[1] High resolution measurements of climatic and magnetic parameters have been performed on two cores from the eastern China Sea and the western Caroline Basin. On both cores, magnetic parameters show a strong imprint of climatic changes but the absence of relationship between the inclination and the bulk density indicates that the directional changes do not depend on lithology. A weak 100 ka cycle is present in the China sea inclination variations, but this period is not in phase with the orbital eccentricity and thus not relevant. All normalization parameters yielded similar estimates of relative paleointensity (RPI), but we have noticed the persistence of climatic components in the signal. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to different parameters related to climate, lithology and paleointensity has allowed to extract a "clean" magnetic signal that we refer as "principal component of paleointensity (PCP)" which is in better agreement with the Sint-2000 composite curve and provides a reliable record of relative paleointensity. The presence of climatic frequencies in RPIs most likely reflects the influence of lithology on the response of magnetization to field intensity. We suggest that PCA analysis can be very useful to approach these problems. Not only can the calculation separate overlapping climatic and magnetic signals, but it indicates what confidence should be given to the data. Incidentally, the present results emphasize the importance of carrying out detailed paleoclimatic analyses along with paleointensity studies.

The Late Oxfordian-Early Kimmeridgian interval of the eastern part of the Paris Basin is characterized by a carbonate succession deposited in shallowmarine platform environments. The Gudmont-Villiers section is represented by deposits ranging from barrier to typical lagoonal environments often poor in macrofossils. Previously unpublished calcareous microfossils are more abundant and provide alternative paleoenvironmental indicators. They also provide a biostratigraphical framework across the Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian boundary. The evolution of microfossil associations (algae and benthic foraminifera) in the lower part of the section, based on statistical analyses, is correlated to the sea-level variations. The first highly diversified association composed of small agglutinated and calcitic foraminifera (miliolids, textulariids, Spirillina, Trocholina, Molherina basiliensis etc.) characterizes high sea-level deposits; a second association richer in large agglutinated foraminifera (Alveosepta jaccardi, Everticyclammina, Nautiloculina oolithica) is significantly abundant in low sea-level deposits. A third association characterizes beds with a significant occurrence of encrusting microorganisms and algae (Lithocodium aggregatum, Troglotella incrustans, Cayeuxia piae, dasycladaceans). The upper part of the section is marked by more argillaceous beds and by the occurrence of one opportunist taxon (Lenticulina). This study shows that the microfaunaflora evolution in an internal carbonate platform environment constitute an efficient tool to determine variations in the relative sea level.

AbstractThe composition of the soluble organic matter of the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Flodigarry Shale Member (Isle of Skye, Scotland) is presented for the first time. A continuous succession of silty clays and nodular limestone beds is exposed on a rocky shore to the north of Staffin Bay. This succession is proposed as a potential stratotype of the boundary between the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian stages. This paper points out the exceptional preservation and very low thermal degradation of the organic matter. Indeed, the molecular composition is characterized by the abundance of unsaturated biomarkers (hopenes and diasterenes) as well as undamaged bioterpenoids (ferruginol and sugiol). The abundance of long-chainn-alkanes characterized by an odd-over-even predominance reveals a dominant continental contribution. This is also attested to by the relatively high amounts of plant biomarkers (e.g. ferruginol, sugiol, cadalene and retene), which suggest a palaeovegetation largely composed of pinophytes, especially Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae and Cheirolepidiaceae, on the nearest emerged lands. The water column of the depositional environment was oxic in its upper part and rather dysoxic in its lower part. The composition of the organic matter does not significantly change along the Flodigarry Shale Member. In other words, no evolutionary events or drastic change in palaeoenvironments can be deduced from the molecular content of these sedimentary rocks, and it does not allow us to support a precise location for the Oxfordian/Kimmeridgian boundary in the succession.

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