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1.
《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》2006,241(1-2):119-137
Detailed rock magnetic and electron microscope analyses indicate that the magnetic signature of Neogene marine sediments from the east coast of New Zealand is dominated by the authigenic iron sulphide greigite. The greigite is present as a mixed population of stable single domain and superparamagnetic grains, which is consistent with authigenic growth from solution. This growth can result from pyritization reactions soon after deposition, which also leads to dissolution of most detrital magnetite; however, where constrained by field tests, our data suggest that remanence acquisition can occur > 1 Myr after deposition, and can vary in timing at the outcrop scale. Strong viscous overprints result from oxidation of the iron sulphides, probably during percolation of oxic ground water. This process can sometimes destroy any ancient remanent magnetization. This complex magnetic behaviour, particularly the presence of late-forming magnetizations carried by greigite, means that the remanence in New Zealand Cenozoic sediments, and in similar sediments elsewhere, cannot be assumed to be primary without confirmation by field tests. The reversals test should be employed with caution in such sediments, as patchy remagnetizations can lead to false polarity stratigraphies. 相似文献
2.
K.J. Mohamed D. ReyB. Rubio M.J. DekkersA.P. Roberts F. Vilas 《Continental Shelf Research》2011,31(5):433-447
Early diagenetic modification of magnetic properties is an important process in marine sediments, but temporal and spatial variability of diagenetic processes have rarely been reported for recent coastal sediments. The magnetic properties of sediments from the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain) define a marked three-part zonation with depth. The uppermost zone is magnetically dominated by (titano-)magnetite. In the intermediate zone, rapid down-core dissolution of (titano-)magnetite increases the relative influence of high-coercivity magnetic minerals, which react more slowly during reductive dissolution than (titano-)magnetite. This zone is characterized by the ubiquitous occurrence of framboidal iron sulphides. Pyrite is the dominant iron sulphide, but framboidal ferrimagnetic greigite is also frequently observed in association with pyrite. The lowermost zone is characterized by an almost complete depletion of magnetic minerals associated with progressive reduction of detrital iron oxides with depth. This zonation is controlled by organic matter diagenesis, which varies with water depth and wave-induced sediment resuspension and organic matter reoxidation in the water column. This leads to a shallowing and thinning of each zone with more intense reductive diagenesis toward the interior of the ria. Such a zonation seems to be a common feature in shallow water marine environments. If preserved, the described zonation and its spatial variability provide a potential tool for detecting estuarine-like environments in the geological record. Magnetic detection of current or past reductive conditions also has important implications for assessing paleoenvironmental proxies that are sensitive to diagenetic redox state. 相似文献
3.
《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》2006,241(3-4):750-762
Monoclinic pyrrhotite (Fe7S8) is widely claimed to carry magnetizations acquired during early diagenesis in anoxic sedimentary environments. In contrast, geochemical literature indicates that pyrrhotite formation is extremely slow below 180 °C, which makes it a highly unlikely carrier of early diagenetic remanences in sediments. This view is confirmed by the occurrence of late diagenetic Fe7S8 in ancient sediments and the general lack of Fe7S8 in modern sediments. Horng et al. [C.S. Horng, M. Torii, K.S. Shea, S.J. Kao, Inconsistent magnetic polarities between greigite- and pyrrhotite/magnetite-bearing marine sediments from the Tsailiao-chi section, southwestern Taiwan, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 164 (1998) 467–481.] documented the presence of Fe7S8 that carries a magnetic signal indistinguishable from that of detrital magnetite in Pleistocene marine sediments from Taiwan. We tested the possibility that the Fe7S8 could have a detrital origin by conducting a source-to-sink study and found Fe7S8 in metamorphic rocks of the Taiwan Central Range and in material eroded from these rocks in the transportation pathway and in the depositional sink. This confirms that the Fe7S8 has a detrital origin. Rapid transportation from source to sink (e.g., by typhoon-associated flood events) probably assists preservation of the Fe7S8, which might otherwise oxidize during transportation. The widespread occurrence of exhumed metamorphic rocks in orogenic belts around the world makes them a likely source of Fe7S8 in marginal sedimentary basins. Detrital Fe7S8 should therefore be more routinely considered to be responsible for paleomagnetic records when it is present in sediments with partial metamorphic provenance. 相似文献
4.
5.
Rafael García-Ruiz Avto Goguitchaichvili Miguel Cervantes-Solano Juan Morales Rafael Maciel-Peña José Rosas-Elguera Ruben Cejudo-Ruiz Jaime Urrutia-Fucugauchi 《Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica》2017,61(2):249-263
A rock magnetic and paleomagnetic investigation was performed on some selected, radiometrically dated lava flows from the Mascota Volcanic Field (MVF), western Trans- Mexican Volcanic Belt. A set of rock-magnetic experiments and standard paleomagnetic analysis were carried out on 19 sites spanning the time interval from 2268 to 72 kyr. The paleomagnetic directions are anchored to absolute radiometric ages while no such information was available in previous studies. This makes possible to correctly evaluate the fluctuation of Earth’s magnetic field from Pliocene to Pleistocene and reveal the firm evidence of possible Levantine excursion. Both Ti-poor and Ti-rich titanomagnetites seem to carry the remanent magnetization with Curie temperatures ranging from 350°C to 537°C. Thirteen flows correspond to the Brunhes chron, one of them exhibits transitional directions, while the remaining six sites belong to the Matuyama chron. New and existing dataset for MVF were used to estimate the paleosecular variation parameters. The selected data include 35 Plio-Quaternary lava flows. After excluding the poor quality data, as well as the transitional directions, the mean paleodeclination is 356.1° and oaleoinclination 39.9°, which agree well with the geocentric axial dipole (GAD) and the expected paleodirections for the Plio-Pleistocene, as derived from the reference poles for the stable North America. The corresponding mean paleomagnetic poles are paleolongitude 226.7° and paleolatitude 86.0°. The virtual geomagnetic pole scatter for the MVF is 15.2°, which is consistent with the value expected from model G at latitude of 20° (this model provides an interpretation of the paleosecular variation at different latitudes for the time of interest). The combined paleomagnetic data, supported by positive reversal test, indicate no paleomagnetically detectable vertical-axis rotations in the study area. The evidence of one transitional directions was detected, which may correspond to the Levantine excursion (360-370 kyr) or unnamed event between 400-420 kyr. 相似文献
6.
M. A. Irurzun C. S. G. Gogorza A. M. Sinito M. A. E. Chaparro H. Nuñez J. M. Lirio 《Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica》2008,52(2):157-172
We present results of paleomagnetic and sedimentological studies carried out on three cores Lmor1, Lmo98-1, Lmor98-2 from
bottom sediments of Lake Moreno (south-western Argentina), and integrate them with data from our previous studies. Measurements
of directions (declination D and inclination I) and mass specific intensity of natural remanent magnetization (NRM intensity),
magnetic susceptibility (specific, χ and volumetric, κ), isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM), saturation of isothermal
remanent magnetization (SIRM), and back field remanent coercivity (B0CR) were performed. The stability of the NRM was investigated using alternating-field demagnetization. The results show that
these sediments meet the criteria required to construct a reliable paleomagnetic record. The cores were correlated very well
based on magnetic parameters, such as χ and NRM intensity, as well as with lithological features. Tephra layers were identified
from the lithological profiles and magnetic susceptibility logs. We obtained the D and I logs of the characteristic remanent
magnetization for the cores as a function of shortened depth. The data from the three cores were combined to form a composite
record using the Fisher method. A comparison between stacked inclination and declination records of Lake Moreno and those
obtained in previous works on Lake Escondido and Lake El Trébol shows good agreement. This agreement made it possible to transform
the stacked curves into time series spanning the interval 12–20 kyr. The results obtained improved our knowledge of SV and
the behaviour of the geomagnetic field and also allowed us to determine the range of past inclination variations from −70°
to −45° for the southern hemisphere, where data are scarce. 相似文献
7.
本文对密云水库表层沉积物中的磁性矿物进行了岩石磁学和透射电子显微学的综合研究.本实验建立的磁选方法实现将70%~85%左右的磁性矿物从沉积物中分离出来.岩石磁学研究表明,密云水库沉积物中的磁性矿物以多畴和单畴磁铁矿为主,还含有少量高矫顽力弱磁性载磁矿物(可能为赤铁矿).对磁选矿物的透射电镜观测表明,样品中部分单畴磁铁矿具有纳米尺寸和化学纯度高等特点,为拉长的立方-八面体磁铁矿,是趋磁细菌产生的化石磁小体;多畴磁铁矿多数具有微米尺寸,形状不规则,为碎屑成因;超顺磁磁铁矿粒径约为5~20nm,且含硅、铝等元素,可能为自生成因.研究结果表明,岩石磁学和透射电子显微学的综合应用可以更全面、准确地分析沉积物中磁性矿物的成分、含量、粒径和化学成分等信息,为环境磁学、生物地磁学和古地磁学研究提供依据. 相似文献
8.
Holocene records documenting variations in direction and intensity of the geomagnetic field during the last about seven and
a half millennia are presented for Northwest Africa. High resolution paleomagnetic analyses of two marine sediment sequences
recovered from around 900 meter water depth on the upper continental slope off Cape Ghir (30°51′N, 10°16′W) were supplemented
by magnetic measurements characterizing composition, concentration, grain size and coercivity of the magnetic mineral assemblage.
Age control for the high sedimentation rate deposits (∼60 cm/kyr) was established by AMS radiocarbon dates. The natural remanent
magnetization (NRM) is very predominantly carried by a fine grained, mostly single domain (titano-)magnetite fraction allowing
the reliable definition of stable NRM inclinations and declinations from alternating field demagnetization and principal component
analysis. Predictions of the Korte and Constable (2005) geomagnetic field model CALS7K.2 for the study area are in fair agreement
with the Holocene directional records for the most parts, yet noticeable differences exist in some intervals. The magnetic
mineral inventory of the sediments reveals various climate controlled variations, specifically in concentration and grain
size. A very strong impact had the mid-Holocene environmental change from humid to arid conditions on the African continent
which also clearly affects relative paleointensity (RPI) estimates based on different remanence normalizers. To overcome this
problem the pseudo-Thellier RPI technique has been applied. The results represent the first Holocene record of Earth’s magnetic
field intensity variations in the NW Africa region. It displays long term trends similar to those of model predictions, but
also conspicuous millennium scale differences. 相似文献
9.
The results of magnetic and X-ray studies of the magnetic extracts separated from highly magnetically susceptible horizons of the Late Pleistocene sediments from the North Caspian Basin are presented. Greigite is shown to be the major carrier of magnetic properties in these horizons. Its coercive parameters are characteristic of the predominantly single-domain state of magnetic grains. It is found that the Curie point of greigite is at least 460°C, while the specific magnetization of pure greigite is half the saturation magnetization of magnetite. 相似文献
10.
晚更新世以来以一系列地磁漂移事件是区域地层对比和确定沉积物年代框架的重要工具.但是在海相沉积物中,识别这些地磁漂移事件多依赖相对磁场强度(RPI)的变化,在地磁方向异常方面鲜有报到,从而影响对这些事件可靠性的讨论.本文选择南海南部巽他陆架附近重力活塞钻孔BKAS2PC的沉积物,进行系统的岩石磁学和古地磁研究,获得该钻孔沉积记录的RPI和磁倾角变化信息.岩石磁学及扫描电镜结果表明沉积物的原生主要载磁矿物为单畴(SD)和假单畴(PSD)钛磁铁矿.在一些层位,沉积后发生的还原作用形成胶黄铁矿等铁硫化物.磁性矿物的浓度和粒度等参数呈现显著的两阶段变化特征,上部(约220 cm以上)含量低而粒度细,下部含量高但粒度相对较粗,整体上均在一个数量级范围内波动.样品的交变退磁特征显示当交变场超过60 mT时,受胶黄铁矿影响产生旋转磁化,剩磁强度反而上升.因此,在20～60 mT之间确定原生特征剩磁,并把RPI定义为NRM_((20-40)mT)/ARM_((20-40)mT).通过~(14)C限定,并与其他有良好年代控制的相对磁场强度曲线进行对比,建立了钻孔的年代框架.结果显示,钻孔沉积物记录了几次显著的地磁漂移事件,这为联合应用RPI与磁场方向异常构建海相沉积物年代学框架提供了新的依据. 相似文献
11.
The Padul-15-05 sediment core provides an exceptional perspective of the paleoenvironmental and climate change in the Western Mediterranean region for the last ca. 200 kyr. However, even though a robust chronology mainly relying on radiometric dating is available for the last 50 ka, the chronology for the older sediments is not yet fully resolved. Ages for the bottom part of the core (>21 m) were previously inferred from amino-acid racemization dating and sediment accumulation rates. In this work, we provide a more accurate chronology for the older part (>100 kyr) of the Padul-15-05 sediment core record based on the recognition of past Earth's magnetic excursions. We identify an interval prone of reversed polarity samples close to MIS-5e/5 d transition that we correlate to the Blake geomagnetic excursion (116.5 kyr–112 kyr). In addition, we identify an interval of low inclinations and two reversed samples that we interpret as the Iceland Basin geomagnetic excursion (192.7 kyr–187.7 kyr: wide scenario of VGP <40°). Our new results, which include IRM acquisition curves that contribute to understand the magnetic mineralogy, enhances the robustness of the age model for the Padul-15-05 sedimentary sequence by adding an independent age dataset with new accurate tie-points. Our refined age control together with the available paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate multiproxy data provide insightful information to unveil the response of the western Mediterranean environments to regional environmental and climate change. 相似文献
12.
地球磁场相对强度研究现状与展望 总被引：2，自引：6，他引：2
对利用沉积物确定地球磁场相对强度的实验方法进行了综述评述，在些基础上本文总结了目前常用的恢复沉复沉积物记录古强度的方法，重点介绍了全新世、晚更新世和布容时地球磁场相对强度变化特征，评价了环境因素对沉积物记录地球磁场相对强度的影响。对未来有关地球磁场相对强度研究发展趋势提出了借鉴。 相似文献
13.
V. G. Bakhmutov V. Ya. Yevzerov V. V. Kolka 《Izvestiya Physics of the Solid Earth》2009,45(7):567-582
The genesis, varve, and paleomagnetic informativeness of glaciolacustrine sediments are considered based on paleomagnetic and lithological studies. The magnetic properties of varved clays from periglacial basins have been considered using the sedimentological model of formation of varved clays as products of glacial turbidity currents, which explains the differences in the magnetic characteristics and degree of paleomagnetic informativeness of these clays. The distal zone sediments (formed due to precipitation from glacial turbidity currents, suspension, and sometimes along the periphery of the proximal zone) are most successfully used to study secular variations. The possible errors of the secular variation records in varved clays and such errors in estimating annual bedding of these clays have been analyzed. It has been indicated that information about the composition, concentration, and magnetic fraction size should be completed with detailed lithological studies, which make it possible to reconstruct the character of clastic material income into a basin and to decipher a paleomagnetic record. An analysis of the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy parameters and the magnetization formation in a sediment makes it possible to take into account disturbances caused by the sedimentation process and, thereby, to detect a pure geomagnetic signal 相似文献
14.
We report paleomagnetic results from oriented drill core samples collected at 10 sites (80 samples) from the Covey Hill and 19 sites (96 samples) from the overlying, fossiliferous Cha?teauguay Formations of the gently dipping Late Cambrian Potsdam Group sandstones exposed in the St. Lawrence Lowlands of Quebec. Stepwise thermal demagnetization analyses ave revealed the presence of two predominant groups of coherent magnetizations C-1 and C-2, after simple correction for bedding tilt. The C-1 group magnetization is a stable direction (D=332°, I=+18°) with unblocking temperatures (TUB) between 550 and 650°C, present in the older Covey Hill Formation; this direction is probably a chemical remanence acquired during the Covey Hill diagenesis and carried predominantly by hematite. The C-2 group magnetization (D=322°, I=+9°) is present at 13 sites of the younger Cha?teauguay Formation; this is probably carried by magnetite and represents a penecontemporaneous, depositional DRM, characterized by TUB spectra 400–550°C. We believe that C-2 is relatively younger than C-1 based on a combination of arguments such as the presence of opposite polarities, internal consistency, similarity and common occurrence of C-1 and C-2 respectively in the Covey Hill and Cha?teauguay members. The corresponding paleomagnetic poles C-1 (46°N, 149°E; dp, dm=3°, 5°) and C-2 (37°N, 156°E; dp, dm=2°, 5°) are not significantly different from most of the other Late Cambrian (Dresbachian-Franconian) poles derived from sediments exposed in the southern region (Texas) of the North American craton which are also believed to have been deposited during Croixian Sauk sea transgression similar to the Potsdam sandstones. Although adequate faunal control is lacking (in particular for the Covey Hill Formation), this comparison with the Cratonic poles suggests a Late Cambrian age to the Potsdam poles. The agreement between the results also gives the evidence for internal consistency of cratonic poles at least for Late Cambrian.The incoherent C-3 group remanence (D=250°, I=?15°) is commonly present at 7 sites in both the formations; this may not correspond to a reliable paleomagnetic signal. The other remanence C-4 (D=180°, I=+10°) is found only at 3 sites located in the uppermost stratigraphic levels of the Cha?teauguay Formation; the corresponding paleomagnetic pole (40°N, 107°E) does not differ significantly from the Ordovician and some Late Cambrian poles. The present data are insufficient to resolve a problem in apparent polar wander for Middle and Late Cambrian time posed by the existence of high-latitude poles for some strata of Middle Cambrian age and low-latitude poles for some strata of Late Cambrian age. 相似文献
15.
Environmental mechanism of magnetic susceptibility changes of lacustrine sediments from Lake Hulun, China 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
The changes of magnetic susceptibility(κ) are correlated with those of corresponding sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical and biological results, which verifies
thatκ can be taken as one of the environmental proxies. However, usually the exact origin of magnetic signal is poorly understood,
and is difficult to relate with the environmental evolution. Magnetic properties of material derived from the catchment and
sedimentary environment may affect the accumulation, preservation, or authigenesis and diagenesis of magnetic minerals. In
the Lake Hulun region in Inner Mongolia, it is found that muddy sediments, deposited during high water level period (corresponding
to humid climate), have comparatively highκ values. In contrast, the sandy sediments, deposited during low water level period (corresponding to arid climate), have lowκ values. Detailed rock magnetic investigation confirms that detrital magnetite derived from volcanic rocks in the catchment
exists in both muddy and sandy sediments. During high water level period, secondary ferrimagnetic iron sulphide was produced
in muddy sediments under relatively reductive conditions. Ferrimagnetic iron sulphide, coexisting with detrital magnetite,
predominates the magnetic properties of muddy sediments, resulting in increasingκ. This paper reveals the significance of authigenic ferrimagnetic iron sulphide produced after sediment deposition. 相似文献
16.
Romina V. Achaga Maria A. Irurzun Claudia S. G. Gogorza Avto Goguitchaichvili Juan Morales Daniel Loponte Ana M. Sinito 《Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica》2017,61(2):318-335
Laguna Melincué is a shallow lake located in Santa Fe Province, Argentina (33°41′27.8″S, 61°31′36.5″W). The catchment area is around 1495 km2 and it is located in the Pampean Plains. It was reduced to 678 km2 by the construction of the San Urbano channel in 1941 and reconditioned in 1977, which was built to avoid floods. The floods are related to some El Niño episodes, with high precipitation events. The lake has been previously studied from different approaches, mainly to understand hydrological and climatic variations, but more multidisciplinary studies are needed to understand its complex hydrological situation. Here we present the first paleomagnetic and rock magnetic studies made on a short sediment core collected from the lake in order to contribute to identifying paleoclimatic proxies and to present the first paleomagnetic results for the site. Rock magnetic analyses suggest that the well-preserved magnetic mineralogy is dominated by pseudo single-domain (titano)magnetite and/or maghemite. The results also indicate that a stable characteristic remanent magnetisation can be isolated and thus the directions of the geomagnetic field may be obtained, providing evidence for the use of this lake for paleomagnetic and paleoenvironmental studies. Changes in magnetic grain size and concentration of magnetic minerals suggest environmental variations and changes in the lake level, which are consistent with historical reports. The paleomagnetic results agree well with Cals3k.3 model for inclination and declination of the geomagnetic field except for the dry period probably due to the fact that the core was extracted near the shore. 相似文献
17.
Genrietta A. Pospelova Elżbieta Król Galina M. Levkovskaya Jadwiga Kruczyk Magdalena Kądziałko-Hofmokl Sergey A. Kulakov 《Acta Geophysica》2007,55(4):619-639
The paper presents the results of experimental rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic and palynologic study of Paleolithic sediments
sampled along two profiles in the Akhshtyrskaya cave, situated in the vicinity of Black Sea shore. In the upper part of profiles,
some magnetite was observed; in the middle and lower parts, strongly oxidized non-stoichiometric magnetite and hematite prevail.
Thin maghemite covers on the surface of fine magnetite grains are present in the majority of specimens. Natural remanence
has one characteristic component (CHRM), mostly of chemical origin, although in few specimens containing magnetite it may
be sedimentary. Directions of CHRM obtained by standard paleomagnetic methods revealed anomalous pattern only in layer 3/2,
which is slightly older than the overlying layer 3/1 whose age was established as (35±2)×103 years BP by the U-Th method. This suggests that this paleomagnetic anomaly (PMA) can be correlated with Kargapolovo excursion
dated on about (45−39)×103 years BP. In the remaining overlying and underlying layers, directions of CHRM are grouped around the present geomagnetic
field. Depth distributions of scalar magnetic parameters generally coincide with the lithological division of the profiles.
Palynologic study revealed the presence of 22 pollen zones. Five thermomers separated with colder periods were found in the
middle and lower parts of profile. The non-magnetite composition of magnetic fraction of the majority of studied sediments
— oxidized nonstoichiometric magnetite and hematite — resulted in the lack of correlations between paleoclimatic and scalar
magnetic characteristics. 相似文献
18.
Diagenetic effects on the magnetic mineralogy in marine sediments have long been investigated, including oxidation/reduction reactions, magnetic dilution, formation of iron sulfides and oxides, magnetization acquisition mechanisms and reliability of the paleomagnetic record. This study investigates diagenetic effects in low-oxygen depositional environments characterized by recent and past magnetic mineral dissolution zones. We analyze a marine sequence from the Alfonso Basin in the southern Gulf of California in which the topmost sediments show diagenetic effects marked by high magnetic enhancement factors. The susceptibility logs show high values at the top sediments with well-defined small amplitude low frequency fluctuations down core. Magnetic hysteresis loops indicate low coercivity saturation, characteristic of magnetites and low-tititanomagnetites with varying paramagnetic contributions. Intensity of natural remanent, isothermal and anhysteretic magnetizations and coercivity parameters show similar variation patterns with depth. The anhysteretic remanence intensity-susceptibility ratio shows an inverse correlation to magnetic susceptibility, indicating varying concentration of fine grained single domain and superparamagnetic particles. The magnetic logs record diagenetic changes and magnetite authigenesis, with preserved recent and old dissolution zones marked by enriched single-domain/pseudo-singledomain/multi-domain magnetite in between the dissolution fronts. The oxidation/reduction processes relate to climatic and water/sediment interface factors controlling the dissolution processes, which occur in the Alfonso Basin anoxic conditions. 相似文献
19.
Stephen L. Gillett 《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》1982,58(3):383-394
Paleomagnetic samples from the Nolichucky Formation (Late Cambrian), sampled at two sites in the Valley and Ridge Province of east Tennessee, yield a possibly penecontemporaneous characteristic magnetization that appears to reside in detrital magnetite. The paleomagnetic pole positions are “Paleozoic”, but differ: site I, lat. 41°N, long. 109°E,dp = 1°, dm = 2°; site II, lat. 39°N, long. 131°E,dp = 4°, dm = 7°. The difference in poles reflects a significant difference in declination between the site-mean directions, and this declination difference probably reflects relative tectonic rotation as the sites are in different thrust sheets. The paleontologic age of both sections is exceptionally well-constrained as they are sampled across an abrupt “biomere boundary” between contrasting trilobite faunas. Comparison of these results with paleomagnetic data from coeval strata elsewhere in North America reveals gross discrepancies, so that at least some of the published data must reflect remagnetization and/or tectonic rotation. 相似文献
20.
In Southern Ocean sediments south of the Antarctic Polar Front, the scarcity of calcareous microfossils hampers the development of sediment chronologies based on radiocarbon dating and oxygen isotope stratigraphy established from carbonate. In this study, radiometric dating, magnetic susceptibility (MS), biogenic opal content, diatom abundance fluctuation, and paleomagnetic information were investigated on a north–south transect of central Scotia Sea sediment cores to verify their reliability as stratigraphic tools in the study area. Radiocarbon dating on organic carbon humic acid fraction can be used to establish the stratigraphy of upper core sections, but regional comparison and correlation are needed to verify a possible bias by fossil carbon contamination. For the long-term stratigraphy, MS, which can be correlated to the Antarctic ice core dust/climate signal, represents the most valuable parameter. Fine-grained single domain magnetite, probably of biogenic origin, makes a significant contribution to the interglacial MS signal, while major contributions from detrital material affect the glacial MS record. The core from the southern Scotia Sea contains significant proportions of biogenic magnetite also in glacial sediments, suggesting depositional environments different from those of the northern Scotia Sea. Our data suggest low contributions of high-coercive minerals to the overall magnetic intensity of glacial and interglacial Scotia Sea sediments, which excludes dust as a main source of the magnetic signal. Opal content can be used to distinguish between cold and warm intervals for the past 300 thousand years. Abundance fluctuation patterns of diatom species Fragilariopsis kerguelensis and Eucampia antarctica are useful stratigraphic tools for periods back to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6. The Mono Lake geomagnetic excursion is identified in Scotia Sea sediments for the first time. Possible correlations of ash layers are suggested between Scotia Sea sediments and East Antarctic ice cores. They have potential to serve as additional age markers for further studies in this area. 相似文献