Magnetostratigraphy susceptibility of the Frasnian/Famennian boundary

Abstract

Magnetosusceptibility event and cyclostratigraphy (MSEC) is used to establish a non-polarity-based magnetostratigraphy susceptibility (MSS) between the stratotype region for the Frasnian/Famennian (F/F) boundary sequence in the Montagne Noire of southern France, the eastern Rheinisches Schiefergebirge of Germany, Belgium, the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco, and the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma (USA). Despite differences of depositional environment, the MSS is remarkably consistent and can be described in the context of a hierarchy of magnetozones that allow the extension of correlation away from the Montagne Noire reference section. The nature of the controls on the influx of iron into the marine system produces a natural hierarchy of at least seven orders or magnetozones designated MSZ1, MSZ2, MSZ3, MSZ4, MSZ5, MSZ6, and MSZ7. These are characterized in terms of the magnitude of their duration. The MSS reference section of choice for the F/F boundary is the well-known Trench C at La Serre (LSC) in the northeastern Montagne Noire of southern France. The F/F boundary is located at the lower boundary of magnetozone La Serre Iα3 b at La Serre as well as in all other sections studied. MSZ4 and MSZ5 magnetozones are used to establish intra- and inter-regional correlation between the reference sequence and the other regions. The base of the Upper Kellwasser event is as variable within the MSS zonation as it is within the biostratigraphic zonation, as is the position of the Lower Kellwasser event.