Magnetostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous strata in South Sakhalin, Russian Far East

A stratigraphic sequence of magnetic polarity reversals consisting of 13 ma gnetozones is recognized in Upper Cretaceous sedimentary strata in the Naib a area of South Sakhalin, Russian Far East. Combined with local. biostratig raphic age assignments using ammonites and other molluscs that apparently r ange from Coniacian to Maastrichtian, the geomagnetic polarity sequence can be correlated with polarity chrons from C34n, the Cretaceous long normal i nterval, through C30n in the upper Maastrichtian. The recognition of these polarity chrons and their correlation with regional faunal assemblages that commonly occur in Japan and other areas in the Far East provide an integra ted reference that should be of value for linking local biostratigraphic zo nations in the North Pacific and serve as another basis for calibration in the quest to establish a global definition of Upper Cretaceous stage bounda ries. (C) 2000 Academic Press.