University of Florida, United States

We present palaeomagnetic results from the Oligocene through Miocene part of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1333 (1030.996'N, 138 degrees 25.159'W), which is located in 4853 m-deep water over seafloor with an estimated crustal age of 46 Ma. Detailed magnetostratigraphic investigations are essential to provide a sound age model for the study of the palaeoclimatic and palaeo-oceanographic history of the Cenozoic of the Equatorial Pacific and to improve the database of Pacific magnetostratigraphy. Rock magnetic measurements were carried out at 1 cm resolution on 81 U-channel samples from the spliced section with the goal of extracting a high-resolution record of the magnetostratigraphy. Stepwise demagnetization of the natural remanent magnetization yielded a well-defined magnetostratigraphy over a time interval of approximately 10 Ma between the base of Chron C6n (19.722 Ma) and the middle of Chron C11r (>29.9 Ma) and identification of the Oligocene-Miocene transition at the base of Subchron C6Cn.2n. The palaeomagnetic data are characterized by shallow inclinations, and by 180 degrees alternations in declinations downhole, reflecting magnetic polarity zones. The relatively high temporal resolution allowed for the identification of three possible excursions previously not identified on the geomagnetic polarity time scale, which were recorded in Subchrons C8n.1r and C11n.2n and in Chron C11r.