A High-Resolution Upper Pleistocene Palaeomagnetic Record from the Fronte Section at Taranto, Italy

Abstract:

As part of a project to establish a global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP) for the Upper Pleistocene, we have investigated the geomagnetic palaeosecular variation and relative palaeointensity of two parallel marine sedimentary cores drilled at the Fronte section at Taranto, Italy. U-channel samples were taken wherever core recovery and lithology permitted, producing a palaeomagnetic record at 1 cm resolution covering around 5 m of the total 9 m coring depth; discrete samples were taken from several of the intervals unsuitable for u-channelling.

Stepwise alternating-field treatment resulted in good demagnetization behaviour, with most samples showing a clear, major origin-directed magnetization component. The average inclination of around 57° is close to the geocentric axial dipole inclination of 60° for the sampling site, with the difference attributable to typical inclination shallowing effects.

Our record contains several brief excursions of shallowed inclination. The most significant of these reaches inclinations of below 10°, and we have tentatively correlated it with the Blake event. Relative palaeointensity exhibits a similarly dynamic behaviour across this interval. Integration of our palaeomagnetic record with ongoing biostratigraphic work, and with other regional palaeomagnetic data, will provide a more thorough characterization of Late Pleistocene palaeosecular variation in southern Europe.