STRATIGRAPHIES FROM KEY EXPLORATION AREAS IN THE EQUATORIAL ATLANTIC OCEAN

古近纪可以说是过去6500万年地球历史上最深刻的气候变化，在此期间，地球气候从早古近纪的“温室”演变为渐新世的“冰屋”。这一转变导致了海洋环流、冰冻圈、海洋群落和生物地球化学循环的重大重组。Petrobras和Mobil的钻探在两个关键地区：Mossy Grove(墨西哥湾)和Foz do Amazonas盆地(巴西边缘)，产生了跨越始新世和渐新世的相对较厚的沉积序列。它们具有特别的价值，因为它们也是罕见的保存异常完好的碳酸盐海洋微化石以及陆地标记(例如，花粉和孢子)的宿主。这些沉积物是未被研究的，因此，为准确重建古代古环境并最终发展完整的海陆地层学提供了独特的机会。这项工作也特别有价值，因为墨西哥湾和巴西边缘是当今石油勘探和生产的关键地区。然而，在我们对这些区域如何以高时间分辨率在整个地质时期的关键时段演化的理解上仍然存在差距。巴西北部近海的Foz do Amazonas盆地尤其如此，目前许多公司都高度重视该盆地的勘探。

The Paleogene encompasses arguably the most profound climatic shift of the past 65 million years of Earth history during which Earth's climate evolves from a 'greenhouse' in the early Paleogene to an 'icehouse' in the Oligocene. This transition results in significant re-organisation of ocean circulation, the cryosphere, marine communities, and biogeochemical cycles. Drilling by Petrobras and Mobil have yielded relatively thick sedimentary sequences spanning the Eocene and Oligocene in two key areas; Mossy Grove (Gulf of Mexico) and the Foz do Amazonas Basin (Brazilian margin). They are of particular value because they are also host to rare exceptionally preserved carbonate marine microfossils as well as terrestrial markers (e.g., pollen and spores). These sediments are un-studied and thus, offer a unique opportunity to accurately reconstruct ancient palaeoenvironments and ultimately develop an integrated marine-terrestrial stratigraphy. This work is also of particular value because the Gulf of Mexico and Brazilian margin are key areas of petroleum exploration and production today. Yet, gaps remain in our understanding of how these regions have evolved throughout key intervals of geological time at high temporal resolution. This is particularly true of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, offshore northern Brazil, a high priority for current exploration by a number of companies.