Early to middle Miocene radiolarian stratigraphy of the Kerguelen Plateau, Leg 120

Abstract

Early to middle Miocene radiolarian assemblages were examined at three sites cored during ODP Leg 120. The radiolarian biostratigraphic study relies on a radiolarian zonation recently developed on Leg 113 materials in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean which is correlated with the geomagnetic time scale. New radiolarian biostratigraphic data were used to improve and emend the age calibration of some lower Miocene radiolarian zones and a redefined middle Miocene radiolarian zonation is proposed. Based on these results a revised age assignment of the lower Miocene sections drilled at Leg 113 Sites 689 and 690 is proposed. -from Author