The rift-to-drift transition in the North Atlantic:

A stuttering start of the MORB machine?

Oliver Jagoutz
Institut für Geologie, Universität Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Othmar Müntener
Gianreto Manatschal Centre géochimie surface- École et observatoire des sciences de la Terre, Université Louis Pasteur,
F-67084 Strasbourg, France
Daniela Rubatto Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra 0200 ACT, Australia
Gwenn Péron-Pinvidic Centre géochimie surface- École et observatoire des sciences de la Terre, Université Louis Pasteur,
F-67084 Strasbourg, France
Brent D. Turrin Department of Geological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
Igor M. Villa Institut für Geologie, Universität Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland, and Universita di Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy

ABSTRACT strained magnetic anomalies, the age of final

We report U-Pb and 39Ar-40Ar measurements on plutonic rocks recovered from the Ocean breakup and the onset of seafloor spreading
Drilling Program (ODP) Legs 173 and 210. Drilling revealed continental crust (Sites 1067 between Iberia and Newfoundland are debated.
and 1069) and exhumed mantle (Sites 1070 and 1068) along the Iberia margin and exhumed Based on the first undisputed oceanic magnetic
mantle (Site 1277) on the conjugate Newfoundland margin. Our data record a complex igne- anomaly, M3, Whitmarsh and Miles (1995)
ous and thermal history related to the transition from rifting to seafloor spreading. The suggested a Barremian age (128 Ma), whereas
results show that the rift-to-drift transition is marked by a stuttering start of MORB-type Tucholke et al. (2007) and Péron-Pinvidic et al.
magmatic activity. Subsequent to initial alkaline magmatism, localized mid-oceanic ridge (2007) proposed a late Aptian to earliest Albian
basalts (MORB) magmatism was again replaced by basin-wide alkaline events, caused by age (ca. 112 Ma), based on drilling results and
a low degree of decompression melting due to tectonic delocalization of deformation. Such seismic stratigraphic arguments.
“off-axis” magmatism might be a common process in (ultra-) slow oceanic spreading systems,
where “magmatic” and “tectonic” spreading varies in both space and time. EMBRYONIC OCEANIC CRUST
DRILLED AT ODP SITES 1070 AND 1277
Keywords: Ocean-Continent transition, MORB, rifting, magma-poor margins, age determinations. Embryonic oceanic crust was drilled at a base-
ment high near magnetic anomaly M1 at Site
INTRODUCTION THE IBERIA-NEWFOUNDLAND 1070 on the Iberia margin and at a basement high
It is generally accepted that rupturing of conti- RIFTED MARGINS SYSTEM a few kilometers oceanward of magnetic anomaly
nents is followed by localized seafloor spreading The conjugate, magma-poor Iberia-Newfound- M1 at Site 1277 on the Newfoundland margin.
at mid-ocean ridges (MOR), which are consid- land rifted margins resulted from polyphase Late The locations of both sites, relative to seafloor
ered, on geological time scales, to be symmetric Triassic to Early Cretaceous rifting and separa- spreading magnetic anomalies, suggest a similar
and steady state. The continuity of this process tion of the North America and Iberia plates. crustal accretion age of ca. 127 Ma (Fig. 1).
is documented by the correspondence of crustal Rifting migrated from proximal to distal parts At Site 1070, drilling penetrated tectonic
accretion ages (dated by magnetic anomalies) of the future margin, leading to fault-bounded breccias with gouge horizons grading downhole
and isotopic ages. While these processes are basins and local thinning of the crust to less than into massive serpentinized peridotite intruded
well studied at present-day MOR, little is known 10 km before final breakup (Whitmarsh et al., by an E(enriched)-MORB–derived pegmatitic
about how stable these systems are during their 2001). The Iberia-Newfoundland margins are the hornblende gabbro (Hébert et al., 2001; Beard
embryonic stage. Even though our understand- only example of rifted margins where scientific et al., 2002) (see Fig. DR1 in the GSA Data
ing of the mechanisms associated with extension drilling has sampled basement rocks from the Repository1). A breccia overlying the pegma-
and rifting of continents has improved in the last Ocean-Continent Transition (OCT). The 18 sites tite consists of serpentinite and rare gabbro and
decade (Whitmarsh et al., 2001), the processes drilled during Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) albitite clasts. Sediments immediately on top are
that ultimately start the MOR basalt (MORB) Leg 47B and ODP Legs 103, 149, 173, and 210, Late Aptian (Whitmarsh et al., 1998).
machine and the switch from rifting (delocalized combined with a relatively dense geophysical At Site 1277, drilling penetrated a 40-m-thick,
deformation) to spreading (localized deforma- data set, document the existence of a Zone of volcano-sedimentary unit composed of
tion and accretion) are still poorly constrained. Exhumed Continental Mantle (ZECM) up to three basalt flows with a T-(transitional) to
A striking discovery of ODP drilling along the 200 km wide, which separates thinned continen- N(normal)-MORB composition (Tucholke et al.
Iberia-Newfoundland conjugate margins was tal crust from oceanic crust. Based on magnetic 2004) interlayered with debris flows and sand-
the scarcity of effusive magmatism and only analyses and refraction studies (e.g., Russell and stones that are separated from the underly-
minor volumes of intrusive rocks in areas with Whitmarsh, 2003; Lau et al., 2006), crust ocean- ing basement by a tectonic contact (see Fig.
weak magnetic anomalies (Sibuet et al., 2007). ward of the first unambiguous magnetic anomaly DR1). Clasts in the sediments are composed
In this paper, we present new U-Pb and 40Ar-39Ar (M3, ca. 128 Ma; Gradstein et al., 2004) is gen- of serpentinized peridotites and gabbros identi-
measurements across the conjugate Iberia- erally referred to as oceanic. However, based on cal to rocks forming the underlying basement.
Newfoundland margins to document the mag- its proximity to the continental margins and its
matic and retrograde history of igneous rocks highly variable basement structure (Tucholke et al., 1
GSA Data Repository item 2007270, analytical
related to the final rifting and onset of seafloor 2007), we refer to it in this paper as embryonic methods, tabulated and illustrated results, and a
spreading in the North Atlantic. The data show oceanic crust, to emphasize the difference from stratigraphic column indicating sample locations of
Sites 1277 and 1070, is available online at www.
that the initiation of magmatic seafloor spreading “normal” slow-spreading oceanic crust. geosociety.org/pubs/ft2007.htm, or on request from
is more complex than previously anticipated and Due to the polyphase evolution of rifting, editing@geosociety.org or Documents Secretary,
is transitional in time and space. subdued magmatic activity, and poorly con- GSA, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.

© 2007 The Geological Society of America. For permission to copy, contact Copyright Permissions, GSA, or editing@geosociety.org.
GEOLOGY,
Geology, December
December 2007
2007; v. 35; no. 12; p. 1087–1090; doi: 10.1130/G23613A.1; 3 figures; Data Repository item 2007270. 1087
 EVAPORITES BMT.-INVOLVED AND BASIN-BOUNDING FAULTS
Although the breccias have not been dated, it EMBRYONIC OCEANIC CRUST DRILL SITE OTHER FAULT ISOBATHS [m]
has been suggested that they were deposited 0 4000
1000 300 BASIN

BANK
A

KS
1067/68 2000

BAN
during or directly after accretion of the base- 46°
N 1276
1070
127*
zircon 247*
Figure 1. Reconstruction
wr 105-98* hbl 167-132
ment (Péron-Pinvidic et al., 2007). The Site 1277
124 plag 142-133 of Newfoundland-Iberia
116-101
1277 basement consists of strongly altered ser- 128 rift at 125 Ma (anom-

R
>Albian

ERIO
897
pentinized harzburgite with a high-temperature 113 899 aly M0) (adapted from

ND

GALICIA

INT
92-69 Tucholke et al., 2004).

.
898

A.P
1065 398
mylonitic foliation and igneous veins. Based on

GR A

RIA
44° S. NFLD. 901 Ages are from this paper;

1000
the mineralogical composition of the magmatic

IBE
IBERIA
BASIN B asterisk (*) denotes pre-
1069
products (clasts and veins) drilled at Site 1277, Geochronological constraints mus 362
500
0

Geochronological constraints viously published data

embryonic oceanic crust distal margins
alkaline rocks (characterized by phlogopite, Number of ODP Site
(Beard et al., 2002; Gar-
1070 1069 Number of ODP Site dien and Paquette, 2004;
albite-rich feldspar, monazite, zircon, apatite, 127* Age [Ma] of alkaline magmatism 5000 zircon U-Pb age [Ma] of Zircon
124 Age [Ma]
SILLS of MORB magmatsim Hart and Blusztajn, 2006).
orthoamphibole, rutile, and ± xenotime) can be 42°
116-101 39Ar-40Ar plagioclase ages TAGUS A.P.
mus, hbl, 39Ar-40Ar ages [Ma] of:
Geochronological con-
plag, wr muscovite, hornblende
distinguished from MORB-derived rocks (char- [Ma] (see text for interpretation) plagioclase, whole rock straints for MORB-type
*ages from literature (see text for reference)
acterized by plagioclase, clino-, orthopyroxene, 48° W 46° 44° 42° 40° magmatism are shown

Two-way traveltime (s)

ilmenite, and Ti-hornblende) (Müntener and A ~M3 ~M0
~M1
~M3
~M1 Iberia
B in gray boxes; alkaline
Grand Banks
0 magmatism is shown in
Manatschal, 2006). However, small sample vol- Continental Transitional Embryonic Transitional Continental
oceanic crust
(1069) 1067
white.
umes (<1 cm3), coupled with the coarse-grained 5 1276 1277
1070 (Projected) 1068
mineralogy (~0.5 cm), impede meaningful geo- 10
,

chemical whole-rock characterizations. 300 km 200 100 0 100 200 300 km

Age Constraints for Magmatic and

Post-Breakup Evolution
To shed light on the magmatic and thermal
history of the embryonic-oceanic crust of the
juvenile North Atlantic ocean basin, we dated
several gabbroic clasts and veins from the
embryonic oceanic crust (ODP Sites 1070 and
1277) and from the Iberia distal margin (ODP
Sites 1067, 1068, and 1069) using U-Pb dat-
ing of zircons by sensitive high-resolution ion
microprobe (SHRIMP) and 39Ar-40Ar tech-
niques on hornblende, phlogopite, muscovite,
and plagioclase mineral separates. 39Ar-40Ar
measurements were conducted at the Institute
of Geological Sciences at University of Bern,
and at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Details of the analytical techniques and results
are presented as electronic supplement.
RESULTS
Age Constraints from the Embryonic history. The temporal and spatial distribution of
Oceanic Crust the various magmatic and retrograde events is
summarized in Figure 2.
Site 1070
Kaersutitic hornblende, separated from an Magmatic Activity within an Embryonic
E-MORB–derived gabbroic pegmatite ana- Magma-Poor Oceanic Crust
lyzed at the University of Bern, yielded a The onset of embryonic oceanic crust forma-
39
Ar-40Ar age of 123.9 ± 1.2 Ma, statistically tion is accompanied (or triggered?) by alkaline
indistinguishable from the result from the magmatism documented at Site 1277. A phlogo-
Lamont laboratory (124.2 ± 0.7 Ma). Strongly pite 39Ar-40Ar age yields a minimum age for this
altered plagioclase separates analyzed from alkaline episode of 128 ± 3 Ma, closely cor-
the same sample in Bern yield a poorly responding to the crustal accretion age of Site
constrained age of 101 ± 5 Ma, whereas 1277. A contemporaneous magmatic event is
samples analyzed by Lamont yield less reju- documented on the Iberia margin at Site 1070
venated and better-constrained plagioclase by the U-Pb age of a single zircon (127 ± 4 Ma)
ages (116.9 ± 0.8 Ma, 115.7 ± 0.3 Ma, and separated from a biotite-bearing albitite clast
111.0 ± 0.3 Ma). U/Pb dating on zircons from
albitite clasts overlying the pegmatite yields Oceanic crust Continental margin
an age of 127 ± 4 Ma, interpreted as a crystal- 70
on-axis magmatism

lization age (Beard et al., 2002).

Age Constraints from the Distal Margin 90

(Sites 1067, 1068, and 1069) Site 1277 110

Age [Ma]

off-axis magmatism
A maximum age for the deformation lead- Igneous zircons from a hornblende gabbro Transitional crust
ing to continental breakup is given by tilted dike yielded an intrusion age of 113.2 ± 2.1 Ma 130
location of breakup
Tithonian sediments (ca. 145 Ma) deposited over (95% confidence interval). A phlogopite sepa- 150
U-Pb:
Zircon
Ar-Ar:
Amphibole
Fission track:
Zircon
Biotite
thinned continental crust drilled at Sites 901, rate from a different alkaline gabbroic dike Titanite/
Zircon Plagioclase
Whole rock
1065, and 1069 (Wilson et al., 2001). Devonian yielded a 39Ar-40Ar age of 128 ± 3 Ma. 170
Newfoundland Iberia Iberia
39
Ar-40Ar muscovite ages (361.5 ± 0.5 Ma; see Plagioclase separates from four different MTR

Fig. DR1) separated from a conglomerate clast brecciated, MORB-derived gabbroic clasts, 1276 1277 1070 Gorringe Bank 1068 1067/69

that was recovered at Site 1069 indicate no sig- present within mass flows found on top of the Sample Site

nificant resetting of muscovite Ar ages during
breakup. Jurassic 39Ar-40Ar ages (see Fig. DR1)
of hornblende (167.3 ± 0.9 Ma, 164.6 ± 0.5 Ma,
160.5 ± 0.8 Ma, and 152.6 ± 0.9 Ma) and plagio-
clase (141.8 ± 0.4 Ma) were obtained from
amphibolites drilled at Site 1067. Our results
on plagioclase are slightly older than those
from gabbro clasts drilled at Site 900 (136.4 ±
0.3 Ma; Féraud et al., 1996). Amphibolite clasts
from Site 1068 yield hornblende 39Ar-40Ar ages
of 140 ± 2 Ma and 131.7 ± 1.1 Ma and a plagio-
clase age of 133.1 ± 0.3 Ma.
serpentinized mantle and within the volcano Figure 2: Illustration of spatial and tem-
sedimentary units, yielded well-constrained, poral relationship of various events along
albeit variable, 39Ar-40Ar ages (91.6 ± 0.3 Ma, Newfoundland-Iberian margin. Symbol color
76.1 ± 0.4, 69.1 ± 1.1 Ma, and 69.3 ± 2.1 Ma). code: orange and blue are alkaline and
MORB-type igneous events, respectively.
Black symbols are rejuvenated ages (see text
DISCUSSION for details). Post-Albian alkaline events and
Based on assumptions outlined in Figure contemporaneous plagioclase rejuvenation
DR1, we interpret our U-Pb zircon and 39Ar-40Ar ages are tentatively grouped in “basin-wide”
hornblende and biotite ages to date several dis- events (transparent boxes), illustrating the
possibility of repetitive, basin-wide alkaline
crete phases of alkaline and MORB-type mag- events. Data from literature are the same as
matism at Sites 1277 and 1070, and 39Ar-40Ar cited in Figure 1, and from Merle et al. (2006)
plagioclase ages date a prolonged retrograde and Schärer et al. (2000).

1088 GEOLOGY, December 2007

originally interpreted to date the intrusion of A Plume Origin of Alkaline Magmatism and 1000 km, the small volume of igneous
the underlying E-MORB–derived pegmatitic in the North Atlantic? rocks in this part of the Atlantic does not favor
gabbro (Beard et al., 2002). However, because One hypothesis to explain the prolonged and plume activity prevailing for more than 15 myr.
neither location (see Fig. DR1) nor mineral heterogeneous igneous history recorded at Sites Finally, the alkaline magmatic event at 113.2 ±
chemistry (Beard et al., 2002) of the albitite 1277 and 1070 involves the passage of mantle 2.1 Ma is contemporaneous with a basin-wide,
clasts indicate a genetic relationship with the plumes (Duncan, 1984; Hart and Blusztajn, delocalized, extensional morpho-tectonic event,
pegmatite gabbro, they likely reflect a differ- 2006; Merle et al., 2006). An alternative hypoth- recorded in the sedimentary architecture in the
ent pulse of magmatism. Based on the similar esis relates Cretaceous volcanism in Newfound- Iberia-Newfoundland margins (Péron-Pinvidic
mineralogy of the albitite clast and the alkaline land to decompression melting along reactivated et al., 2007; Tucholke et al., 2007). Accordingly,
dike at Site 1277, we relate the 127 ± 4 Ma mag- faults (Pe-Piper et al. 1994). Based on currently we propose an alternative hypothesis to explain
matism at Site 1070 with the contemporaneous available data, none of these hypotheses can be the revival of intra-plate alkaline magmatism.
alkaline event at Site 1277. excluded. However, several lines of evidence are
The pegmatitic gabbro at Site 1070 yields not in accordance with the plume hypothesis. A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR
a 124.2 ± 0.7-Ma hornblende age, indicating Alkaline sills at Site 1276 and from the Southern EMBRYONIC MAGMA-POOR
younger igneous MORB-type activity. No direct Grand Banks in Canada show an isotopic sig- SEAFLOOR SPREADING
age information dating the MORB-type mag- nature that is different from the known Atlantic The early alkaline magmatism (ca. 128 Ma),
matism at Site 1277 is available, but indirect hotspot system (Pe-Piper et al., 1994; Hart and followed by younger (>124 Ma) E-MORB–type
evidence suggests that the MORB-type mag- Blusztajn, 2006). The age distribution observed magmatism, can be explained by a low degree of
matism occurred shortly after accretion of the at Madeira-Tore rise (Merle et al., 2006) does melting of (fertile?) mantle. However, alkaline
basement (Péron-Pinvidic et al., 2007). The not favor a simple passing plume-head model. magmatism recurred ca. 15 m.y. later, at the
earliest magmatic history of the embryonic The similar magmatic histories at Sites 1070 same time as a regional-scale morpho-tectono
oceanic crust is thus characterized by alkali and 1277 (Fig. 2) for at least 15 myr after onset event that affected the two conjugate margins
magmatism followed by MORB-type mag- of magmatic activity suggest a common process at the Apt-Albian boundary. We propose that
mas. The 113.2 ± 2.1-Ma U-Pb zircon age of a on either side of the proto–mid-Atlantic ridge. during juvenile, ultra-slow spreading, melt
hornblende-plagioclase dike at Site 1277 indi- Assuming conservative average full spreading supply along the Atlantic proto-ridge was sub-
cates a restoration of magmatism at the Aptian/ rates of ca. 10–20 mm/a (Sibuet et al., 2007), dued, and mantle exhumation was the dominant
Albian boundary. Multiple emplacements of seafloor spreading would have separated these process. This magma-starved embryonic ocean
alkaline sills at Site 1276 (105 Ma and 98 Ma; two localities by ~150–300 km. Although plume- crust accumulated in-plane stresses during fur-
Hart and Blusztajn, 2006) and volcanic activity head radii are considered to range between 200 ther extension (Tucholke et al., 2007). Sudden
at the Madeira-Tore rise (104–88 Ma; Geld-
macher et al., 2006; Merle et al., 2006) imply
prolonged alkaline off-axis magmatism on
D ≤112 Ma MORB PHASE slow spreading mid-ocean ridge
M3 1277 1070M3 0 km
either side of the nascent mid-Atlantic ridge.
Figure 3. Tectono-mag-
Retrograde History 10 matic model of initiation
of seafloor spreading in
Structural and sedimentary evidence con- southern North Atlantic
strains erosion and sedimentation of gabbro 20
modified after Péron-
clasts at ODP Sites 1070 and 1277 to be older Pinvidic et al. (2007) and
than 112 Ma (Aptian/Albian boundary) (Péron- C 112 Ma ALKALINE magmatism, basin-wide extension Tucholke et al. (2007).
1277 1070 M3 A: Asymmetric rifting of
Pinvidic et al., 2007). The plagioclase 39Ar-40Ar M3 0 km
continental Iberia and
ages of these rocks are substantially younger, Newfoundland margins
ranging from 116 Ma to ca. 101 Ma at Site 1070 10 results in mantle exhu-
to as young as ca. 69 Ma at Site 1277. The non- mation associated with
systematic age distribution with sample depth 20 alkaline melts. B: Local-
ization of extension into
(see Fig. DR1) implies that the ages do not a magma-starved, slow
reflect regional cooling, nor are they related to B 124-112 Ma MORB-type magmatism, embryonic oceanic crust spreading zone. Accre-
M3 M3 Hobby High 1065 901 0 km
the proximity of basaltic flows. Instead, the local tion of embryonic-oceanic
difference in ages requires a sample-specific crust (exhumed mantle +
control on the meter scale on Ar exchange in 10
low volumes of E- to
N-MORB–type melts). C:
plagioclase. Because fluid-induced recrystalliza- Redistribution of the
tion has a dominant effect on Ar exchange (Villa, 20 extensional deformation
2006), we propose that the plagioclase 39Ar-40Ar across previously accreted
ages record the termination of recrystalliza- segments. Extension trig-
A > 128 Ma ALKALINE magmatism Structures gers decompression melt-
tion, i.e., the end of hydrothermal activity. We Hobby High 1065 901 0 km
Isotherms
ing, resulting in low vol-
emphasize that plagioclase 39Ar-40Ar ages within Tectonic
spreading faults umes of alkaline melts.
the oceanic realm cannot, a priori, be linked to Rift faults Hydrothermal convection
10 triggered by shallow-level
regional exhumation and associated cooling. Thinning
structures intrusion resets plagio-
Our measurements document rejuvenated
39 20 Hydrothermal clase 39Ar-40Ar system-
Ar-40Ar plagioclase, which overlaps Upper convection cells atics. D: MOR-producing
Cretaceous alkaline magmatism, thus affecting Lithologies Serpentinized mantle Pre Aptian/Albian “normal” oceanic crust.
the Newfoundland and Iberian margin (Schärer sediments
Pre-rift sediments Lithospheric mantle
Alkaline-type rocks
et al., 2000; Hart and Blusztajn, 2006; Merle Upper continental crust Asthenospheric mantle
Lower continental crust Oceanic crust MORB-type rocks
et al., 2006) (Fig. 2).

GEOLOGY, December 2007 1089

stress release triggers “tectonic spreading”
episodes that are characterized by the dis-
tribution of extensional deformation away
from the proto-ridge over previously accreted
embryonic-oceanic crust, which resulted in the
observed tilted blocks in Newfoundland and
Iberia (Péron-Pinvidic et al., 2007; Tucholke
et al., 2007). Associated low-degree decom-
pression melting results in off-axis magmatism
(Fig. 3). Our rejuvenated 39Ar-40Ar plagio-
clase ages are roughly contemporaneous with
documented alkaline magmatism (Fig. 2).
Although highly speculative, this basin-wide
correlation between magmatic events and
hydrothermal rejuvenation might imply that
basin-wide, off-axis thermal pulses associated
with alkaline magmatism are not uncommon in
the northern Atlantic.
We speculate that “tectonic spreading” phases
are rather short-lived, isolated events intervening
between periods of “normal” igneous accretion
on a timescale probably beyond the resolution
of magnetic anomalies.
Several studies pointed out that the low mag-
matic flux along MOR is commonly associated
with the formation of amagmatic segments at
ultra-slow spreading rates (<20 mm/yr) (Dick
et al., 2003). Our observations suggest that the
delocalization of deformation is not restricted to
the vicinity of MORs (tens of km), but might be
distributed over much larger areas (>100 km),
locally triggering off-axis alkaline volcanism as
recorded from fast- (Zou et al., 2002) and slow-
spreading systems (Meyer et al., 1996).
We conclude that off-axis, low-degree man-
tle melting is not necessarily related to plume
activity, but might be coupled with low-melt
productivity on axis associated with ultra-slow
spreading rates, which by itself might be related
to “tectonic” spreading. Alkaline magmatism
observed at basement highs (Site 1277, this study;
Madeira-Tore rise, Schärer et al., 2000; Geld-
macher et al., 2006; Merle et al., 2006) is readily
explained by contemporaneous normal faulting.
CONCLUSIONS
U-Pb SHRIMP data and 39Ar-40Ar data dem-
onstrate multiple episodes of magmatism along
the Iberia-Newfoundland rift system variably
being between alkaline and E-N MORB. Our
results provide a mechanism to explain how
substantially younger, off-axis alkaline mag-
matism might be reconciled with a non–steady-
state MORB engine. Our new data suggest that
the transition from rifting to magmatic seafloor
spreading is not a well-defined event but, rather,
is transitional, and occurred over a period of
time lasting from Barremian to end-Aptian, i.e.,
over >~15myr.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research used samples provided by the Ocean
Drilling Program (ODP), which is sponsored by
funding agencies of the participating countries. This
1090
research was supported by Swiss National Science
Foundation grant PP002-102809 and grants from the
French Groupe de Recherche Marge (GDR). Detailed
and thoughtful reviews by Brian Tucholke and Henry
Dick substantially improved the manuscript and are
greatly appreciated.
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Manuscript received 18 December 2006
Revised manuscript received 25 July 2007
Manuscript accepted 27 July 2007
Printed in USA
GEOLOGY, December 2007