Com base na aplicação dos pressupostos da estratigrafia de seqüências, facilitado pela excelente qualidade dos dados sísmicos, foi realizado um estudo sistemático para entender como se processou o desenvolvimento da sedimentação siliciclástica/carbonática da porção sul da Bacia de Santos, durante o Mioceno. O banco de dados constituiu-se de uma malha sísmica multicanal, perfazendo aproximadamente 500 km de amostragem linear e dados de três poços. As técnicas de análise estratigráfica aplicadas foram: sismoestratigrafia e análise dos perfis de raio gama e sônico. O pacote carbonático Miocênico foi subdividido em cinco seqüências deposicionais. A partir daí estabeleceu-se um modelo de evolução paleoambiental e de correlação com os principais eventos globais de variação relativa do nível do mar. Os resultados indicaram que a sedimentação teve como fatores controladores e moduladores a glacio- eustasia associada às principais mudanças paleoclimáticas que ocorreram durante o Mioceno, assim como a halocinese, que teve forte influência no controle da paleobatimetria. Os dados globais indicaram para o Eomioceno condições climáticas mais amenas e para o Meso e Neomioceno, uma tendência geral de resfriamento. Diretamente relacionados a estas mudanças, predomina para o Eomioceno o caráter transgressivo dos sistemas deposicionais e para o Meso e Neomioceno, o regressivo. Esta tendência transgressiva, iniciada no Oligoceno, ocasionou o afastamento gradual das fontes de sedimentos siliciclásticos da área de estudo, permitindo condições propícias ao estabelecimento de uma sedimentação mista. No início do Mioceno, a deposição carbonática encontrava-se restrita às áreas proximais, desenvolvendo-se durante os tratos transgressivos. Nas fases finais do evento transgressivo, o nível de mar alto estabilizado/início de descida da curva eustática foram os principais momentos do desenvolvimento da sedimentação carbonática, tendo início a ampliação da sua área de ocorrência. / Based on the sequence stratigraphy and on the excellent quality of the seismic data, a systematic study was used to better understand the development of the siliciclastic / carbonatic sedimentation of the southern portion of Santos Basin, occurred during Miocene. The database includes a multichannel seismic data, with approximately 500 km of linear data, and 3 wells. The applied seismic techniques used, both seismic stratigraphy and well log analysis (gamma ray and sonic). The Miocene interval was subdivided into 5 depositional sequences, and a paleoenvironmental evolutionary model was established together with a correlation of global sea level variation. The results showed that the sedimentation was controlled by the glacio-eustasy associated with the main changes of the paleoclimate occurred in Miocene, as well as with the influence of the halokinesis. The global data indicated that in Early Miocene the climatic conditions start to cool, and then the Middle Mioceno and Late Miocene too. With a direct relationship with these changes, the transgressive characteristic of the depositional systems predominated in Early Miocene and regressive in Middle Miocene and Early Miocene. This transgressive tendency that started at Oligocene changed the source of siliciclastic sediments outside of the studied area, allowing good conditions for the mixed sedimentation to establish. In the beginning of Miocene the carbonatic sedimentation was restricted to the proximal areas, during the development of the transgressive tracts. At the end of the transgressive events, the maximum maximum flood was responsible for the main development of the carbonatic sedimentation, beginning the enlargement of the area.

Cinco poços, localizados na porção centro-sul da Bacia de Campos, que atravessaram os carbonatos do Membro Siri, foram utilizados objetivando a realização de um estudo petrográfico/microfaciológico e quimioestratigráfico nestes calcários. Foram identificas sete microfácies, constituídas basicamente por algas coralináceas, macroforaminíferos e cracas, que abrangem um conjunto de sistemas deposicionais que vai desde um a laguna rasa de circulação aberta até um forereef/margin reef abaixo da base de onda, passando por bioconstruções que formam um complexo de bancos algálicos na borda da plataforma. As condições iniciais destas rochas foram alteradas, em maior ou menor grau, devido à diagênese, notadamente, em ambiente meteórico freático. A cimentação foi o principal processo responsável pela diminuição da porosidade nestes carbonatos. Por outro lado, o processo de dissolução promoveu um alargamento dos poros, melhorando as características do reservatório. Quimioestratigrafia baseada em elementos químicos maiores e traços possibilitou a subdivisão dos carbonatos do Membro Siri em três unidades químicas e oito subunidades. Paralelamente a correlação de eventos isotópicos de dO18 e dC13 identificados no poço E, com eventos globais, sugere idade neo-oligocênica a eomiocênica para estes calcários. Finalmente, o entendimento da sucessão dos estratos carbonáticos dentro dos conceitos da estratigrafia de seqüências evidenciou que os tratos de sistemas podem ser relacionados com as variações observadas nos perfis geoquímicos e nas assembléias fossilíferas observadas na rocha. / Five wells have crossed carbonates of the Siri Member in the south of Campos Basin. They have been used objectifying the accomplishment of a petrographic/microfacies and chemostratigraphic study in these calcareous rocks. This work allowed to identify seven microfacies, constituted basically of coralline algae, larger foraminifera and barnacles, which enclose a set of depositional systems since a shallow lagoon of open circulation until a forereef/reef margin below wave base, passing for organics build up that form a complex of algalic banks in the edge of the platform. The rocks previously deposited have been modified by diagenesis, mainly, in a marine phreatic diagenetic environment. Cementation has been the main process responsible for lost of porosity in these carbonates. On anothe r hand, solution has improved the reservoir porosity. A chemostratigraphic study using major e trace chemical elements made possible the recognition of three chemical units and eight subunits in Siri Member. By correlating dO18 and dC13 isotopic events, identified in well E, with global events, a Late Oligocene Early Miocene age is suggested for Siri limestone. The stratigraphic sequences have showed that system tracts can be relationed with specific fossi liferous assemblages and with chemical variations observed in geochemical profiles.

Com base na aplicação dos pressupostos da estratigrafia de seqüências, facilitado pela excelente qualidade dos dados sísmicos, foi realizado um estudo sistemático para entender como se processou o desenvolvimento da sedimentação siliciclástica/carbonática da porção sul da Bacia de Santos, durante o Mioceno. O banco de dados constituiu-se de uma malha sísmica multicanal, perfazendo aproximadamente 500 km de amostragem linear e dados de três poços. As técnicas de análise estratigráfica aplicadas foram: sismoestratigrafia e análise dos perfis de raio gama e sônico. O pacote carbonático Miocênico foi subdividido em cinco seqüências deposicionais. A partir daí estabeleceu-se um modelo de evolução paleoambiental e de correlação com os principais eventos globais de variação relativa do nível do mar. Os resultados indicaram que a sedimentação teve como fatores controladores e moduladores a glacio- eustasia associada às principais mudanças paleoclimáticas que ocorreram durante o Mioceno, assim como a halocinese, que teve forte influência no controle da paleobatimetria. Os dados globais indicaram para o Eomioceno condições climáticas mais amenas e para o Meso e Neomioceno, uma tendência geral de resfriamento. Diretamente relacionados a estas mudanças, predomina para o Eomioceno o caráter transgressivo dos sistemas deposicionais e para o Meso e Neomioceno, o regressivo. Esta tendência transgressiva, iniciada no Oligoceno, ocasionou o afastamento gradual das fontes de sedimentos siliciclásticos da área de estudo, permitindo condições propícias ao estabelecimento de uma sedimentação mista. No início do Mioceno, a deposição carbonática encontrava-se restrita às áreas proximais, desenvolvendo-se durante os tratos transgressivos. Nas fases finais do evento transgressivo, o nível de mar alto estabilizado/início de descida da curva eustática foram os principais momentos do desenvolvimento da sedimentação carbonática, tendo início a ampliação da sua área de ocorrência. / Based on the sequence stratigraphy and on the excellent quality of the seismic data, a systematic study was used to better understand the development of the siliciclastic / carbonatic sedimentation of the southern portion of Santos Basin, occurred during Miocene. The database includes a multichannel seismic data, with approximately 500 km of linear data, and 3 wells. The applied seismic techniques used, both seismic stratigraphy and well log analysis (gamma ray and sonic). The Miocene interval was subdivided into 5 depositional sequences, and a paleoenvironmental evolutionary model was established together with a correlation of global sea level variation. The results showed that the sedimentation was controlled by the glacio-eustasy associated with the main changes of the paleoclimate occurred in Miocene, as well as with the influence of the halokinesis. The global data indicated that in Early Miocene the climatic conditions start to cool, and then the Middle Mioceno and Late Miocene too. With a direct relationship with these changes, the transgressive characteristic of the depositional systems predominated in Early Miocene and regressive in Middle Miocene and Early Miocene. This transgressive tendency that started at Oligocene changed the source of siliciclastic sediments outside of the studied area, allowing good conditions for the mixed sedimentation to establish. In the beginning of Miocene the carbonatic sedimentation was restricted to the proximal areas, during the development of the transgressive tracts. At the end of the transgressive events, the maximum maximum flood was responsible for the main development of the carbonatic sedimentation, beginning the enlargement of the area.

Cinco poços, localizados na porção centro-sul da Bacia de Campos, que atravessaram os carbonatos do Membro Siri, foram utilizados objetivando a realização de um estudo petrográfico/microfaciológico e quimioestratigráfico nestes calcários. Foram identificas sete microfácies, constituídas basicamente por algas coralináceas, macroforaminíferos e cracas, que abrangem um conjunto de sistemas deposicionais que vai desde um a laguna rasa de circulação aberta até um forereef/margin reef abaixo da base de onda, passando por bioconstruções que formam um complexo de bancos algálicos na borda da plataforma. As condições iniciais destas rochas foram alteradas, em maior ou menor grau, devido à diagênese, notadamente, em ambiente meteórico freático. A cimentação foi o principal processo responsável pela diminuição da porosidade nestes carbonatos. Por outro lado, o processo de dissolução promoveu um alargamento dos poros, melhorando as características do reservatório. Quimioestratigrafia baseada em elementos químicos maiores e traços possibilitou a subdivisão dos carbonatos do Membro Siri em três unidades químicas e oito subunidades. Paralelamente a correlação de eventos isotópicos de dO18 e dC13 identificados no poço E, com eventos globais, sugere idade neo-oligocênica a eomiocênica para estes calcários. Finalmente, o entendimento da sucessão dos estratos carbonáticos dentro dos conceitos da estratigrafia de seqüências evidenciou que os tratos de sistemas podem ser relacionados com as variações observadas nos perfis geoquímicos e nas assembléias fossilíferas observadas na rocha. / Five wells have crossed carbonates of the Siri Member in the south of Campos Basin. They have been used objectifying the accomplishment of a petrographic/microfacies and chemostratigraphic study in these calcareous rocks. This work allowed to identify seven microfacies, constituted basically of coralline algae, larger foraminifera and barnacles, which enclose a set of depositional systems since a shallow lagoon of open circulation until a forereef/reef margin below wave base, passing for organics build up that form a complex of algalic banks in the edge of the platform. The rocks previously deposited have been modified by diagenesis, mainly, in a marine phreatic diagenetic environment. Cementation has been the main process responsible for lost of porosity in these carbonates. On anothe r hand, solution has improved the reservoir porosity. A chemostratigraphic study using major e trace chemical elements made possible the recognition of three chemical units and eight subunits in Siri Member. By correlating dO18 and dC13 isotopic events, identified in well E, with global events, a Late Oligocene Early Miocene age is suggested for Siri limestone. The stratigraphic sequences have showed that system tracts can be relationed with specific fossi liferous assemblages and with chemical variations observed in geochemical profiles.

Diploma thesis deals with geological, petrological and geochemical studies of neovolcanic rocks of the SW part of the Most Basin in the area of Tušimice power plant open pit. There are two lava flows affected by coal mining in northern part of the mine. Petrological and geochemical studies with K-Ar dating relatively recent rocks in mostly weatherworn volcanic rocks showed, that they can be classified as Ti-rich basaltic rocks without olivine (tephrites), which belong to the main volcanic phase in the evolution of the Eger graben. It was evidenced geologicaly and with K-Ar dating, that studied rocks were seperated from underlying beda by hiatus which caused erosion of volcanic rocks as well as crystalline bedrock. Mmajor and trace elements composition of co-magmactic volcanics showed that rock were derived from two slightly different sources of upper mantle. Composition of two samples indicates the formation from low degree of partial melting strongly metasomatic asthenospheric mantle. Chemical features of volcanic rocks show that mantle source was comparamble to recent OIB basalts. Last sample arose from less metasomatized and depth distincted mantle which was affected by higher level of partial melting. Melts from which crystallized both rocks were minimaly affected by asimilation or...

Two mid-Miocene (16.5-15 Ma) rhyolite volcanic centers in eastern Oregon, the Buchanan rhyolite complex and Dooley Mountain rhyolite complex, were investigated to characterize eruptive units through field and laboratory analysis. Results of petrographic and geochemical analysis add to field observations to differentiate and discriminate the eruptive units. Additionally, new geochemical data are used to correlate stratigraphically younger and older basalt and ash-flow tuff units with regional eruptive units to constrain the eruptive periods with modern Ar-Ar age dates. Previous work at the Buchanan rhyolite complex was limited to regional mapping (Piper et al., 1939; Greene et al., 1972) and brief mention of the possibility of multiple eruptive units (Walker, 1979). Observed stratigraphic relationships and geochemical analysis were used to identify eight distinct eruptive units and create a geologic map of their distribution. Slight differences in trace element enrichment are seen in mantle normalized values of Ba, Sr, P, Ti and Nd-Zr-Hf and are used to differentiate eruptive units. New geochemical analyses are used to correlate the overlying Buchanan ash-flow tuff (Brown and McLean, 1980) and two underlying mafic units to the Wildcat Creek ash-flow tuff (~15.9 Ma, Hooper et al., 2002) and flows of the Upper Steens Basalt (~16.57 Ma, Brueseke et al., 2007), respectively, bracketing the eruptive age of the Buchanan rhyolite complex to between ~16.5 and ~15.9 Ma (Brueseke et al., 2007; Hooper et al., 2002). The Dooley Mountain rhyolite complex was thoroughly mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey (Evans, 1992) and geochemically differentiated in a previous Portland State University M.S. thesis (Whitson, 1988); however, discrepancies between published interpretations and field observations necessitated modern geochemical data and revisions to geologic interpretations. Field and laboratory studies indicate that the Dooley Mountain rhyolite complex consists of multiple eruptive units that were effusive domes and flows with associated explosive eruptions subordinate in volume. At least four geochemically distinct eruptive units are described with variations in Ba, Sr, Zr and Nb. Picture Gorge Basalt flows and Dinner Creek Tuff units found within the study area both overlay and underlie the Dooley Mountain rhyolite complex. These stratigraphic relationships are consistent with the one existing Ar-Ar age date 15.59±0.04 Ma (Hess, 2014) for the Dooley rhyolite complex, bracketing the eruptive period between ~16.0 and ~15.2 Ma (Streck et al., 2015; Barry et al., 2013). The findings of this study indicate that the Buchanan rhyolite complex and the Dooley Mountain rhyolite complex are the westernmost and northernmost rhyolite complexes among the earliest (16-16.5 Ma) mid-Miocene rhyolites associated with initiation of Yellowstone hot spot related volcanism.

Human evolution has been linked to climate change multiple times in the literature. One of the more well-known theories is the ‘savannah’ theory, which states that walking upright became an advantageous character when climate in Africa changed causing drier environments, changing woodlands to savannahs. Human ancestors could cross open fields more easily when walking upright, therefore it was thought that climate change could be a driving factor in the change to bipedal locomotion. Five hominin species were the basis of the study presented here, showing that change towards bipedal locomotion was a mosaic process with gradual change. A review of the relevant literature shows that the timing of change in fossils to bipedal locomotion and climate change do not coincide in the interval 6-3 Ma, therefore suggesting that climate change did not drive human evolution in this case. Changes towards open landscapes with C4 grass dominance peaked at the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary (2.6 Ma), while the first hominin species already walked completely bipedally before 3.5 Ma.

The Gray Fossil Site, northeastern Tennessee, is formed by multiple karst sub-basins filled with lacustrine sediments. The oldest sediments found were recently dated as Paleo-Eocene by palynological means, whereas the youngest sediments are considered Mio-Pliocene based on their faunal assemblage. In this study, we examined the Mio-Pliocene lacustrine sediments from the Gray Fossil Site to determine the Late Neogene floral characteristics of a site within the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Mio-Pliocene lacustrine sinkhole fill preserves a unique fossil assemblage, which includes invertebrate, vertebrate, and floral remains. Floral remains are represented by wood, seeds, leaves, and pollen grains. Forty-seven palynological samples from six different test-pits were analyzed. All pits exhibit a low pollen yield, a result of basic pH levels, drought, and fire events that occurred during deposition. The palynofloral assemblage has a low to moderate diversity and is largely dominated by a Quercus-Carya-Pinus assemblage (~ 90% of the palynoflora). The presence of Pterocarya grains supports a Late Neogene age for these lacustrine sediments. Comparison with modern pollen-based floras from North America suggests that: (1) examined pits can be discriminated into two separate groups based on their palynofloral signatures, (2) the Mio-Pliocene vegetation at the site ranged between a closed to open woodland setting, depending on the intensity and frequency of drought and fire events, and (3) the fossil palynofloral assemblage is comparable to what would be expected in the modern North American Mesophytic Forest region.

The carbon-isotope and palynological record through 580 m thick almost continuous brown coal in southeast Australia's Gippsland Basin is a relatively comprehensive southern hemisphere Middle Eocene to Middle Miocene record for terrestrial change. The carbon isotope δ13Ccoal values of these coals range from - 27.7‰ to - 23.2. This isotopic variability follows gymnosperm/angiosperm fluctuations, where higher ratios coincide with heavier δ13C values. There is also long-term variability in carbon isotopes through time. From the Eocene greenhouse world of high gymnosperm-heavier δ13Ccoal values, there is a progressive shift to lighter δ13Ccoal values that follows the earliest (Oi1?) glacial events around 33 Ma (Early Oligocene). The overlying Oligocene-Early Miocene brown coals have lower gymnosperm abundance, associated with increased %Nothofagus (angiosperm), and lightening of isotopes during Oligocene cooler conditions. The Miocene palynological and carbon-isotope record supports a continuation to the Oligocene trends until around the late Early Miocene (circa 19 Ma) when a warming commenced, followed by an even stronger isotope shift around 16 Ma that peaked in the Middle Miocene when higher gymnosperm abundance and heavier isotopes prevailed. The cycle between the two major warm peaks of Middle Eocene and Middle Miocene was circa 30 Ma long. This change corresponds to a fall in inferred pCO2 levels for the same period. The Gippsland data suggest a link between gymnosperm abundance, long-term plant δ13C composition, climatic change, and atmospheric pCO2. Climatic deterioration in the Late Miocene terminated peat accumulation in the Gippsland Basin and no further significant coals formed in southeast Australia. The poor correspondence between this terrestrial isotope data and the marine isotope record is explained by the dominant control on δ13C by the gymnosperm/angiosperm abundance, although in turn this poor correspondence may reflect palaeoclimate control. From the brown coal seam dating, the coal appears to have accumulated during a considerable part of the allocated 30 Ma Cenozoic time period. These brown coal carbon isotope and palynological data appear to record a more gradual atmospheric carbon isotope change compared to the marine record.

Examination of stream and roadcut exposures of the Cowlitz Formation allows the selection of measured representative sections, and collection of fossils, from an area roughly defined by the intersection of the boundaries of Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties in Oregon. The study defines the features of the local environment of deposition, correlates sections to derive a composite columnar section, and develops a checklist of species for both microfossils and megafossils of the Cowlitz Formation.