Oxygen and carbon isotope stratigraphy of the Palaeogene and Cretaceous limestones in the Bottaccione Gorge and the Contessa Highway sections, Umbria, Italy

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe have made oxygen and carbon isotope measurements on limestone samples of Albian to Eocene age recovered from the Bottaccione Gorge section in the Umbrian Apennines, central Italy. Additional measurements have been made on topmost Maastrichtian and Palaeocene sediments from the adjacent Contessa Highway section. Our data from the Bottaccione Gorge show 13C maxima at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary and during the Palaeocene, as well as a pronounced 13C minimum 7 metres above the clay layer at the K/T boundary. Our data from the Contessa Highway show a 13C minimum 9 metres above the K/T boundary clay. These minima are probably diagenetic artifacts. In the Bottaccione Gorge there is evidence for a hiatus in the early Middle Eocene. The Palaeocene of the Bottaccione Gorge appears to have been affected by slumping or faulting (in addition to the diagenetic overprinting) giving a spurious δ13C recovery after the K/T boundary, the Contessa Highway section appears to be more complete. The Coniacian‐Maastrictian is characterized by relatively stable 13C values. Our data indicate an increase in δ18O (and therefore possible cooling) across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in both the Bottaccione and Contessa Highway sections.