Coniacian–Campanian palynology, carbon isotopes and clay mineralogy of the Poigny borehole (Paris Basin) and its correlation in NW Europe

A high-resolution carbon-isotope curve from the Poigny borehole, near Provins (Seine-et-Marne), reveals critical insights into the Coniacian–Campanian interval of the Upper Cretaceous Chalk in the Paris Basin. This study identifies 33 significant palynological events and integrates them with carbon isotope events (CIEs) to refine sub-stage boundaries and correlate depositional sequences across NW Europe, including England and Germany. The research demonstrates that sea-level fluctuations were a primary driver of palaeoenvironmental changes during this period, as evidenced by the peridinioid/gonyaulacoid (P/G) dinocyst ratio and clay mineralogy analysis. This approach provides a robust framework for chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic correlation, enhancing our understanding of Late Cretaceous palaeoenvironments.

Pearce, M. A., Jarvis, I., Monkenbusch, J., Thibault, N., Ullmann, C. V., & Martinez, M. (2023). Coniacian–Campanian palynology, carbon isotopes and clay mineralogy of the Poigny borehole (Paris Basin) and its correlation in NW Europe. Comptes Rendus. Géoscience, 354(S3), 45–65. https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.118