional excursion as falling between 129 and 122 ka with a duration for the deviation of 6.5±1.3 kyr. The long duration of this interval and the fully reversed field suggest the existence of a pseudo-stable, reversed dipole field component during the excursion and challenge the idea that excursions are always of short duration.

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios and age model of ODP Hole 182-1127B

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of constructing an oxygen and carbon isotope stratigraphy for the late Pleistocene succession from Hole 1127B drilled on the Great Australian Bight. Stable isotope analyses were performed on bulk- and fine-fraction (<38 µm) sediment samples. The oxygen isotope variations are generally smaller in magnitude than expected from global pelagic records. This is most likely due to the neriticly dominated sediment composition. Correlation of the oxygen isotope data with carbonate mineralogy and downhole logging data shows simultaneous variations and trends, which are particularly evident in the mid-Pleistocene sediments. Correlation of the oxygen isotope data with the classic SPECMAP curve is used to evaluate the stratigraphic potential of the Site 1127 sediments. This study indicates that an isotope stratigraphy based on planktonic and benthic foraminifers is needed to fully evaluate the response of cool-water carbonates deposited in a margin setting to global ice-volume fluctuations and, hence, the associated sea level variations.

Planktonic foraminifera oxygen isotope and trace metal data ODP Hole 172-1056A, 46-54 ka BP

Salinity increase in the subtropical gyre system may have pre-conditioned the North Atlantic Ocean for a rapid return to stronger overturning circulation and high-latitude warming following meltwater events during the Last Glacial period. Here we investigate the Gulf Stream - subtropical gyre system properties over Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) cycles 14 to 12, including Heinrich ice-rafting event 5. During the Holocene and Last Glacial Maximum a positive gradient in surface dwelling planktonic foraminifera d18O (Globigerinoides ruber) can be observed between the Gulf Stream and subtropical gyre, due to decreasing temperature, increasing salinity, and a change from summer to year-round occurrence of G. ruber. We assess whether this gradient was a common feature during stadial-interstadial climate oscillations of Marine Isotope Stage 3, by comparing existing G. ruber d18O from ODP Site 1060 (subtropical gyre location) and new data from ODP Site 1056 (Gulf Stream location) between 54 and 46 ka. Our results suggest that this gradient was largely absent during the period studied. During the major warm DO interstadials 14 and 12 we infer a more zonal and wider Gulf Stream, influencing both ODP Sites 1056 and 1060. A Gulf Stream presence during these major interstadials is also suggested by the large vertical d18O gradient between shallow dwelling planktonic foraminifera species, especially G. ruber, and the deep dwelling species Globorotalia inflata at site 1056, which we associate with strong summer stratification and Gulf Stream presence. A major reduction in this vertical d18O gradient from 51 ka until the end of Heinrich event 5 at 48.5 ka suggests site 1056 was situated within the subtropical gyre in this mainly cold period, from which we infer a migration of the Gulf Stream to a position nearer to the continental shelf, indicative of a narrower Gulf Stream with possibly reduced transport.

Stable isotope ratios of foraminifera from the continental shelf off Troms, Northern Norway

A stable oxygen and carbon isotope stratigraphy is established for a Late Weichselian/Holocene glaciomarine/marine seguence in Andfjorden and Malangsdjupet on the continental shelf off Troms, Northern Norway. The stratigraphy demonstrates that the global signals, Termination I B and possibly also I A (upper parts), are present and radiocarbon date to 10.3-9.7 kyr B.P. and >14-13.5 kyr B.P., respectively. A temperature increase of 5°-6°C and possibly a small salinity increase occurred during Term. I. A near-glacial environment between 13 and 14 kyr B.P. was characterized by poorly ventilated bottom waters followed by a meltwater pulse at circa 13 kyr B.P. During the beginning intrusion of Atlantic Water between 13 and 10 kyr B.P., the bottom water was characterized by somewhat fluctuating temperatures and salinities. Temperatures close to those of the present were established around 9.7 kyr B.P. and seem to have been rather stable since.

Lower Cretaceous nannofossils of ODP Holes 113-682B and 113-693A

Organic-rich, moderately to sparsely nannofossiliferous Lower Cretaceous claystones ("black shales") were cored at two Ocean Drilling Program Leg 113 sites on the continental slope of East Antarctica off Dronning Maud Land. A 39 m section at Site 692 yielded a Neocomian assemblage of limited diversity with rare Cyclagelosphaera deflandrei, Diadorhombus rectus, and Cruciellipsis cuvillieri, and is probably Valanginian in age. A 70-m section at Site 693 is assigned to the Rhagodiscus angustus Zone (late Aptian-early Albian in age). The latter zone is represented at DSDP sites on the Falkland Plateau, but equivalents to the Neocomian section are absent there, probably due to a disconformity. Watznaueria barnesae is the dominant species at both ODP sites, but it shares dominance with Repagulum parvidentatum at Site 693, where they total 70%-90% of the assemblage; their dominance is attributed to a paleogeographic setting within a restricted basin rather than to postdepositional dissolution of other species. The evolutionary development of this restricted basin and its eventual ventilation in early Albian times is discussed in terms of the regional stratigraphy and the breakup and dispersal of southwestern Gondwanaland. One new species, Corollithion covingtonii, is described.