STRATIGRAPHIES FROM KEY EXPLORATION AREAS IN THE EQUATORIAL ATLANTIC OCEAN

古近纪包含了过去6500万年地球历史上最深刻的气候变化，在此期间，地球气候从古近纪早期的“温室”演变为渐新世的“冰窖”。这种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钻探在两个关键地区获得了较厚的沉积层序，覆盖始新统和渐新统；青苔林（墨西哥湾）和亚马孙盆地（巴西边缘）。它们具有特殊的价值，因为它们还拥有罕见的保存完好的碳酸盐海洋微化石以及陆地标记物（例如花粉和孢子）。这些沉积物是未经研究的，因此，提供了一个独特的机会来准确地重建古代古环境，并最终发展一个综合的海洋-陆地地层学。这项工作也具有特别的价值，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，我们对这些地区如何在高时间分辨率的关键地质时间间隔内进化的理解仍然存在差距。位于巴西北部近海的Foz do Amazonas盆地尤其如此，该地区目前是许多公司勘探的重点。

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.