Towards a global stratigraphic scheme for the Campanian - Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous): Calibration of carbon isotope stratigraphy with paleomagnetic chrons and biostratigraphy

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Silke Voigt
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2010 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 179053604

The latest Cretaceous was characterised by perturbations in the global carbon cycle which are assumed to have been associated with ephemeral glaciations. In order to understand the forcing mechanisms, their global significance, and the regional response to these events it is necessary to improve our presently available stratigraphic framework. The pelagic limestone successions at Gubbio, Umbria Marche Basin, Italy have a detailed magnetostratigraphy and serve as tropical reference for the biozonation with calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifera. We propose to develop a high-resolution carbon isotope stratigraphy at the sections Contessa Highway and Bottaccione using bulk-carbonates to resolve short-lived isotopic events between 80-65 Ma calibrated to paleomagnetic reversals and bioevents. The development of such an integrated stratigraphic framework is important for the global correlation between low and high latitudes and shelf and deep-sea sections. It provides the unique opportunity to recognize leads and lags between the carbon cycle, sea-level changes and ocean circulation of the different oceanic ecosystems.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants