Paleomagnetism of Tarkhanian sediments of the section Skelya (Kerch Peninsula)

Abstract

With the goal to correlate the magnetostratigraphic data of the Eastern Paratethys obtained by researchers in different years a rockmagnetic and paleomagnetic investigations of the Tarkhanian sediments of the Skelya section was carried out. The main carrier of the natural remanent magnetization is titanomagnetite in the Argunian beds of the Tarkhanian regional stage; in addition to titanomagnetite there is iron sulfide (monoclinic pyrrhotite and/or greigite) in the deposits of the Terskian and Kuvinian beds. The paleomagnetic fold test of natural remanent magnetization directions, recorded in the rocks of the Argunian beds, is positive, which indicates a pre-folding age of the magnetization formation. A comparison with the magnetochronological scale GTS 2020 shows that the normal polarity interval in the lower part of the Argunian beds can presumably be compared with the С5Bn chron. The reversal polarity interval in the upper part of the Argunian beds is with C5ADr. The age of the С5Bn/C5ADr boundary can be estimated as ~14.7 Ma.