Evidence for a change in Milankovitch forcing caused by extraterrestrial events at Massignano, Italy, Eocene-Oligocene boundary GSSP

High-resolution spectral analyses of four climate proxies from Massignano, Italy (Eocene-Oligocene boundary global stratotype section and point [GSSP]), indicate that the deposition of this rhythmically bedded sedimentary sequence was controlled by Milankovitch orbital cycles. An inverse relationship between the magnetic susceptibility record and the co-varied calcium carbonate, delta O-18, and delta C-13 records is indicative of a climate model in which limestones represent dry/cold periods, while marly limestones represent warm/wet periods. Through pattern matching of band-pass filtered signals with the La2004 eccentricity curve, we propose an astrochronological calibration for this important time period. Constrained by three radioisotopically dated volcanic ashes and based on a band-pass version of eccentricity that exhibits expected amplitude modulations, our astrochronology yields a refined age for the Eocene-Oligocene boundary of 33.91 +/- 0.05 Ma. Orbital forcing is less pronounced in the lower portion of the Massignano section (meter levels 0-15), which contains evidence of several impact events and a 2.2-m.y.-long comet/asteroid shower. We propose that substantial, nonperiodic climate alterations caused by this period of enhanced extraterrestrial activity mask the Milankovitch climate cycles. Possible mechanisms for the exaggeration of impact-related climatic changes include the ice-albedo feedback or the combined effect of impact-related atmospheric alterations with ongoing dust-particle loading associated with the comet/asteroid shower.