Investigation of diatoms in southern ocean deep sea cores
Planktonic biostratigraphy, southern ocean deep sea cores ORVILLE L. BANDY
Department of Geological Sciences University of Southern California, Los Angeles The discovery that the first appearance of Globorotalia is in Gauss age sediments of high latitudes (Theyer, 1972, 1973), was a major development. This planktonic species is known to occur initially near the base of the Gilsa event (1.79 million years before present) in temperate and tropical regions; this location is useful, in conjunction with other indices, in defining the base of the Pleistocene. Contrastingly, Kennett (1970) restricts this species to about the last 200,000 years of the Brunhes Normal Magnetic Epoch in southern ocean cores. In our cores (e.g. E39-40 and E39-48) G. t,uncatulinoides makes its first appearance in association with Lam procyclas heteroporos, Prunopyle titan, and Globorota/ia miozea conoidea, all pre-Pleistocene species. In E39-76, G. truncatulinoides first makes its appearance in a left-coiling Pulleniatina obliquiloculata zone (not P. prima/is, as listed); all forms of Pulleniati,za in the Brunhes are almost 100 percent right-coiling. Therefore good evidence exists in support of the earlier appearance of G. truncatulinoides prior to the Pleistocene in high latitude cores; certainly the evidence supports the appearance of this important species earlier than during about the past 200,000 years in subantarctic areas. Study of trigger core tops taken during Eltanin Cruise 45 southwest of Australia shows the restriction of Globigerina antarctica Keany and Kennett to the region north of the subtropical convergence. Its distribution appears
truncatulinoides
to approximate that of Neog/oboquadrina dutertrei dutertrei (d'Orbigny), the form of this genus with the umbilical tooth-like flaps. Forms of Neog/oboquadrina dutertrei subcretacea lacking umbilical flaps are most characteristic of the area between the subantarctic divergence and the subtropical convergence, with a transition zone to the north where they give way to forms with the umbilical flaps (Bandy, 1972). Studies in progress show that Globortolia pachyderma and Neogloboquadrina dietertrei have different types of wall structure. The former commences its growth with a smooth wall with pores and it develops nodes that gradually coalesce and evolve into polygonal ridges with pore pits; under high magnification part of the smooth wall may be seen in some of the pore pits. This type of wall development is not unlike that in some globorotaloids such as truncatulinoides, as shown by Glacon and others (1971). The initial wall of Neog/oboquadrina commences as a coarse, net-like structure that gradually develops into a thickened wall with pore pits. 286
Additional studies of antarctic species are in progress to learn more about the ultrastructure of planktonic species, especially their growth variation and differences in populations from dissimilar environments. This is contribution number 327, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Southern California.
References Bandy, 0. L. 1972. Origin and development of Globorotalia (Turborotalia) pachydermi (Ehrenberg). Micropaleontology, 18: 294-318. Glacon, G., C. Vergnaud Grazzini, and M. J . Sigal. 1971. Premiers resultats d'une série d'observations saisonnières des foraminifères du plancton Mediterranéen. In: Proceedings of the Planktonic Conference, Rome 1970 (A. Farinacci, ed.). Rome, Edizioni Tecnoscienza. 555-582. Kennett, J . P. 1970. Pleistocene paleoclimates and foraminiferal biostratigraphy in subantarctic deep sea cores. Deep Sea Research, 17: 125-140. Theyer, F. 1972. Late Neogene paleomagnetic and planktonic zonation of southeast Indian Ocean-Tasman Basin. Ph.D. dirsertation, University of Southern California. 198 p. Theyer, F. 1973. Globorotalia truncatulinoides datum plane: evidence for a Gauss (Pliocene) age in subantarctic cores. Nature, Physical Science, 241: 142-145.
Investigation of diatoms in southern ocean deep sea cores WILLIAM H. ABBOTT
Department of Geology and Marine Sciences University of South Carolina, Beaufort Work progressed during 1972-1973 on studies of southern ocean diatoms found in southeast Indian Ocean deep sea cores. Abbott (1971) suggested that three previously defined diatom zones be used in correlating southern ocean cores. These were (oldest to youngest) the Actinocyc/us ingens concurrent range zone, the Rouxia spp. zone, and the Nitzschia kerguelensis zone. The applicability of these three diatom zones was demonstrated on five Southeast Indian Abyssal Plain cores (Payne et a/., 1971, 1972). As previously suggested, the Rouxia spp. zone is comprised of several species of the genus Rouxia. These species have been identified (Abbott, 1972) as R. antarctica (least abundant), R. peraga//ii, and R. peragallii f. yabei (most abundant). A fourth diatom zone (fig.) has been defined (Abbott, 1972) by the range of Heinidiscus karstenii, subsequent to the last occurrence of the genus Rouxia. The H. karstenii zone also has been found easily in most cores examined in these studies. ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
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Study of core tops taken during cruises of the USNS Eltanin, Conrad, and Vema, demonstrated (Burckle et al., 1973) that diatoms found at the southeast Indian Ocean sediment-water interface can be used for tracing the movements of Antarctic Bottom Water. Data from more than 200 core tops suggest a major conduit through the southeast Indian Mid-Ocean Ridge, between 950E. and 100 0E. Partially dissolved and broken remains of antarctic diatoms can be traced into the Wharton Basin. These investigations were supported by National Science Foundation grant GV-28803, to John Conolly, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Payne, R. R., J. R. Conolly, and W. H. Abbott. 1971. Variation among Eltanin piston cores: an intensive coring station in the Wilkes Abyssal Plain. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., VI( 5): 169-170. Payne, R. R., J. R. Conolly, and W. H. Abbott. 1972. Turbidite muds within diatom ooze off Antarctica: Pleistocene and sediment variation defined by closely spaced piston cores. Geological Society of America. Bulletin, 83: 481-486.
References
JOHN KEANY
Abbott, W. H. 1971. Diatom investigations of southern ocean deep sea cores. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., VI(5): 171172. Abbott, W. H. 1972. Vertical and lateral patterns of diatomaceous ooze found between Australia and Antarctica. Unpublished Ph.D. dijsertation, University of South Carolina. 144 P. Burckle, L. 1-I., W. H. Abbott, and J. Maloney. 1973. Sediment transport by Antarctic Bottom Water in the southeast Indian Ocean. American Geophysical Union. Annual meeting, Washington, D.C.
September-October 1973
Anfarcfissa strelkovi as a paleoclimafic
index in the southern ocean Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island
A new radiolarian paleoclimatic technique has been established for antarctic and subantarctic deep sea cores based on frequency oscillations of the radiolarian Antarctissa strelkovia Petrushevskaya. The Eltanin cores selected for the study are from south of Australia and the central South Pacific, and have other paleoclimatic curves previously established by using foraminiferal (Kennett, 287
Department of Geological Sciences University of Southern California, Los Angeles The discovery that the first appearance of Globorotalia is in Gauss age sediments of high latitudes (Theyer, 1972, 1973), was a major development. This planktonic species is known to occur initially near the base of the Gilsa event (1.79 million years before present) in temperate and tropical regions; this location is useful, in conjunction with other indices, in defining the base of the Pleistocene. Contrastingly, Kennett (1970) restricts this species to about the last 200,000 years of the Brunhes Normal Magnetic Epoch in southern ocean cores. In our cores (e.g. E39-40 and E39-48) G. t,uncatulinoides makes its first appearance in association with Lam procyclas heteroporos, Prunopyle titan, and Globorota/ia miozea conoidea, all pre-Pleistocene species. In E39-76, G. truncatulinoides first makes its appearance in a left-coiling Pulleniatina obliquiloculata zone (not P. prima/is, as listed); all forms of Pulleniati,za in the Brunhes are almost 100 percent right-coiling. Therefore good evidence exists in support of the earlier appearance of G. truncatulinoides prior to the Pleistocene in high latitude cores; certainly the evidence supports the appearance of this important species earlier than during about the past 200,000 years in subantarctic areas. Study of trigger core tops taken during Eltanin Cruise 45 southwest of Australia shows the restriction of Globigerina antarctica Keany and Kennett to the region north of the subtropical convergence. Its distribution appears
truncatulinoides
to approximate that of Neog/oboquadrina dutertrei dutertrei (d'Orbigny), the form of this genus with the umbilical tooth-like flaps. Forms of Neog/oboquadrina dutertrei subcretacea lacking umbilical flaps are most characteristic of the area between the subantarctic divergence and the subtropical convergence, with a transition zone to the north where they give way to forms with the umbilical flaps (Bandy, 1972). Studies in progress show that Globortolia pachyderma and Neogloboquadrina dietertrei have different types of wall structure. The former commences its growth with a smooth wall with pores and it develops nodes that gradually coalesce and evolve into polygonal ridges with pore pits; under high magnification part of the smooth wall may be seen in some of the pore pits. This type of wall development is not unlike that in some globorotaloids such as truncatulinoides, as shown by Glacon and others (1971). The initial wall of Neog/oboquadrina commences as a coarse, net-like structure that gradually develops into a thickened wall with pore pits. 286
Additional studies of antarctic species are in progress to learn more about the ultrastructure of planktonic species, especially their growth variation and differences in populations from dissimilar environments. This is contribution number 327, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Southern California.
References Bandy, 0. L. 1972. Origin and development of Globorotalia (Turborotalia) pachydermi (Ehrenberg). Micropaleontology, 18: 294-318. Glacon, G., C. Vergnaud Grazzini, and M. J . Sigal. 1971. Premiers resultats d'une série d'observations saisonnières des foraminifères du plancton Mediterranéen. In: Proceedings of the Planktonic Conference, Rome 1970 (A. Farinacci, ed.). Rome, Edizioni Tecnoscienza. 555-582. Kennett, J . P. 1970. Pleistocene paleoclimates and foraminiferal biostratigraphy in subantarctic deep sea cores. Deep Sea Research, 17: 125-140. Theyer, F. 1972. Late Neogene paleomagnetic and planktonic zonation of southeast Indian Ocean-Tasman Basin. Ph.D. dirsertation, University of Southern California. 198 p. Theyer, F. 1973. Globorotalia truncatulinoides datum plane: evidence for a Gauss (Pliocene) age in subantarctic cores. Nature, Physical Science, 241: 142-145.
Investigation of diatoms in southern ocean deep sea cores WILLIAM H. ABBOTT
Department of Geology and Marine Sciences University of South Carolina, Beaufort Work progressed during 1972-1973 on studies of southern ocean diatoms found in southeast Indian Ocean deep sea cores. Abbott (1971) suggested that three previously defined diatom zones be used in correlating southern ocean cores. These were (oldest to youngest) the Actinocyc/us ingens concurrent range zone, the Rouxia spp. zone, and the Nitzschia kerguelensis zone. The applicability of these three diatom zones was demonstrated on five Southeast Indian Abyssal Plain cores (Payne et a/., 1971, 1972). As previously suggested, the Rouxia spp. zone is comprised of several species of the genus Rouxia. These species have been identified (Abbott, 1972) as R. antarctica (least abundant), R. peraga//ii, and R. peragallii f. yabei (most abundant). A fourth diatom zone (fig.) has been defined (Abbott, 1972) by the range of Heinidiscus karstenii, subsequent to the last occurrence of the genus Rouxia. The H. karstenii zone also has been found easily in most cores examined in these studies. ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
Matuyama
Brunhes
ilia)
I
00 00^000 '.0
Jc,
I
10 000 0
CD
o.
I Diatom zones delineated from southern ocean deep sea cores.
I.• I I
ZONE 4
I I
ZONE
I
ZONE
ZONE 1
Study of core tops taken during cruises of the USNS Eltanin, Conrad, and Vema, demonstrated (Burckle et al., 1973) that diatoms found at the southeast Indian Ocean sediment-water interface can be used for tracing the movements of Antarctic Bottom Water. Data from more than 200 core tops suggest a major conduit through the southeast Indian Mid-Ocean Ridge, between 950E. and 100 0E. Partially dissolved and broken remains of antarctic diatoms can be traced into the Wharton Basin. These investigations were supported by National Science Foundation grant GV-28803, to John Conolly, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Payne, R. R., J. R. Conolly, and W. H. Abbott. 1971. Variation among Eltanin piston cores: an intensive coring station in the Wilkes Abyssal Plain. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., VI( 5): 169-170. Payne, R. R., J. R. Conolly, and W. H. Abbott. 1972. Turbidite muds within diatom ooze off Antarctica: Pleistocene and sediment variation defined by closely spaced piston cores. Geological Society of America. Bulletin, 83: 481-486.
References
JOHN KEANY
Abbott, W. H. 1971. Diatom investigations of southern ocean deep sea cores. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., VI(5): 171172. Abbott, W. H. 1972. Vertical and lateral patterns of diatomaceous ooze found between Australia and Antarctica. Unpublished Ph.D. dijsertation, University of South Carolina. 144 P. Burckle, L. 1-I., W. H. Abbott, and J. Maloney. 1973. Sediment transport by Antarctic Bottom Water in the southeast Indian Ocean. American Geophysical Union. Annual meeting, Washington, D.C.
September-October 1973
Anfarcfissa strelkovi as a paleoclimafic
index in the southern ocean Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island
A new radiolarian paleoclimatic technique has been established for antarctic and subantarctic deep sea cores based on frequency oscillations of the radiolarian Antarctissa strelkovia Petrushevskaya. The Eltanin cores selected for the study are from south of Australia and the central South Pacific, and have other paleoclimatic curves previously established by using foraminiferal (Kennett, 287
