Evolution of deep-ocean circulation during the opening of the Atlantic Ocean in the latest Cretaceous and Paleocene

在白垩纪末至古新世时期（75-55 Ma）的海洋环流模式迄今知之甚少，与大西洋开放相关的深水形成的可能地点存在争议。该项目的目的是调查北大西洋和南大西洋各次盆地中层和深层水形成和交换的条件。计划对北大西洋和南大西洋不同次流域和不同水深的一系列DSDP和ODP场址的沉积物涂层进行钕同位素分析。这使得可以通过识别其潜在的源区和检测海洋子盆地之间已建立的深水连接的时间间隔来识别不同的中间和深水块。新资料和现有资料的可靠地层整合将为以下问题提供答案：1）当大西洋深海的各个次海盆完全融入全球温盐环流时，2）以这种方式形成了深海沃茨的海底火山高原屏障，3）加勒比海作为大西洋和太平洋之间深水交换的赤道门户的参与程度。

The mode of ocean circulation during latest Cretaceous to Paleocene times (75-55 Ma) is poorly understood to date and possible sites of deep-water formation relative to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean are controversially debated. This project aims at the investigation of the conditions of intermediate- and deep-water formation and exchange in the individual sub-basins of the North and South Atlantic Ocean. It is planned to perform Nd-isotope analyses of sediment coatings from a series of DSDP- and ODP-Sites in different sub-basins and different water depths in the Northand South Atlantic Ocean. This allows to identify different intermediate and deep-water masses by recognition of their potential source region and the detection of time intervals of established deepwater connections between the oceanic sub-basins. The stratigraphic reliable integration of newand available data will provide answers to the following questions: 1) when became the individual sub-basins of the deep Atlantic Ocean fully integrated into the global thermohaline circulation, 2) in which way formed sub-oceanic volcanic plateaus barriers for deep waters, and 3) how involved was the Caribbean Sea as equatorial gateway for deep-water exchange between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.