ASTRONOMICALLY FORCED VARIATIONS IN GAMMA-RAY INTENSITY - LATE MIOCENE HEMIPELAGIC SUCCESSIONS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN BASIN AS A TEST-CASE

Amplitude variations of the gamma-ray record of late Miocene hemipelag ic successions on Crete correlate remarkably well with the amplitude v ariations of a published theoretical insolation curve. Chemical analys es of the sediments show a linear relation between radiation (total co unts above 400 keV) and U enrichment due to authigenic formation of U- containing minerals under anaerobic conditions. The studied sections, which are paleomagnetically and biostratigraphically and cyclostratigr aphically well constrained and more than 100 km apart, can be correlat ed on basis of gamma-ray count rates.