Latest Permian to Middle Triassic cyclo-magnetostratigraphy from the Central European Basin, Germany: Implications for the geomagnetic polarity timescale

In Central Germany, the about I km thick mainly elastic Germanic Lower Triassic (Buntsandstein) consists of about 60 sedimentary cycles, which are considered to reflect variability in precipitation within the epicontinental Central European Basin, most probably due to solar-induced short eccentricity cycles. They provide a high-resolution cyclostratigraphic framework that constitutes the base for creating a composite geomagnetic polarity record, in which this paper presents a Middle Buntsandstein to lowermost Muschelkalk magnetostratigraphy obtained from 6 outcrops and 2 wells where a total of 471 samples was collected. Combined with recently established records, a well-documented magnetostratigraphy for the upper Zechstein to lowermost Muschelkalk (latest Permian to Middle Triassic) of Central Germany has been constructed, encompassing an overall stratigraphic thickness of about 1.3 km and 22 magnetozones derived from about 2050 paleomagnetic samples. Along with available bio-stratigraphy, this multi-disciplinary study facilitates detailed links to the marine realm, in order to directly refer biostratigraphically calibrated Triassic stage boundaries as well as radioisotopic ages to the Buntsandstein cyclostratigraphy and, conversely, to contribute to calibrating the geologic timescale. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.