Orbital chronology for the Cenomanian-Turonian Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 and its environmental implications

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Silke Voigt
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 143220570

The aim of this project is to investigate the orbital forcing of cyclic deposits in the tropical and subtropical North Atlantic during the global carbon cycle perturbation known as the Cenomanian/Turonian Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE 2). We aim to generate time series at Demerara Rise, tropical Western Atlantic (ODP Sites 1258, 1260 and 1261), off the coast of North America (DSDP Site 603B) and at Gubbio, Umbria, Italy (S4 core) using high-resolution XRF core scanning. The relative changes in XRF element concentrations will be analysed by spectral analysis and calibrated against published records of the OAE 2 δ13C anomaly resulting in the development of regional cyclostratigraphies. The inter-site comparison of dominant orbital periodicities will significantly improve the orbital time scale for OAE 2. Such a new time scale provides the unique opportunity to establish high-resolution correlations between the Atlantic and Western Tethys as well as adjacent shelf seas (e. g. Wunstorf, N-Germany) and to recognize leads and lags between the regional changes in the formation of oxygen deficiency, ocean circulation and temperature in different oceanic settings.

• DFG Programme: Infrastructure Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 527: Bereich Infrastruktur - "International Ocean Discovery Program" (IODP)
• International Connection: Italy
• Participating Person: Professorin Dr. Elisabetta Erba