RESPONSE OF LATE CENOZOIC PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERA AT ONTONG JAVA PLATEAU: PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC AND BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The study of sediments will produce stratigraphic records across intervals of major paleoceanographic changes by evaluating variations of primary paleoceanographic indicators. It will also provide a detailed record of vertical oceanic gradients, their linkages to climatic parameters and bottom surface water properties. Similarly, the biological gradients can be determined. The result will be a multidimensional picture of the response of the water mass structure in the Western Pacific. Late Cenozoic Planktic Foraminifers have been widely used in paleoceanographic study. The purpose of this study involves the establishment of the Paleoceanography and the Plankflc Foraminiferal biostratigraphy for the Late Cenozoic of the Hole 806B. The ranges of the species observed in this study will provide a large data base for the study of species richness and abundance. This will also incorporate the study of the effects of closing of the Indonesian Throughflow (1fF) and related surface water oceanographic changes in the Western Pacific.