Dj. Mallinson et al., STRONTIUM ISOTOPES AND MIOCENE SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA PLATFORM, Journal of sedimentary research. Section B, Stratigraphy and global studies, 64(3), 1994, pp. 392-407
A preliminary assessment of Miocene sea-level fluctuations is presente
d based on the integration of Sr-derived ages and sequence-stratigraph
ic concepts applied to subsamples of 12 cores that transect the Hawtho
rn Group on the northeast Florida Platform. The Hawthorn Group section
includes phosphorite nodules, peloids, and crusts as well as dolosilt
and dolostone nodules and beds formed during early burial diagenesis
of organic-rich sediments deposited during periods of intensified and
persistent upwelling associated with rising and maximum sea level. The
Sr-87/Sr-86 composition of phosphorite and dolomite is used to determ
ine the age of in-place phosphorite crusts and dolostone beds (condens
ed sections) and reworked phosphorite and dolostone sand and gravel (u
nconformities and transgressive surfaces). Regional correlation of unc
onformities and condensed sections provides the basis for a sequence-s
tratigraphic framework from which the age and relative amplitude of se
a-level fluctuations are constructed. Seven depositional sequences are
identified from the data. Depositional sequences correspond to local
sea-level fluctuations with maximum water depths at approximately 25-2
4, 21-20, 19-18, 17-15, 14-12, 11-9, and 8-6 Ma. Greatest water depth
apparently occurred at 17-15 Ma.