Kimmeridgian-Tithonian red marly limestones and Berriasian white limestones were recovered at Site 534 of DSDP Leg 76 in the western North Atlantic. These yielded a well-defined magnetostratigraphy with the characteristic magnetization carried by hematite in red sediments and magnetite in white sediments. The polarity sequence is correlated to the magnetostratigraphy of Kimmeridgian-Tithonian-Berriasian pelagic carbonates of northern Italy and southern Spain, allowing precise biostratigraphic age correlations. The Berriasian/Tithonian boundary occurs within the upper half of Core 90, the late Tithonian/early Tithonian boundary at the base of Core 96, and the Tithonian/Kimmeridgian boundary at the top of Core 102. Correlations are also made to M-16 through M-22 of the marine magnetic anomaly M-sequence. Poor recovery and irregular magnetic properties of the underlying Kimmeridgian-Oxfordian-Callovian marls and claystones prevented determination of a polarity sequence, but the entire interval has mixed polarity. Valanginian gray marly limestones have very weak magnetizations, and preliminary results are inadequate to determine the polarity pattern.
If the samples did not attain a reliable characteristic direction, the best demagnetization step is given and the inclination value is questionable.
Supplement to: Ogg, James G (1983): Magnetostratigraphy of upper Jurassic and lowest Cretaceous sediments, Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 534, western North Atlantic. In: Sheridan, RE; Gradstein, FM; et al. (eds.), Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (U.S. Govt. Printing Office), 76, 685-697