Friday, May 6, 2011

Pleistocene Sample indicating 450m lift

A sample from the Peloritani mountains in the northeastern part of Sicily, Italy indicates that the terrain has been lifted by 450m or more within only 1,8 Mio. years since the early Pleistocene.

The material is taken from the Salice Outcrop lying today at 340m above sealevel. It contains several Globorotalia inflata, which first appeared in the latest Pliocene/Early Pleistocene. Geological studies place the Salice outcrop into the Early Pleistocene spanning from 1,8-0,8 million years BC.

Read more at www.foraminifera.eu/meditsalice.html



The sample contains about 40% planktonic foraminiferal tests, which indicate water-depth of at least 100m at the time of deposition. Studies carried out in different parts of recent oceans proof a strong correlation between water-depth and share of planktonic foraminiferal tests in the sediment.

Read more at www.foraminifera.eu/medit01.html

any question ? ask michael [at] foraminifera.eu