Secular resonance transitions in the late Cretaceous and astronomical
imprints during the Oceanic Anoxic Event II (Schill Grund Platform,
North Sea, Offshore Netherlands)
Abstract
The Chalk Group deposited on the Schill Grund Platform in Dutch offshore
comprises a near complete early Danian to late Cenomanian chalk
succession. Such a long record (~30 Myrs) allows for the
study of long period (>1 Myr) astronomical cycles providing
insights into amplitude modulation of astronomical cycles. A 405kyr
eccentricity-based tuning was created for one gamma-ray log and one
thorium well-logs which go through the Chalk Group. These results were
tuned to astronomical solution La2010d, which were then be used to study
aspects of long period astronomical cycles. Firstly, the amplitude
modulation of the 405 kyr eccentricity by long period astronomical
cycles was studied, which indicates that secular resonance transitions
took place at ~85 Ma and ~92 Ma. The
secular resonance transition at ~92Ma shifted the
duration of the 2.4 Myr eccentricity cycle to a 1.2 Myr period while the
resonance transition at ~85 Ma shifted the period
shifted back 2.4 Myr. The amplitude modulation records were also
compared to the amplitude modulation records of astronomical solutions.
None of the astronomical solutions accurately model the observed
resonance transition. The second result is related to Ocean Anoxic Event
II (OAEII). The 2.4 Myr cycle is at a maximum ~ 400kyr
before the onset of OAEII and progressively transitions towards a
minimum during OAEII, as the 1.2 Myr obliquity cycle peaks during OAEII.
This phase relationship between these astronomical cycles leads to a
progressive increase in the contribution of the obliquity to the
astronomical-insolation signal during OAEII.