A revised Pliocene record for marine-Sr-87/Sr-86 used to date an interglacial event recorded in the Cockburn Island Formation, Antarctic Peninsula

• Published in: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
• Main Authors: MCARTHUR JM, CASTRADORI D, BAILEY TR, THIRLWALL M, HOUGHTON S., RIO, DOMENICO, MASSARI, FRANCESCO
• Other Authors: Mcarthur, Jm, Rio, Domenico, Massari, Francesco, Castradori, D, Bailey, Tr, Thirlwall, M, Houghton, S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Pliocene; Interglacial; Antarctic Peninsula; Sr-isotopes; 87Sr/86Sr; Punta Piccola; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; Cockburn Island; Planktonic foraminifera
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11577/2466456; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.06.004

We present a revised 87Sr/86Sr-curve for marine-Sr in the interval 2.5–4.5 Ma using analysis of Orbulina universa from the Middle Pliocene type section in Sicily (Punta Piccola section) and a mixed assemblage of planktonic foraminifera from ODP Site 758A and B. The new calibration is used, together with new 87Sr/86Sr analysis of pectenid calcite from Cockburn Island, Antarctica, to confirm an age of 4.7 Ma for the pectenids of the Cockburn Island Formation (formerly the Pecten Conglomerate), a unit important in marking a period of warmth and possible glacial retreat in Antarctica. Finally, to aid interlaboratory comparison of 87Sr/86Sr data, we calibrate a value of 0.709174 for EN-1 against a value of NIST 987 of 0.709248.