New Sedimentological, Magnetostratigraphic, and Palynological Data on the Upper Cretaceous Alan-Kyr Section (Central Crimea)

Abstract

The results of sedimentological, palynological, and paleomagnetic studies of the Upper Cretaceous Alan-Kyr section (Central Crimea) are presented. The rock nomenclature is characterized and a deep-water genesis is determined. Based on the palynological data, the sediments are estimated as Lower Campanian and, partially, Upper Campanian (under two-part subdivision of the stage); palynomorphs are not found in the lower and upper parts of the section. A reverse polarity magnetozone distinguished in the lower part of the section is a probable analog of the C33r magnetic chron, whose base, according to the recommendations of Wolfring et al. (2018), should be used as a primary attribute to determine the lower boundary of the Campanian stage in the section. The obtained age data demonstrate significant differences relative to the dates inferred earlier from microfaunal data (Bragina et al., 2016).