Collaborative Research: Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy and Paleoenvironmental History of Cape Roberts Cores

摘要 该奖项支持钙质超微化石的基本表征，作为罗伯茨角项目（CRP）恢复的钻井岩心生物地层框架开发的一部分。 这是国际南极地球科学界的一项重大计划，旨在通过在维多利亚陆盆地侧翼的四个地点钻探，对跨越3000万至1亿年前的地层记录进行采样。该奖项旨在通过对钙质超微化石的研究提供快速的年龄和古环境信息，以支持钻探计划。 本研究将在南极麦默多站的克拉里科学与工程中心（CSEC）对回收的沉积岩芯进行系统取样并分析其钙质超微化石含量。在两个钻探季节的每一个结束时编制的初始报告卷将包括这项工作的结果，作为岩心初始表征的一部分。 钙质超微化石生物地层记录跨越了CRP取芯的整个间隔。最近对南极洲周围海洋钻探地点的钙质超微化石的研究已经产生了南大洋古近系和上白垩纪的精细分带，这将为罗伯茨角钻探恢复的半远洋和远洋沉积物提供高分辨率的生物地层框架。这项研究与其他化石群的数据、磁性地层学数据和其他年龄测定方法相结合，将提供对其他地质调查至关重要的综合年龄控制。此外，钙质超微化石是地表水温和生产力的良好古环境指标。 定量人口普查数据的统计分析将用于推断古近纪和白垩纪期间的古环境变化。 这些数据与其他化石群和沉积学研究的数据相结合，将有助于评估距今3 000万至1亿年这一关键时期的气候变化。

Abstract This award supports basic characterization of calcareous nannofossils as part of the development of the biostratigraphic framework for drill core recovered by the Cape Roberts Project (CRP). This is a major program within the international Antarctic earth science community, designed to sample the stratigraphic record that spans the time interval 30 to 100 million years ago, by drilling four sites on the flank of the Victoria Land basin. This award is to support the drilling program by providing rapid age and paleoenvironmental information through the study of calcareous nannofossils. This research will systematically sample the recovered sedimentary cores and analyze their calcareous nannofossil content at the Crary Science and Engineering Center (CSEC) at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The preparation of an Initial Reports volume at the end of each of the two drilling seasons will include the results of this work as part of the initial characterization of the cores. The calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic record spans the entire interval to be cored by the CRP. Recent work on calcareous nannofossils from ocean drilling sites around Antarctica has yielded a refined zonation for the Paleogene and Upper Cretaceous of the Southern Ocean that will provide a high-resmlution biostratigraphic framework for hemipelagic and pelagic sediments recovered by Cape Roberts drilling. This research, when combined with data from other fossil groups, magnetostratigraphic data, and other age-dating methods, will provide integrated age control that is essential for other geological investigations. In addition, calcareous nannofossils are excellent paleoenvironmental indicators for surface water temperature and productivity. Statistical analysis of quantitative population census data will be used to infer paleoenvironmental variations during the Paleogene and Cretaceous. These data, in combination with data from other fossil groups and sedimentological studies, will be useful for assessing climatic change through the critical period of 30-100 million years before present.