Eocene-Oligocene boundary problems, west coast, North America
Correlation of the international Eocene-Oligocene boundary with the provincial biostratigraphic framework of the northeast Pacific margin has been and continues to be controversial. The controversy centers about historical nomenclature and correlations, and current correlations based on planktonic fossil group. The Geological Society of America's C.E. Weaver Committee published the first interdisciplinary correlation chart for the Cenozoic rocks of the western United States in 1944. The committee placed the Eocene-Oligocene boundary at the base of the Keasey Molluscan Stage and Refugian Benthic Foraminiferal Stage. The most useful provincial boundaries of Late Eocene to Oligocene age are the Narizian-Refugian and Refugian-Zemorrian Benthic Foraminiferal Stage boundaries. Reevaluation of the Refugian Stage has recently been completed. The stage boundaries have been correlated to the international geologic time scale using planktonic microfossils. Planktonic assemblages are rare in samples from above and below the Refugian-Zemorrian Benthic Foraminiferal Stage boundary. In California this boundary is commonly at an unconformity or without superposition of diagnostic faunas. In southwestern Washington the Refugian-Zemorrian boundary occurs in continuously deposited and foraminiferally rich sections. Radiometric calibration of the provincial boundaries is not yet possible. Whole rock potassium-argon and fission track dates are available but both have very large error bars or lack adequate biostratigraphic control to be useful. Fossiliferous stratigraphic sections have rocks with sufficient remanent magnetism for magnetostratigraphic studies but to date only reconnaissance data are available.
- Research Organization:
- Mobil Exploration and Producing Services, Inc., Dallas, TX
- OSTI ID:
- 6436968
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8304200-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 67:3; ISSN AAPGB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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