The Vocontian Basin was part of the western gulf in the European Alpine region of the NW Tethys Ocean ∼30°N (Jarvis et al., 2011; Fig. 1). High rates of subsidence throughout the mid-Cretaceous provided accommodation space for thick rhythmically bedded bioturbated limestone–marl successions, where the variable facies are indicative of a fluctuating hemipelagic depositional environment of moderate depth. Different depositional and structural processes dependent on their location in the basin have affected CTB sections within the Vocontian Basin; e.g. the Vergons section is affected by syn-sedimentary slumping in the uppermost Cenomanian, but otherwise exposes a continuous Upper Albian–Lower Turonian succession, while the thinner Pont d'Issole section is complete through the CTBI. A ∼20 m thick package of black organic-rich calcareous shales, termed the “Niveau Thomel” (Takashima et al., 2009; Jarvis et al., 2011), characterize the CTBI. Detailed biostratigraphy has been obtained for the 24 m Pont d'Issole section (Grosheny et al., 2006; Jarvis et al., 2011). The distribution of index taxa R. cushmani and H. helvetica, coupled with complete δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb records (Fig. 2; Jarvis et al., 2011), permits bed-scale correlation with the GSSP near Pueblo. Above the onset of OAE 2, samples were taken from Pont d'Issole, whereas below the onset some of the samples (n=4) came from Vergons (Supplementary Material, Table 2d), which is correlated with Pont d'Issole based on litho-, bio-, and stable-isotope stratigraphy and is undisturbed by faulting in the pre-OAE 2 interval.
Vocontian Basin
∼30°N
°N
package of black organic-rich calcareous shales, termed the “Niveau Thomel”
thick
∼20 m
m thick
Pont d'Issole section
24 m
m
some of the samples
n
)