Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic correlation of late Campanian and Maastrichtian marine and continental strata from the Red Deer Valley to the Cypress Hills, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Two stratigraphic sequences, Red Deer Valley and Cypress Hills sections in Alberta, spanning the late Campanian to Paleocene are magnetostratigraphically and biostratigraphically characterized. The Red Deer Valley section had previously been studied, but additional material has allowed the extension of the magnetozonation downwards into the Bearpaw Formation. Higher sample resolution has allowed the identification of a number of magnetosubzones in 32n, 32r, and 33n. Four reversed magnetosubzones have been identified in magnetozone 32n in addition to the one presently recognized in geomagnetic polarity time scales. One normal subzone in 32r and one reversed subzone in 33n have also been recorded. The 32r–33n boundary is shown to occur in the Baculites cuneatus Zone. The Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary is indicated to be at or near the Baculites eliasi – Baculites baculus boundary at the top of 32n. Comparisons of the biostratigraphy between the two areas indicate that palynomorph ranges differ from data published to date, suggesting that readjustments to the previously published zonation are needed. Correlations between the two areas are possible using the magnetostratigraphic and palynological zones and allow comparisons of depositional rates.