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The transition from the Bartonian to the Priabonian, as traditionally understood, has long been associated with a series of extinctions and originations in several microfossil groups. The planktonic foraminifer genus Morozovelloides and large species of Acarinina suffered a rapid global extinction, as did many radiolarians. Calcareous nannofossils show several assemblage changes including the acme beginning of Cribrocentrum erbae and the lowest and highest occurrences of Chiasmolithus oamaruensis and C. grandis respectively. In shallow water environments, larger foraminifera also show an extinction among large species of Nummulites, as well as the first occurrences of the stratigraphically important genus Spiroclypeus. However, the correlation between shallow and deep water records remains uncertain, as do the mechanisms driving these biotic events. Here we present the results of a new integrated stratigraphical study (calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifera, larger benthic foraminifera, and low-resolution magnetostratigraphy) of the Urtsadzor section in southwestern Armenia which appears to be continuous through this interval. The Urtsadzor section consists of calcareous siltstones rich in micro-and nannofossils, with interbedded limestones containing abundant larger benthic foraminifera. Our new data enable us to correlate larger foraminiferal events with global plankton biostratigraphy, in a section outside of southwest Europe where most previous correlations have been based. At Urtsadzor, the large Nummulites species of N. millecaput-group are present throughout the whole section but decrease in abundance toward the top. The first occurrence of Spiroclypeus, also occurs in the upper part of the section, marking the SBZ 18/19 boundary. These events are associated with the phylogenetic development of the Nummulites fabianii and Heterostegina reticulata lineages. However, the calcareous plankton biostratigraphy indicates the section is well within the Priabonian; within plank

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Summary Palaeomagnetic field intensity measurements, derived from rocks with ages that span geological time, provide a crucial constraint on the evolution of Earth’s deep interior and its magnetic environment. The palaeointensity database PINT has been updated to version v.8.0.0  and includes palaeointensity site-mean records spanning an interval from 50 ka to 4.2 Ga, compiling efforts from the palaeomagnetic community spanning from 1959 to the end of 2019. Nearly all site-mean palaeointensity records have been assessed using the qualitative reliability of palaeointensity (Quality of Palaeointensity, QPI) framework. This updated database brings together and harmonizes prior QPI and PINT compilation efforts into a unified database referred to as the PINT database, incorporating recent efforts since 2014 to assess QPI. The spatio-temporal distribution of the PINT database is analyzed, revealing substantial biases towards young records (from the Brunhes chron) in the Northern hemisphere, and intervals with little to no palaeointensity data with a duration of 10s to 100s of millions of years in the Paleozoic and Precambrian. General QPI compliance is characterized for the PINT database, which shows that the median QPI scores range from 2 to 3 (out of a total possible score of 10), with a positive trend towards increasing QPI scores in studies published after the year 2000. This illustrates an increasing community awareness of what is required to establish confidence in palaeointensity data and an increasing robustness of the large scale interpretations that can be made with these data. We additionally present a description of the long-term average dipole field strength with descriptive statistics for distinct intervals of Earth history.

International audienceThe Maikop Series forms an important source rock in the former Paratethys. Deposition is often interpreted as anoxic, linked to restriction of the Paratethys. The Pirembel formation in the Talysh Mountains (Azerbaijan) is attributed to the Maikop Series and was deposited above the Eocene volcanic Peshtasar formation. Dating the onset of anoxia could help to distinguish glacio-eustatic from tectonic causes of restriction. We integrated magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy to date the onset of Pirembel sedimentation and used geochemistry to characterize the tectonic setting of the Peshtasar volcanic rocks. The onset of Maikop sedimentation in the Talysh was determined to be 37.7 Ma, ruling out a link with the major sea-level drop at the Eocene–Oligocene Transition (33.9 Ma) and favouring a tectonic cause. Extrapolating the average sedimentation rate (34 cm kyr) suggests that the entire Pirembel formation belongs to the Late Eocene. We hypothesize that the end of volcanism is important in the transition to Pirembel sedimentation. The palaeomagnetic and geochemistry results for the volcanic rocks cluster in three groups, suggesting three distinct episodes of volcanism. Volcanic sills within the Eocene Arkevan formation plot exactly on these groups, confirming the relationship between the Arkevan and Peshtasar formations. Volcanic rocks of the Talysh show continental-arc signatures and may be related to an Eocene volcanic belt extending towards southeastern Iran

Abstract. The Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO), a ∼500 kyr episode of global warming that initiated at ∼ 40.5 Ma, is postulated to be driven by a net increase in volcanic carbon input, but a direct source has not been identified. Here we show, based on new and previously published radiometric ages of volcanic rocks, that the interval spanning the MECO corresponds to a massive increase in continental arc volcanism in Iran and Azerbaijan. Ages of Eocene igneous rocks in all volcanic provinces of Iran cluster around 40 Ma, very close to the peak warming phase of the MECO. Based on the spatial extent and volume of the volcanic rocks as well as the carbonaceous lithology in which they are emplaced, we estimate the total amount of CO2 that could have been released at this time corresponds to between 1052 and 12 565 Pg carbon. This is compatible with the estimated carbon release during the MECO. Although the uncertainty in both individual ages, and the spread in the compilation of ages, is larger than the duration of the MECO, a flare-up in Neotethys subduction zone volcanism represents a plausible excess carbon source responsible for MECO warming.

Belaya River Section of Maikop deposits is the closest to the Maikop town, typical for Western and Central Ciscaucasus, well outcropped and studied and should be considered as a type section for the Maikop Group. Here it is possible to observe a continuous transition from the underlying light marls of Belaya Glina Formation to the dark clays of Pshekha Formation at the base of the Maikop succession. Pshekha Fm is characterized by nannoplankton NP21 and NP22 zones, dinocysts Phthanoperidinium amoenum (D13) and Wetzeliella symmetrica zones, mollusk association with Pterolucina batalpashinica at the bottom and rich fish fauna. The succession shows a normal polarity chron C13n for the base of the Pshekha and revers polarity C12r above. Marl of Polbian Bed with brackish Lower Solenovian mollusks, ostracod association with Disopontocipris oligocaenica, nannoplankton of NP23 Zone and dinocysts of Wetzeliella gohtii Zone lies above with erosion contact. Overlying Lower Morozkina Balka Subformation contains from non-calcareous clays and concludes the remains of fish and dinocysts of Wetzeliella gohtii Zone. The Upper Morozkina Balka Subformation contains calcareous sublayers with nannoplankton NP23 Zone in lower part and NP24 one above, dinocysts Chiropteridium partispinatum Zone, Rhombodinium draco Subzone. Polarity pattern we interpret to correspond to C10n, C9r and C9n. Batalpashinsk Formation corresponds to the time of maximum hydrogen sulfide contamination of the Late Oligocene basin and is dated by nannoplankton NP25 Zone, and dinocysts Chiropteridium patrispinatum Zone with Rhombodinium draco Subzone in lower part and Deflandrea spinulosa (non typica) Subzone in the middle and upper parts. Septarian+Zelenchuk Fm is composed of clays with septarian concretions, and interbedded sands with the same dinocysts and foraminifera with Spiroplectammina aff. terekensis. Calcareous interlayers in the top of the formation conclude nannoplankton of NP25-NN1 Zone. Karadzhalga Formation is composed mainly “fish lithofacies” and includes dinocysts zone Labyrinthodinium truncatum (Lower Miocene) in basal part.

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