| Northward plate tectonic motion of the African/Arabian continent during the Neogene (24-0 Myrs ago) has led to the closure of the Tethys Ocean. The Alpine-Himalayan orogenic barrier separated this ocean into the Mediterranean domain and the so-called 'Paratethys' domain: a large endemic water mass that extended from Austria to Iran, with the Black Sea and Caspian Sea as actual remnants. Both domains have experienced dramatic paleoenvironmental (and tectonics) changes during the Neogene, examplified by the desiccation and reflooding of the Mediterranean during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (6-5.3 Myrs ago) and the desiccation and reflooding of the Black Sea during an event that might be related to the biblical flood of Noah (~8 kyrs ago). The semi-enclosed land-locked configuration of the Mediterranean region has appeared to be extremely sensitive to record changes in paleoclimate and paleoenvironment and integrated stratigraphic studies have revealed that the sedimentary record accurately reflects astronomically induced changes in solar insolation. This has allowed the construction of very detailed astronomically tuned geological polarity time scales, which at present underlie most modern paleoclimatic, paleoceanographic and paleogeobiological research efforts. In contrast, the time scale for the Paratethys domain is highly equivocal and controversial ages exist for many events and geological stage boundaries, although suitable conditions exist to develop astronomical polarity time scales. The extraordinarily small marine opening through the Bosporus now largely controls the water circulation and environmental conditions in the Black Sea basins, but this gateway did not exist during large parts of the Neogene. The key question that hampers a full understanding of the paleoclimatological evolution of Eurasia during that time period thus relates to the closure and opening of the marine connection(s) between Mediterranean and Paratethys, and is at present far from understood. In this project, we aim to develop a high-resolution astronomical polarity time scale for the Eastern Paratethys with special focus on the last ~10 Myr of geological history. A key aspect for such a research is a good understanding of the paleobiological (palynology, molluscs, ostracods), cyclostratigraphic, and paleomagnetic properties, which requires a multidisciplinary integrated approach and suitable sedimentary sequences. The first aspects are covered by the extensive expertise in astronomical dating, integrated stratigraphy, biogeology and paleomagnetism of this Dutch-Russian research collaboration. Suitable sedimentary sequences are eminently exposed and very well accessible on the Taman Peninsula and along the Belay River (Maikop Basin) in the Russian Federation. High-resolution flora and fauna research will consequently enable us to obtain a comprehensive record of the paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic evolution of the Black Sea area and will reveal new insights into the quantity and quality of the water exchange between Mediterranean and Paratethys domains through time. The development of an astrochronology for the Eastern Paratethys will directly establish high-resolution (micro)paleontological, geochemical (isotopes) and cyclostratigraphic records aiming at detailed reconstructions of the environment and climate history of Eurasia. |
